Familiarise yourself with SA’s new requirements for travelling with children.

SA now has new immigration laws to protect citizens and to improve lives:

• Parliament amended the Immigration Act, 2002 in 2007 and 2011.
• This gave us the Immigration Amendment Acts of 2007 and 2011.
• The amended acts came into force with the Immigration Regulations, 2014.
• They came into operation on 26 May 2014.
• These new laws changed how we handle movement in and out of SA

New Immigration Regulations

1. Where both parents are travelling with a child

Requirements:
(i) Such parents must wwwuce an unabridged birth certificate of the child reflecting the particulars of the parents of the child.
(ii) Adopted children to provide proof of adoption by means of an adoption Certificate
Explanatory Note:
These  regulations  apply  to  all  South African travellers except foreign visa exempt travellers,  on   departure as well as arrival. In  the  case  of  foreign  countries  that  do  not  issue unabridged birth certificates, a letter to this effect issued by the competent authority of the foreign country should be wwwuced. All  documents  must  be  original  or  copies  certified  as a  true  copy  of  the  original  by  a  commissioner  of  oaths  or  the  equivalent  commissioning authority, should commissioners of oath not be a practice in the country concerned;

2.Where one parent is travelling with a child

Requirements:
(i)  Such parent must wwwuce an unabridged birth certificate of the child reflecting the particulars of the parents of the child
(ii)  Consent  in  the  form  of  an  affidavit  from  the  other  parent  registered as a parent on the birth certificate of the child authorising him or her to  enter  into  or  depart  from  the  Republic  with  the  child  he  or  she  is  travelling with
(iii)    Where applicable -
          A court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or legal guardianship in respect of the child, if he or she is the parent or legal guardian of the child; or Provided that the Director General may, where the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child.

• Copy of a death certificate of the deceased parent

3. Where a person is travelling with a child who is not his  or her biological child, he or she must wwwuce

Requirements:
(i)  A copy of the unabridged birth certificate of the child;
(ii)  An affidavit from the parents or legal guardian of the child confirming that he or she has permission to travel with the child;
(iii)    Copies of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the child; and
(iv)  The contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child Provided that the Director-General may, where the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child.
(v) Where applicable - 

• Copy of a death certificate.
• Copy of an adoption order.
• Copy of a court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights / legal guardianship in respect of the child.

4. Any unaccompanied minor shall wwwuce to the immigration officer

Requirements:
(i)  Proof  of  consent  from  one  of  or  both  his  or  her  parents  or  legal  guardian, as the case may be, in the form of a letter or affidavit for the child  to  travel  into  or  depart  from  the  Republic:  Provided  that  in  the  case  where  one  parent  provides  proof  of  consent,  that  parent  must  also provide a copy of a court order issued to him or her in terms of which  he  or  she  has  been  granted  full  parental  responsibilities  and  rights in respect of the child;
(ii)       A  letter  from  the  person  who  is  to  receive  the  child  in  the  Republic,  containing  his  or  her  residential  address  and  contact  details  in  the  Republic where the child will be residing;
(iii)     A  copy  of  the  identity  document  or  valid  passport  and  visa  or  permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive the child in the Republic; and
(iv)  The contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child. Where  applicable,  a  death  certificate of the other parent registered as a parent of the child on the birth certificate;
(v)  Legally  separated  parents  should  also  provide a court order when the other parent does not give consent. Provided  that  the  Director-General  may,  where  the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child.
Explanatory Note:
The affidavit may not be older than 3 months, dating from the date of travel.

5.    Any child who is in alternative care as defined in the Children’s Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005)

Requirements:
Shall,  before  departing  from  the  Republic,  wwwuce  a  certified  copy  of  an  authorisation letter from the Provincial Head of the Department of  Social  Development  where  the  child  resides  as  contemplated in section 169 of the Children’s Act.

View all requirements, changes and details on the Republic of South Africa Department of Home Affairs wesbite.

Explanatory Note:
This Regulation has entered into force on 26 May 2014

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