New South African Regulations for Traveling With Children

[Adrian]

any idea if this includes when just transitting joburg airport to another international destination and not entering SA?

Spike, last year I was travelling with my son to Mozambique via Zimbabwe, this was in July, he is 16, the South African immagration wouldn't let me leave the country. I eventually had my wife email me a letter. Brickburns post is worth reading.

Spike if you not clearing customs at the airport and only transiting you shouldn't have a problem.

I read it as even if you are a transit passenger, ie; just passing through en route to another destination, you will still need the birth certificate of any under eighteen year old with you.

So, my family and I will be heading to Windhoek via Johannesburg but we will still need my thirteen year old daughter's birth certificate to enter and leave South Africa.

Either way, best err on the side of caution and have it just in case.

 

[spike.t]

just got an email from BA exec club with this link. just spoke to someone at the exec club and she said after checking that you do need the docs even when in transit through an SA airport to another international destination.

http://www.britishairways.com/trave...ail&utm_campaign=Email&utm_term=&utm_content=

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

just got an email from BA exec club with this link. just spoke to someone at the exec club and she said after checking that you do need the docs even when in transit through an SA airport to another international destination.

http://www.britishairways.com/trave...ail&utm_campaign=Email&utm_term=&utm_content=

I got that email too. This is the important part for me from the link:

If you are starting your journey BEFORE 1 June 2015
The new regulations come into force on 1 June 2015. If you start your journey before that date you will not be requested to travel with these documents, provided that the return leg of your journey takes place within a period of 4 months of your outbound journey.

It would seem I shouldn't have any problems.

 

[spike.t]

just dont get lost phil......

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

just dont get lost phil......

Well Jacques @Hartzview Hunting Safaris will be doing the driving.........and last time we were there we did take quite a detour in the countryside one evening......so yeah, valid concern!

 

[spike.t]

Well Jacques @Hartzview Hunting Safaris will be doing the driving.........and last time we were there we did take quite a detour in the countryside one evening......so yeah, valid concern!

phil as long as jacques @Hartzview Hunting Safaris doeasnt get bitch slapped as well you should be ok.....

 

[Adrian]

We have just travelled through South Africa and went through OR Tambo airport both ways and not once were we asked to produce our daughter's birth certificate or were even questioned about her.
She obviously had her passport which might have been enough so I wonder if the rules apply to those children who are travelling on their parent's passports?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

We have just travelled through South Africa and went through OR Tambo airport both ways and not once were we asked to produce our daughter's birth certificate or were even questioned about her.
She obviously had her passport which might have been enough so I wonder if the rules apply to those children who are travelling on their parent's passports?

Yes those rules are supposed to apply if both parents are traveling with their son/daughter (s). The reason for the birth certificate is it identifies the parents whereas the passport only identifies your child. I'd say someone decided that you looked like you belonged together or they were just being lazy.

In some defense of this trouble, you have to remember this is an effort to defeat child trafficking. As such I think they're more on the lookout for children traveling with adults that don't seem to fit. Say a child is of a different race than the adult(s) they're traveling with or perhaps there is just no family resemblance. It's a bit of a hassle but one I can understand and support.

 

[Philip Glass]

So next year when I take my then 12 year old, I will need:

1) Passport
2) Original birth certificate

And

3) An affidavit from his mom that consents to us being there.

What exactly does that mean? Will a letter signed by his mom suffice? Need it be notarized?

Sorry this comment is late but I just now thought of taking my son.
No according to the law you must have:
Passport
Birth certificate
Affidavit from other parent
Court order granting full parental responsibilities

There is no "or" between 12.b.i & ii

Maybe unless his has changed I'll just go to Namibia.
Philip

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Sorry this comment is late but I just now thought of taking my son.
No according to the law you must have:
Passport
Birth certificate
Affidavit from other parent
Court order granting full parental responsibilities

There is no "or" between 12.b.i & ii

Maybe unless his has changed I'll just go to Namibia.
Philip

You'll need to verify this, but I believe the "Court order" part for full parental responsibilities should have an "or" before it and after the "Affidavit" part. If you had full parental responsibilities the affidavit from the other parent would be meaningless as you have full control.

I may be wrong, but it just doesn't make sense to need both. And as I say if I were doing it again, I'd verify this before taking my now only one son under 18 with me alone.

Perhaps Lori @Travel Express can shed some light on this? I know the new rules went into effect after I had arrived last year with my son. I was asked when we were leaving the country if I knew about the new regs and I provided all the paperwork I thought was necessary, which did not include a court order. The nice lady at immigration smiled and waived us through quite quickly barely glancing at the documents.

 

[gizmo]

I can only speak of both parents being present but when we went last June we had to present our passports AND our children's birth certificates in addition to their passports. The customs agent spent at least ten minutes going over the documents and making sure every I was dotted and T was crossed. I'm glad we were both there, had it been just me with the kids it would have surely been a goat rope even with the required paperwork.

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

Hi Philip ~ yes the South Africa Immigration Act is still in effect but they are trying to get it rescinded - it has actually been in place for a number of years but they only started enforcing it in June of 2015. The way I read it, you do need an affidavit OR court order. Unless something changes, make sure you have the documentation as required whether going through or to South Africa.

Hope this helps!

 

[buddy48]

Alright, I have a follow up question that I cannot seem to find and answer to. I am using this consent form:

http://www.dha.gov.za/files/ParentalConsentAffidavit.pdf

However, the notary I took it to was confused on the bottom section, second page, where it speaks of Commissioner of Oaths. She signed and notarized above this section and left the section below that blank. I don't want any issues so I was wondering if anyone has actually used this form for their consent and if so how did the notary handle it and did you experience any issues in RSA.

 

[buddy48]

Never mind folks....if I would have looked a little harder I would have found the consent form posted on this site that is a little more straight forward. Obviously there isn't a specific consent form that South Africa requires.

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

Alright, I have a follow up question that I cannot seem to find and answer to. I am using this consent form:

http://www.dha.gov.za/files/ParentalConsentAffidavit.pdf

However, the notary I took it to was confused on the bottom section, second page, where it speaks of Commissioner of Oaths. She signed and notarized above this section and left the section below that blank. I don't want any issues so I was wondering if anyone has actually used this form for their consent and if so how did the notary handle it and did you experience any issues in RSA.

buddy48 - I think the Commissioner of Oaths section is for the notary to fill out her information, not sure if you can go back and have her do that? Sounds like you may be going with a different form now?

 

[Hank2211]

Alright, I have a follow up question that I cannot seem to find and answer to. I am using this consent form:

http://www.dha.gov.za/files/ParentalConsentAffidavit.pdf

However, the notary I took it to was confused on the bottom section, second page, where it speaks of Commissioner of Oaths. She signed and notarized above this section and left the section below that blank. I don't want any issues so I was wondering if anyone has actually used this form for their consent and if so how did the notary handle it and did you experience any issues in RSA.

In most countries which follow the English common law system, a notary public is automatically a commissioner of (or for) oaths. Some countries may not have notaries, but they will always have someone who can attest to the swearing of oaths.

So in this case, the Notary acts as the commission of Oaths fills in her (or his) information where it calls for a Commissioner of Oaths.

Hank2211 (Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths in the Province of Alberta)!