What are the regulations for travelling to South Africa with children?
To ensure the safety and security of children travelling to South Africa, you are required to carry certain travel documents with you. The Department of Home Affairs of Republic of South Africa introduces regulations in regard to travel documents. Please note the following check-list in varying circumstances to make sure you experience a hassle-free travel to South Africa.
Travelling with parents:
If a child is travelling with both biological parents, travel documents required are the:
Valid passports of both the biological parents and their accompanied child
Complete Birth Certificate
If a child in travelling with adoptive parents, travel documents required are
Valid passports of the both adoptive parents as well as minor child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Adoption Certificate/Court order
If a child is travelling with his legal guardians, travel documents required are:
Valid passports of both the legal parents
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Guardianship order
Travelling with single parent:
If a child is accompanied by one of his/her biological parents, travelling documents required are:
Valid Passport of both travelling parent and the child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Parent Consent Affidavit not older than 6 months/Letter of Special Circumstances issued by Director-General of Home Affairs is that the parent or parents are incapacitated or deceased and no legal guardian is assigned yet.
If a child is accompanied by one of his/her adoptive parents, travelling documents required are:
Valid passport of accompanied parent and the child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Court Order confirming the adoption of the minor by the one or both adoptive parents/Certificate of Adoption
Parental Consent Affidavit not older than 6 months/Guardianship Order/Letter of Special Circumstances issued by Director General of Home Affairs in such a case when a parent or parents are incapacitated or deceased and no legal guardian has been assigned yet.
If a child is accompanied by divorced/legally separated parents, travelling documents required are:
In case of equal/specific rights and responsibilities:
Valid passport of travelling parents and the child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Parental Consent Affidavit not older than 6 months
Court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights to the accompanied single parent/Court Order granted in terms of section 18 (5) of the Children’s Act, 2005/Letter of Special Circumstances issued by Director-General of Home Affairs in the event that a parent or parents are incapacitated or deceased and no legal guardian has been assigned yet.
In case of full parental rights and responsibilities:
Valid passport of travelling parent and the child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Court order which grants full parental responsibilities and rights to the accompanied parent.
If a child is travelling with one his legal guardian, travelling documents required are:
In case of joint legal guardianship:
Valid passport of travelling guardian and the child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Guardianship Order
Parental Consent Affidavit not older than 6 months/Letter of Special Circumstances issued by the Director-General of Home Affairs
In case of full legal guardianship:
Valid passport of accompanied legal guardian and a child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Guardianship Certificate
If a child is travelling with a widow, travelling documents required are:
In case of biological parents:
Valid passport of travelling parent and child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Death certificate of the one of the deceased parent
In case of adoptive parents:
Valid passport of accompanied parent and a child
Death certificate of the deceased parent
Unabridged Birth Certificate or equivalent document/ Court order confirming the adoption of the minor by the adoptive parents/Adoption Certificate
If a child is travelling alone, and he/she belongs to a single parent (he has a single parent on the birth certificate)
Valid passport of a travelling child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Parental Consent Affidavit which is not older than 6 months
Letter from the person with his residential address and contact details who will receive the minor in South Africa.
Proof of identity of the person who will receive the minor in South Africa
If the child is travelling alone, and he is a child of an unmarried couple on his birth certificate:
Valid passport of the travelling child
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Letter from a person who is at the receiving end in South Africa with his complete residential as well as contact details.
Identity card details of the person who is to receive the minor in South Africa,
Complete details of parents or legal guardian of the minor.
Parental Consent Affidavit/Court Order confirmation of parental rights and obligations/Letter of Special Circumstances issued by Director General of Home Affairs.
Travelling of an unaccompanied child:
It is important to note that valid passports as well as complete birth certificate are the necessary documents to travel with. If due to certain circumstances, a minor child is required to travel alone, and he possess one or both parents, then the essential travelling documents will include the Parental Consent Affidavit. On the Contrary, if a minor child is not under the legal guardianship of anyone, then he must present Letter of Special Circumstances issued by the director general of Home Affairs that grants him a permission to travel.
If the above stated situations do not match the background of a travelling child then visit Home Affairs of Republic of South Africa to find out the requisite travelling documents in reference the child’s particular case.
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