Strict Travel Document Requirements for Children Postponed

Children under the age of 18 traveling internationally to and from South Africa will not have to present their unabridged birth certificates and other documents to prove parental consent of travel, until June 1, 2015. The requirement, which was part of new visa rules, was to be implemented on October 1, 2014 but has been postponed, according to today’s Parliamentary announcement by the South African Minister of Home Affairs. 

The rule, which applies to South African citizens and foreign nationals, has one set of requirements for children traveling with their parents and a more burdensome set of requirements for children traveling without their parents, including written permission from both parents or guardians authorizing the child's travel. The South African Department of Home Affairs still plans to implement the new rule to combat international child trafficking, but has delayed the effective date to accommodate accurate and timely communication to South African missions abroad, travel operators and prospective travelers, and to give parents more time to obtain the required documents in time for their children’s travel plans. 

What This Means for Foreign Nationals 

Although the documentary requirements have been eased for children, the constraints are still planned to take effect on June 1, 2015. Foreign nationals and South African citizens should obtain unabridged birth certificates well in advance of any international travel to or from South Africa. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].


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