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Travel Documents for Families Traveling with Minors

IMPORTANT Regulations if you are Traveling with Children

The Government of South Africa recently implemented rules governing travel with children to the country to prevent human trafficking. If you are entering South Africa with a minor, you must comply with the following rules or else you may be denied entrance at the border. A pamphlet explaining the rules can also be found attached to the bottom of this page.

1. Where parents are traveling with a child:

(i) Parents must produce an unabridged birth certificate of the child

reflecting the parents of the child.

(ii) Adopted children to provide proof of adoption by means of an adoption certificate

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 traveling with a child:

(i) The parent must produce an unabridged birth certificate of the child

reflecting the parents of the child

(ii) Consent in the form of an affidavit (not older than 3 months from the date of travel) from the other parent registered as a parent on the birth certificate of the child authorizing him or her to enter into or depart from the Republic with the child he or she is travelling with

(iii) 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

(iv) 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.

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

(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

4. Any unaccompanied minor shall produce to the immigration officer:

(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.