Immigration update: South Africa | Advisory notes on the requirements for children travelling through South African ports of entry

28 March 2019

Advisory notes on the requirements for children travelling through South African ports of entry

On 13 March 2019, the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa published advisory notes on the requirements for children travelling through South African ports of entry, these are aimed at giving effect to the Children’s Act (Act 38 of 2005). To view this update you can click here.

Who is affected

This will affect all individuals travelling to and from South Africa with children under the age of 18.

Background

On 19 September 2018, the South African Government announced that a number of changes will be made to make it easier for tourists, business people and academia to travel to South Africa. More detail on this announcement is available in our South African Immigration Update published on 25 September 2018. This updated advisory aims to clarify the requirements for children travelling through South African ports of entry.

Impact

Subject to some exemptions, below is a list of documents required when travelling in or out of South Africa with minor children:

Where both parents are travelling with their biological child/ children

• Valid Passport
• Valid Visa (if applicable)
• Birth Certificate Birth Certificate (required for South African Children and may be requested for foreign children).

Where only one parent is travelling with their biological child/ children

• Valid Passport
• Valid Visa (if applicable)
• Birth Certificate (required for South African Children and may be requested for foreign children)
• Parental Consent Affidavit from the parent who will not be travelling with the child/ children.

Where the child/ children are travelling unaccompanied

• Valid Passport
• Valid Visa (if applicable)
• Birth Certificate (required for South African Children and may be requested for foreign children)
• Parental Consent Affidavit from both parents
• Full details of the individual receiving the child/ children in South Africa, this should be in the form of a letter with proof of their residential and work address, full contact details, a certified copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit
• Adoption or court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or a death certificate (if applicable).

When the child/ children are travelling with someone who is not their biological parent

• Valid Passport
• Valid Visa (if applicable)
• Birth Certificate (required for South African Children and may be requested for foreign children)
• Parental Consent Affidavit from both parents
• Adoption or court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or a death certificate (if applicable).

A child in alternative care shall produce

• Valid Passport
• Valid Visa (if applicable)
• Letter from the Provincial Head of the Department of Social Development where the child resides authorising his or her departure from the Republic as contemplated in section 169 of the Children’s Act (Act No. 38 of 2005).

As mentioned above these requirements are subject to certain exemptions as detailed below:

• Children in direct transit at an International Airport will not be required to produce any documents (a transit visa may still be required)
• Children in possession of valid South African visas will not be required to produce any documents as these would have been provided during the visa application process (it is however recommended that the same rules as above are adhered to and copies of the documents be kept on hand)
• Where parents’ details are endorsed in children’s passports, or other official identification documents, these documents will be sufficient to establish the identity of the parents of the travelling minor
• In the case of school tours, the parental consent letter may be replaced with a letter from the school principal confirming that all consent letters are held by the school. Upon producing this letter, immigration officers at ports of entry and South African missions abroad would not require any additional documents from individual scholars such as parental consent, birth certificates, death certificates, court orders or copies of the passports or identity documents of the parents and of the person receiving the child in SA. This special dispensation applies to all schools registered with the Department of Basic Education in South Africa and its equivalent abroad.

How Santa Fe can assist

Santa Fe can support parents or individuals who wish to travel with children by assessing their eligibility to travel and to draft the required affidavits/ motivation letters. We can also assist to secure the required documents or request exemptions as required.

We can also keep you updated on further developments in South African immigration matters and will advise on any changes requiring your attention.

Should you have any questions, please contact:

Terence Rover
Immigration Manager – Africa
Santa Fe Relocation
Johannesburg, South Africa
D: +27 (0) 10 442 8933
M: +27 (0) 72 279 9606
E: Terence.Rover@staging.santaferelo.com

Paolo Longo
Regional Immigration Director – Africa
Santa Fe Relocation
Johannesburg, South Africa
D: +27 (0) 10 595 2337
M: +27 (0) 83 677 7949
E: Paolo.longo@staging.santaferelo.com

Soumeya Messadi
Head of Immigration – Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa
Santa Fe Relocation
Singapore
D: +65 6398 3520
M: +65 9169 6061
E-mail: Soumeya.messadi@staging.santaferelo.com

To read more immigration updates, click here

About our Immigration Services

Our immigration services manage thousands of visa applications every year for a multitude of international companies. Our experienced immigration experts and migration agents handle the immigration process for you and provide simple reporting and guidance on immigration matters.

About us

Santa Fe Relocation Services is a global mobility company specialising in managing and delivering high-quality relocation services worldwide. Our core competence is providing services that help corporations and their employees relocate and settle in a new country, assisting them with immigration, home and school searches, language and cultural training, property rentals, and domestic and international household goods shipments. We provide these services to a consistently high standard, locally and globally. A key strength is our ability to manage these services through our own operations around the world. Santa Fe Relocation Services is wholly owned by the Santa Fe Group, which is listed on NASDAQ in Copenhagen, Denmark. For more information, visit us at blue.santaferelo.com