New law will affect young travellers

THE Department of Home Affairs has announce a period of grace for young travellers who will be affected by the Immigration Act, implemented on May 26.

According to Harvey World Travel, Shelly Beach, this new law requires children under the age of 18 to present an unabridged birth certificate as well as a passport when leaving, transiting or arriving in South Africa.

Originally the department said the new regulation would apply from July 1, but it has extended the period to September 1 to allow young travellers to obtain their unabridged birth certificates, which gives both parents’ details.

Anyone travelling with children should take note of the new legislation. Parents travelling with their child will need to produce the child’s unabridged birth certificate.

If one parent travels with a child, he or she must produce the child’s unabridged birth certificate and consent in the form of an affidavit from the child’s other registered parent.

If this is not possible, the parent travelling with the child will need a court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or legal guardianship in respect of the child. If the other parent of the child has died, a death certificate must be produced.

If a person is travelling with a child who is not his or her biological child, he or she must produce a copy of the unabridged birth certificate of the child and an affidavit from the parents or legal guardian of the child confirming that he or she has permission to travel with the child. Copies of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the child and the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child must be produced. If both parents are deceased, the director-general may give his approval of the child entering or leaving South Africa with that person.

Any unaccompanied minor entering or leaving South Africa must produce proof of consent from one or both of his or her parents or legal guardian. This must be in the form of a letter or affidavit.

If only one parent provides proof of consent, that parent must also provide a copy of a court order issued to him or her, granting full parental responsibilities and rights in respect of the child. The young traveller must also produce a letter from the person who is to receive him or her in South Africa. The letter must include the host’s residential address and contact details. A copy of the host’s identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit as well as the contact details of the young traveller’s parents or legal guardian must also be produced.

All passports must still be valid for a minimum of six months from intended date of return and have a minimum of two free, unused pages.

The new regulation does not change the visa requirements of the countries South African travellers are visiting. South African travellers with dual citizenship will still need to travel with both their South African and foreign passports.