Heads-up: New SA Immigration rules for kids
#151
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
Ah well - as someone commented a few days ago, about something completely differently: 'if only there was a German word for taking pleasure in someone else's misfortune' [and the rest of the quote was 'and a Greek word for a victory that's really a defeat']
And for clarity, I'm not taking pleasure in your misfortune, but your loss is, in this case, my gain
And for clarity, I'm not taking pleasure in your misfortune, but your loss is, in this case, my gain
#152
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
True, sort of. Because if you need to travel soon there isn't an option. Locals have no option but to jump through the hoops however unpleasant, awkward and slow. Visitors, for the most part, on the other hand...
Another nail in the coffin of our vanishing Runt. Which is ironic: even the exchange rate won't persuade people with children to visit.
Another nail in the coffin of our vanishing Runt. Which is ironic: even the exchange rate won't persuade people with children to visit.
My weekly grocery shop would not be significantly more expensive in several European countries than in SA.
#153
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Dublin
Posts: 188
Yep; eat out in SA, eat in in Europe.
On the subject of the Rand / Runt, ZAR hasn't really been a terribly weak performer over the years adjusted for the interest rate or inflation differentials. The assumed underperformance is largely a case of money illusion.
On the subject of the Rand / Runt, ZAR hasn't really been a terribly weak performer over the years adjusted for the interest rate or inflation differentials. The assumed underperformance is largely a case of money illusion.
#154
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: UA 1K, AA PLT, SPG PLT
Posts: 1,612
I've followed this thread, have the actual ZA law open (and have had it open for a few months now as a reminder) regarding the updated law on birth certificates.
My wife and I visited ZA three times in short order after we realised how great of a place it was in 2011 - and our last time there was in 2012, just a few months before our first baby was born - as a nice 'babymoon' for us to enjoy ourselves.
That said, we have our first trip back to ZA with our kidS (two, now) to share with them how great of a place it is, in just 3 weeks or so...
The good news (Perhaps?!?) is that both my wife and I will be traveling with both of our kids. Each of us are US Citizens with [of course] our own passports, issued by the Department of State - we live just outside of Washington. We'll bring our two official birth certificates from the U.S. [State of Virginia] and will be arriving into OR Tambo before connection to Cape Town, then onto drive to Port Elizabeth...
Should we prepare any additional documents/paperwork outside of this, and is there any stories/news on families who are all traveling together that have had issues at immigration?
Thanks in advance and Sorry to all, especially those who are South African citizens who have to deal with this law.
-jeremy
My wife and I visited ZA three times in short order after we realised how great of a place it was in 2011 - and our last time there was in 2012, just a few months before our first baby was born - as a nice 'babymoon' for us to enjoy ourselves.
That said, we have our first trip back to ZA with our kidS (two, now) to share with them how great of a place it is, in just 3 weeks or so...
The good news (Perhaps?!?) is that both my wife and I will be traveling with both of our kids. Each of us are US Citizens with [of course] our own passports, issued by the Department of State - we live just outside of Washington. We'll bring our two official birth certificates from the U.S. [State of Virginia] and will be arriving into OR Tambo before connection to Cape Town, then onto drive to Port Elizabeth...
Should we prepare any additional documents/paperwork outside of this, and is there any stories/news on families who are all traveling together that have had issues at immigration?
Thanks in advance and Sorry to all, especially those who are South African citizens who have to deal with this law.
-jeremy
#155
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Dublin
Posts: 188
No; that's absolutely all you need.
Just make sure they are the full birth certificates, ie have the names of both parents listed (and those names should match those on your passports). Then you're all good.
Just make sure they are the full birth certificates, ie have the names of both parents listed (and those names should match those on your passports). Then you're all good.
#156
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: Qantas WP, LTG , Delta, SPG, Priority Club
Posts: 303
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stewie Mac
Ah well - as someone commented a few days ago, about something completely differently: 'if only there was a German word for taking pleasure in someone else's misfortune' [and the rest of the quote was 'and a Greek word for a victory that's really a defeat']
And for clarity, I'm not taking pleasure in your misfortune, but your loss is, in this case, my gain
But there is a German word for that! It's "Schadenfreude"
Originally Posted by Stewie Mac
Ah well - as someone commented a few days ago, about something completely differently: 'if only there was a German word for taking pleasure in someone else's misfortune' [and the rest of the quote was 'and a Greek word for a victory that's really a defeat']
And for clarity, I'm not taking pleasure in your misfortune, but your loss is, in this case, my gain
But there is a German word for that! It's "Schadenfreude"
#159
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
#160
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
And to show how 'effective' these new rules are to combat child trafficking:
A South African acquaintance, who is estranged from his Russian wife, had his 5 year old son kidnapped and taken to Russia from South Africa last Monday.
He has all sorts of court injunctions against his wife even taking the child out of Cape Town.
But she managed to take him out of the country!
Details are still a bit sketchy, I'll post more when I know the full story. Mother and child have been located in Russia, that seems to be a fact!
A South African acquaintance, who is estranged from his Russian wife, had his 5 year old son kidnapped and taken to Russia from South Africa last Monday.
He has all sorts of court injunctions against his wife even taking the child out of Cape Town.
But she managed to take him out of the country!
Details are still a bit sketchy, I'll post more when I know the full story. Mother and child have been located in Russia, that seems to be a fact!
#161
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Tour Operator no longer promoting SA for families with children
#162
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Deputy President to chair inter-ministerial committee reviewing regulations
"Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will chair the inter-ministerial committee tasked with finding a solution to the unintended consequences of South Africa’s new visa regulations"
Source
Unintended? Perhaps. Unexpected? Certainly not!
Johan
Source
Unintended? Perhaps. Unexpected? Certainly not!
Johan
#163
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
R2.6 billion lost already, R4.1 billion still to be lost
"The report found, further, that the ongoing effect of the regulations, which include new requirements for children travelling to and from SA, would cost South Africa R4.1 billion in GDP this year and R1.4 billion in direct spend. As many as 9 300 jobs are threatened by the new regulations."
Source
Johan
Source
Johan
#164
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Programs: BA, SAA
Posts: 60
A number of reports around saying there will be a review of the requirements, though not fully clear if this is just the visa requirements or if it includes the requirements when travelling with children:
http://traveller24.news24.com/News/S...urism-20150811
http://traveller24.news24.com/News/S...urism-20150811
#165
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
"I recently travelled to Africa to holiday with my family – my son and daughter-in-law and their two children, both of whom are under the age of 18. Upon arrival we were requested to present original unabridged birth certificates, not one of us had heard of this new law and were completely unprepared. We spent four hours at immigration trying to resolve the matter. Fortunately we had travelled with laptops that had saved copies of the children’s birth certificates but this was purely coincidental. In addition, unfortunately one of the birth certificates was not in English. We therefore failed to comply with the new law on two accounts – lack of originals and lack of certified English translation. Our whole family – parents, children and grandchildren were travelling together throughout Africa, yet it was only South Africa where we could not enter legally."
Source
"Figures just released show major drops in tourist arrivals in March and April. China, one of South Africa’s biggest emerging markets, has plummeted by 40%. Home Affairs officials, including Minister Malusi Gigaba, have denied that the regulations played any role in the decline, while tourism officials are calling for intervention at the highest level. Thulani Nzima, CEO of SA Tourism, told Tourism Update at the recent Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) Congress that there was no point in downplaying the impact the regulations had had on tourism figures."
Source
Johan
Source
"Figures just released show major drops in tourist arrivals in March and April. China, one of South Africa’s biggest emerging markets, has plummeted by 40%. Home Affairs officials, including Minister Malusi Gigaba, have denied that the regulations played any role in the decline, while tourism officials are calling for intervention at the highest level. Thulani Nzima, CEO of SA Tourism, told Tourism Update at the recent Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) Congress that there was no point in downplaying the impact the regulations had had on tourism figures."
Source
Johan