Heads-up: New SA Immigration rules for kids
Feb 3, 2016, 2:47 pm
#256
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FRA (formerly JNB)
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I want to thank you all for encouraging me to take the later flight. When we arrived in Joburg, right on time at 9:40am, we were denied entry because we only had a passport and not an original birth certificate for my daughter (4 years old). I was stunned as neither of the airlines nor the guidebook had mentioned this. We ended up in a holding pen for 90 minutes and were almost sent back to Germany. Fortunately I was able to reach my neighbor at 2am who was able to get into my house and scan and email us a copy of the birth certificate. Even then it was uncertain that we would get in. The immigration guy was unbelievably rude and confrontational, and kept changing the requirements as soon as we would confirm them with him. Thank heavens for the Lufthansa rep who appealed to a supervisor and got us in. What a nightmare.
Anyway, we and our luggage made it to the Cape Town flight at 12:10pm with minutes to spare and arrived here on time, but it was a really bad way to start the trip. Thank you again for your advice.
Anyway, we and our luggage made it to the Cape Town flight at 12:10pm with minutes to spare and arrived here on time, but it was a really bad way to start the trip. Thank you again for your advice.
Not to cause you any undue stress, but you will be required to show the certificate when leaving SA again - it might be overkill but if it were me, I'd ask the friend to courier the original or certified copy to some destination where you will be later in your trip. I'd say you were lucky to get in with a scanned copy, and there still exists the chance that either checkin or immigration won't accept a scanned copy when you leave, and missing your flight could mean waiting anyway for the original to be sent, and then a brand new set of one way tickets...
Feb 3, 2016, 4:03 pm
#257
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Please tell me this is not the norm and something special in your case.
We never travel with Birth Cert.
Feb 3, 2016, 4:12 pm
#258
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
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I understand that this law is under review currently but as it stands today you will not be admitted to (or allowed to leave) SA without this.
Feb 3, 2016, 5:31 pm
#259
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This is currently required for anyone traveling to South Africa with minor children (under 18). If both parents are traveling then a birth certificate must be produced which includes both parents names.
I understand that this law is under review currently but as it stands today you will not be admitted to (or allowed to leave) SA without this.
I understand that this law is under review currently but as it stands today you will not be admitted to (or allowed to leave) SA without this.
The post earlier (#425) did not mention children. Whew!
Feb 4, 2016, 6:21 am
#260
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I'm amazed they let you on the plane at your original point of departure, and didn't do a check when you boarded in FRA. They are supposed to deny you at that point already, and usually the checkin agents spend lots of time examining the documents. And then there are many cases reported in the SA media of people actually getting denied at JNB immigration and sent on the next plane home... Anyway I'm glad it worked out for you, and I really hope you have a good stay despite the not so great experience getting in.
Not to cause you any undue stress, but you will be required to show the certificate when leaving SA again - it might be overkill but if it were me, I'd ask the friend to courier the original or certified copy to some destination where you will be later in your trip. I'd say you were lucky to get in with a scanned copy, and there still exists the chance that either checkin or immigration won't accept a scanned copy when you leave, and missing your flight could mean waiting anyway for the original to be sent, and then a brand new set of one way tickets...
Not to cause you any undue stress, but you will be required to show the certificate when leaving SA again - it might be overkill but if it were me, I'd ask the friend to courier the original or certified copy to some destination where you will be later in your trip. I'd say you were lucky to get in with a scanned copy, and there still exists the chance that either checkin or immigration won't accept a scanned copy when you leave, and missing your flight could mean waiting anyway for the original to be sent, and then a brand new set of one way tickets...
This last paragraph contains extremely relevant and important advice, JNelson113!
You are very fortunate to have been allowed to enter (even though the immigration official may well have been rude). You may very well NOT be so lucky on departure, so try to get the original (preferably) or a certified copy couriered to you!
Feb 5, 2016, 12:12 pm
#261
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Source.
How can you remove a requirement, and then strongly advice compliance?
Sounds like they are just making things even more confusing by having instead decided "to confer powers on an immigration officer to exercise discretion to establish the relationship between the adult and travelling minor."
So pax with minors will now be at the mercy of immigration officers, which doesn't sound very reassuring.
Johan
Feb 5, 2016, 12:36 pm
#262
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I'm not sure the reporting is accurate. Look at the briefing:
The paper talks about "Regulation 12" when I think they mean subregulation (12) of regulation 6. I posted some of that above. It's really unclear what "confer[ing] powers on an immigration officer to exercise discretion to establish the relationship between the adult and travelling minor" actually means. Especially as the above talks about the change being to "ensure compliance with Unabridged Birth Certificate-related directives".
Wondering if this would be better in its own thread now.
The Department of Home Affairs is actively engaged with the implementation of the proposed review of the regulations regarding the issuing of a Travel Advisory. This is to address the recommendation on the issuing of a strong advisory for travellers accompanied by minors from countries which are visa-exempt, to ensure compliance with Unabridged Birth Certificate-related directives. After consultations on this matter, it was determined that the best way to give legal force to this advisory would be to amend the Immigration Regulations. Home Affairs is working jointly with the NDT, to ensure the regulations are amended accordingly.
Wondering if this would be better in its own thread now.
Feb 5, 2016, 12:42 pm
#263
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FRA (formerly JNB)
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"Airline check-in staff no longer have to ensure that foreign passengers are carrying an unabridged birth certificate (UBC) when travelling with a minor, confirmed Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Director General, Mkuseli Apleni. However, the DHA says the UBC requirement for travelling minors is still being “strongly advised”."
How can you remove a requirement, and then strongly advice compliance?
So pax with minors will now be at the mercy of immigration officers, which doesn't sound very reassuring.
BTW, has anyone read whether the consent affidavit in case of parent traveling alone will be changed as well, or will that remain as before? The birth cert thing doesn't really affect me as we have several we can use for our daughter, but getting the affidavit notarised every few months is a pain...
Feb 5, 2016, 12:45 pm
#264
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BTW, has anyone read whether the consent affidavit in case of parent traveling alone will be changed as well, or will that remain as before? The birth cert thing doesn't really affect me as we have several we can use for our daughter, but getting the affidavit notarised every few months is a pain...
The general consensus is that we are indeed on course, with notable progress being made. The actions that were to be taken in the immediate phase, within the first three months that followed the Cabinet decision, (that is, from 1 November 2015 to 31 January 2016), were to,
With the support from partners, the Department of Home Affairs has delivered on all these concessions. This was within the recommended timeline, of three months.
[...]
Extension of validity of parental consent affidavit to 6 months
As recommended, the Parental Consent Affidavit has been extended from 4 to 6 months. The DHA Website has been updated accordingly.
- Implement the capturing of biometrics at ports of entry, starting with a pilot at OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town airports,
- Look at introducing an Accredited Tourism Company Programme for countries like China, India and Russia,
- Consider a long-term Multiple Entry Visa for a period exceeding 3 months and up to 3 years for frequent travellers (for business meetings), business people and academics,
- Ensure that principals issue letters confirming permission for children to travel on school tours,
- Extend the validity of the parental consent affidavit to 6 months.
With the support from partners, the Department of Home Affairs has delivered on all these concessions. This was within the recommended timeline, of three months.
[...]
Extension of validity of parental consent affidavit to 6 months
As recommended, the Parental Consent Affidavit has been extended from 4 to 6 months. The DHA Website has been updated accordingly.
Feb 9, 2016, 9:05 am
#265
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"Last week, the Department of Home Affairs Director General, Mkuseli Apleni, said airline check-in staff no longer had to ensure that foreign passengers were carrying an unabridged birth certificate (UBC) when travelling with a minor. However, British Airways and Air China say they are yet to receive notification from the DHA and are still checking if passengers under 18 are carrying a UBC."
Source
Johan
Source
Johan
Apr 11, 2016, 11:21 am
#266
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40 people a day turned away by SA visa rule confusion
"On average, 40 people a day are turned away from travelling to South Africa because of continued confusion surrounding the requirement for unabridged birth certificates (UBC) for minors travelling to the country, says Satsa CEO, David Frost, quoting statistics he received from SAA."
Source
Johan
Source
Johan
Apr 17, 2016, 3:25 pm
#267
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Quick question.... A unabridged birth certificate is one that basically states both the parents name on it right? Also the one I have is a laminated original, will that be a issue?
Apr 17, 2016, 4:01 pm
#268
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
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Unfortunately necessary requirements to try and reduce both human trafficking and a parent "kidnapping" their own kid away from their spouse. The reason we're unprepared for the requirements is that 99.999% of us wouldn't ever think about the sort of things that some people do. I hope there's evidence it's working.
Apr 17, 2016, 11:21 pm
#269
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Location: UK
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Correct. I can't see any reason why a laminated certificate would be a problem, they just need to see it to confirm that the names match the passport details.
Apr 18, 2016, 3:50 am
#270
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