thijsseh

But there is a German word for that! It's "Schadenfreude"

thijsseh

Although the exchange rate helps tourists, we should not think that South Africa is an inexpensive country to visit. Every time I get back from my 6 months in Europe, I am astounded how expensive everything is, apart from eating out.
My weekly grocery shop would not be significantly more expensive in several European countries than in SA.

ThudAndBlunder

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.

kmfdm91

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

ThudAndBlunder

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.

theassassin

I presume was meant in jest. The Greek word is a Pyrrhic victory....

johan rebel

"South Africa’s complex new travel regulations are causing widespread confusion. Here are some of the incidents Tourism Update has leant about."

Johan

johan rebel

More anecdotal evidence here on how ridiculous a mess this has become.

Johan

mkjr

I saw some decent JNB et al. fares recently but then I remembered this thread and had to consider finding out what is required for our child that has no birth certificate at all, then I said screw it. I will spend my money somewhere else. I had budgeted about US$8000 for the trip after airfare for 2 weeks.

thijsseh

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!

johan rebel

A US tour operator shares the experience that stopped him actively promoting travel to SA.

Johan

johan rebel

"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

johan rebel

"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

propitious

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

johan rebel

"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