Families, essential documentation when taking children abroad

Travelling with children

From 1 June 2015, the following rules apply to families travelling to South Africa.

If travelling with a child, parents must produce:

• An unabridged birth certificate for the child (certified copies will be acceptable)
• If both parents are not travelling together, you will need to show the consent of the other parent for the child to travel in the form of an affidavit, court order or (where applicable) a death certificate for a deceased parent.

If you’re travelling with a child who is not your own, they must produce:

• An unabridged birth certificate for the child, affidavit from the child’s parents or legal guardian giving consent and copies of the identity documents or passport of the parents or legal guardian.

Unaccompanied minors must produce:

• Consent for the child to travel, in the form of a letter or affidavit from one or both parents or legal guardian (for a single parent then also a court order under which he or she has full parental responsibilities)
• A letter from the person who is to meet the child, containing a residential address and contact details of where the child will be residing
• A copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive the child
• The contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child