In South Africa, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has revised the requirement for foreign minors traveling to South Africa to have a birth certificate. The country allows foreign children under 18 to enter without additional documents such as consent letters and birth certificates, as long as their parents accompany them. For South African children, a birth certificate (unabridged) is still needed.

What is an Unabridged Birth Certificate?

Unabridged birth certificates include information about both biological and legal parents. When entering or leaving South Africa, unaccompanied minor passengers will also need these documents in addition to the others (visa stamps, passports, etc.).

Are Unabridged Birth Certificates Necessary?

Unabridged birth certificates are required for South African children under 18. This rule also applies to foreign children that fly unaccompanied to South Africa.

Passengers must ensure that their children have the correct documents or risk being denied boarding. Airlines and immigration officials enforce the law across the board (land, sea, and air). Despite the fact that airlines and travel agents do their best to keep passengers informed, it ultimately falls on passengers to understand all the requirements.

The Unabridged Birth Certificate must be accompanied by a sworn translation if it is not in English.

How Do I Get a New Birth Certificate in South Africa?

For children under 18 who still require an Unabridged Birth Certificate, you can apply at a Department of Home Affairs branch or a South African embassy in your home country. There is a charge of R75.00.

You’ll need the following documents:

• The child’s ID number and the parents’ identity documents
• All documents should be original or certified copies

It can take up to 24 weeks when applying for an unabridged birth certificate at DHA. If you intend to travel within this timeframe, it might be a better option to apply through an agent like Doc Assist, who can apply on your behalf or expedite an existing application. The process will be much faster and easier. 

To sum up: There are two ways to apply for a new unabridged birth certificate in South Africa. You can go directly to the Department of Home Affairs, fill in the necessary paperwork, pay R75 and wait upward of 24 weeks. Or you can use an agent like Doc Assist that can apply on your behalf. It might cost a little more but, at least you’ll have more control over your travel plans. 

For more information about applying for a birth certificate in South Africa, or to get the process going, get in touch with the Doc Assist team today!