Life on a table recipe #14 – Venison Steak Pot
January 18, 2016
Namibia Scientific Society events 1 + 4 February
January 27, 2016
Compiled Sanet van Zijl
The strict travel laws that were implemented by South Africa in 2015 are still in place and those that wish to travel to the country should be sure to have all the correct documents with them when they do.
Namibians that wish to travel to South Africa with children younger than 18 years need to be aware of the strict laws implemented on 1 June 2015.
According to the South African Ministry of Home Affairs, young people will need to be able to produce the necessary documents upon request before they will be allowed on a flight to South Africa. When adults are traveling with a child they will need to produce the child’s full birth certificate (abridged) on which the particulars of the child’s parents appear.
This rule is applicable to all children younger than 18 years old, of all nationalities. This is not required from a passenger that is in-transit, unless the person requires an in-transit visa. The abridged birth certificate should be attached when applying for an in-transit visa. The abridged birth certificate must also be on the person traveling with an in-transit visa at all times whilst traveling.
You will not be required to travel with original documents, as a certified copy that has been authenticated by a commissioner of oaths will be accepted as well.
In cases where only one parent travels with a child the abridged birth certificate, as well as permission from the other parent to enter South Africa in the form of a sworn statement needs to be presented.
A court order wherein full parental responsibility and rights or where legal guardianship of the child has been awarded to one parent will also be accepted. In cases where one of the parents is deceased a death certificate will also need to be presented.
When an orphaned child of whom both parents are deceased is traveling with a family member or someone else, permission needs to be granted by the South African Director General of Home Affairs for the child to travel to South Africa or to leave the country.
PERMISSION
In cases where a parent is traveling with a child that is not his/her biological child the following is needed: a copy of the abridged birth certificate; a sworn statement from the parents or legal guardians of the child wherein permission is granted for that person to travel with the child; copies of the passports or identity documents of the parents as well as contact details of the parents or guardians will need to be presented to the Director General who will then ascertain whether the child may travel.
These requirements apply to all children younger than 18, whether they are traveling as part of school groups or with grandmothers or grandfathers.
Applications to the Director General can be submitted for approval at the South African diplomatic or consular offices abroad.
Children who travel as unaccompanied minors will need to present a sworn statement to the immigration officer from one or both parents or a legal guardian wherein permission to travel is granted. In the case where only one parent permits the child to travel, a copy of a court order wherein full parental responsibility regarding the child has been awarded will need to be submitted.
Travelers to South Africa have to be in possession of a valid passport with at least two empty pages left in the booklet.
Any prospective travelers to South Africa that do not have the correct documentation available will not be allowed to travel to the country.
