The department of home affairs has reiterated that the requirement
for an unabridged birth certificate for children travelling with
their parents no longer applies, but the parents must still carry
it anyway â€` in case customs officials ask to see it at ports of
entry.
This follows a huge outcry among travellers who claimed they were
stopped at ports of entry by customs staff who demanded the
unabridged certificate for their children, despite the
announcement by the department it was no longer a requirement.
The department of tourism recently said tourism supports about 1.5
million jobs directly and indirectly in SA. StatsSA figures for
2016 show the sector directly contributed 2.9% â€` or R125.1 billion
â€` to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
When the initial requirements were first issued, Tourism Minister
Derek Hanekom took issue with the home affairs decision, saying
the move would kill tourism in SA and impede economic growth. Home
affairs was forced to back off.
Reacting to complaints, tourism spokesperson Siya Qoza yesterday
said the prescription to produce an unabridged birth certificate
was no longer a requirement.
“Only in instances where immigration officials have a reason to
suspect wrongdoing, will they ask for documents.”
Qoza said travellers must still carry the certificate in case it
was needed at a port of entry for the purpose of investigating a
suspect criminal activity by an individual.
If there was something suspicious, immigration officers could stop
a traveller and ask questions to seek clarity, and may also ask
for minor’s birth certificate.
“So it is important parents carry the certificate and other
relevant documents in case,” he said.
However, if a child was travelling with both parents, there would
be no need to produce proof of a relationship. But if the child
was travelling with one

parent, a written consent of the parent
remaining behind would be required to show he or she gave
permission for the child to travel with second parent.
Qoza said the only document required would be an affidavit from
the non-travelling parent. It must indicate that the non-
travelling parent was aware of the child’s travel and that he or
she gave permission.
The department was reacting to reports that a large number of
travellers were being stopped at ports of entry and exit and asked
for unabridged birth certificates for the children they travelled
with â€` despite the department having reversed the regulations on
this.
Some complaints on social media, however, contradict this,
claiming officials demanded the documents even in the presence of
both parents.
In a Twitter message this week, Hanekom asked the home affairs
department to ensure it did the right thing to avoid interfering
with tourists to the country.
In his tweet, the minister wrote: “Let me repeat. I hope @
HomeAffairsSA reads this. Both parents travelling with their
children with passports of a visa exempt country: NO additional
documentation required. One parent or adult accompanying the
child: you MAY be required to prove the relationship with the
child.”
In September, the department indicated its intention to scrap the
regulations that required parents who travel with minors to
produce an unabridged certificate at ports of entry. Recently,
former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba said a consent form
would still be required from both parents for a child to leave the
country.
But parents would no longer need to produce a certificate in the
name of the minor, because the details appear on the parent’s
passport under the new set-up. V.2700

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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