Travel document confusion riles tourists with children

Source: The Citizen, 27/12/2018

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.