SA Migration International

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Breaking news: Soon no more birth certificates for foreign minors

Source: Tourism Update, 24/03/2019

Tourism Update was the first to highlight the contradiction when we
learned that airlines were continuing to deny minors boarding at
check-in because of DHAâ€™s errant advisory.
This has now been corrected.
Referring to foreign minors, the key paragraph 3.1 of the advisory
has been changed to read: â€œWhere both parents are travelling
accompanied by one or more of their children, such children have to
produce valid passports and visas, where applicable.â€ There is no
longer any mention of a birth certificate. Minors from countries that
require a visa will need to present them when they apply for a visa,
but they will not have to travel with them.
As with many countries, there are special requirements for
unaccompanied children, where one parent is not present, or the
parents have another surname.
However, for practical purposes the regulations will only come into
actionable effect once loaded on to the International Air Transport
Associationâ€™s Travel Information Manual Automatic (Timatic) system â€`
which informs airport ground staff about the border passenger
documentation required when entering and leaving SA.
Until such time as the regulation update is loaded on to the system,
and is viewable by airline check-in staff, the current requirement of
children having to produce valid passports and a BC for each child
travelling, remain in place even though contrary to the new
regulations.
Tourism Update contacted Iata on Friday to query if the association
had received communication from the DHA to update Timatic, and is
awaiting its response.
The concession in paragraph 3.1 does not apply to South African
minors.
The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) has welcomed the
changes instituted by the DHA, noting in a press release that the
amended regulations make it easier for non-South African parents
travelling with their children, and believe it will go a long way to
increase tourist arrivals.

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