FAQs

TNW asked agents to send
through their questions and
concerns about the new
immigration regulations
that require children
under 18 to travel with an
unabridged birth certificate
and supporting documents.
We managed to get a few
of your questions answered
by Home Affairs:
My client has a
handwritten birth
certificate. Is it valid?
Although a handwritten
birth certificate is valid,
the Department of Home
Affairs advises clients
in possession of a
handwritten document
to go to their nearest
Home Affairs office and
exchange the document for
a computer-generated birth
certificate.
My client lost his
children’s unabridged
birth certificate while on
holiday. What can he/she
do?
Any person who has any
problem while on holiday
should go to the nearest
South African embassy,
according to Home Affairs
Mayihlome Tshwete. The
embassy will assist people
in case of loss or theft of
documents and make sure
the passenger is cleared
for travel.
Where can my client
get an unabridged birth
certificate while living
overseas?
Russell Jarvis, Travelstart’s
head of communications,
explains one question
that keeps coming up
at Travelstart is how
passengers travelling with
minors can obtain an
Unabridged Birth Certificate
if they're coming into South
Africa from a country such
as the UK.
South Africans living
abroad can apply for
abridged and unabridged
birth certificates from the
South African embassy /
consulate in their country.
Be advised, however, that
it may take six months to
process a birth certificate
from abroad.