South African Requirements for Minors Travelling Internationally

1. Child In alternative care

1.1 Valid Passport
1.2 Valid Visa, if required;
1.3 Letter from the Provincial Head of Department of Social Development where the child resides authorizing his or her departure from the Republic as contemplated in section 169 of the Children’s Act.

2. Minor accompanied by both his or her parents

2.1 Valid Passport;
2.2 Valid Visa, if required;
2.3 Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent Document.

3. Minor accompanied by one parent where parents are neither divorced nor is travelling parent widowed

3.1 Valid Passport;
3.2 Valid Visa, if required;
3.3 Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent;
3.4 Parental Consent Affidavit; or
3.5 Court Order granted in terms of section 18(5) of the Children’s Act, 2005.

Please Note;

A) In the case of single parents, where only one parent’s particulars appear on the Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent Document, no Parental Consent Affidavit is required.

B) In the case where parents where never married but both parents’ particulars appear on the Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent Document, the consent of the non-travelling parent is required;

C) In the case of same sex parents appearing on the Unabridged Birth Certificate, it may accepted (e.g 2 mothers or 2 fathers).

4. Minor travelling with one parent who is divorced or legally separated and who has been granted full parental responsibilities and rights (previously called – sole custody) or full legal guardianship in respect of the minor

4.1 Valid Passport;
4.2 Valid Visa, if required;
4.3 Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent Document;
4.4 Court Order granting full parental responsibilities and rights (previously called sole custody) or full legal guardianship in respect of the minor.

5. Minor travelling with one parent who is divorced or legally separated and who has been granted specific parental responsibilities and rights (previously called – joint custody) or legal guardianship in respect of the minor

5.1 Valid Passport;
5.2 Valid visa; if required;
5.3 Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent Document;
5.4 Court granting specific parental responsibilities and rights (previously called joint custody) or joint legal guardianship in respect of the minor; and
5.5 Parental Consent Affidavit
5.6 Court order granted in terms of section 18.(5) of the Children’s Act, 2005; or

Please note:

Where the accompanying parent presents a Parental Consent Affidavit and both parents’ names on the Unabridged Birth Certificate correspond with the names on the Parental Consent Affidavit and the travelling parent’s passport, a court granting specific parental responsibilities and rights or joint legal guardianship may be dispensed with.

6. Minor travelling with widow or widower parent

6.1 Valid Passport;
6.2 Valid Visa, if required;
6.3 Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent Document;
6.4 Death Certificate of the deceased parent.

7. Orphaned minor where no formal order of guardianship or adoption has been granted as yet

7.1 Valid Passport;
7.2 Valid Visa, if required.

8. Minor accompanied by a person who is not his or her biological parent

8.1 Valid passport;
8.2 Valid visa, if required;
8.3 Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent Document;
8.4 Parental Consent Affidavit;
8.5 Where PCA is presented;
8.5.1 copies of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the minor; and
8.5.2 contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the minor; and contact details of the person in whose care the minor will be in South Africa.

9. Minor accompanied by his or her adoptive parent(s)

9.1 Valid Passport;
9.2 Valid visa, if required;
9.3 Unabridged Birth Certificate of the minor reflecting particulars of adoptive parent(s), or
9.4 Pending the issuance of an Unabridged Birth Certificate containing the names of adoptive parent(s) accompanying him or her

Please note:

Where only one of the adoptive parents is travelling with the minor or where such a minor is travelling unaccompanied, the Parental Consent Affidavit will still be required by the absent adoptive parent(s), or, in the case of a deceased adoptive parent, a copy of such parent’s death certificate.

10. Unaccompanied Minor (this category includes a minor accompanied by another minor)

10.1 Valid Passport;
10.2 Valid Visa, if required;
10.3 Unabridged Birth Certificate or Equivalent Document;
10.4 Parental Consent Affidavit;
10.5 Letter from the person who is to receive the minor in the Republic, containing his or her residential address and contact details in the Republic where the minor will be residing;
10.6 Copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residency permit of the person who is to receive the minor in the republic; and
10.7 Contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the minor. (This may be contained in the PCA)

General Notes

1. All documents must either be original or copies certified as a true copy of the original by a commissioner of oaths or the equivalent commissioning authority, should commissioners of oath not be a practice in the country concerned.

2. The affidavit must be dated within 4 months of the first arrival or departure travel date. The same affidavit will still be valid for the departure or return in relation to the same journey regardless of the period of the journey. The “first travel” date is the date of the first presentation for the travel at the Port of Entry for a journey that will be completed when the traveler returns or departs to or from the Republic. Minors who started their journey before 1 June 2015 would not be required to produce the documents if the return leg thereof takes place after 1 June 2015.

3. Different combinations if the travel cases could occur, e.g. when dealing with a minor accompanied by a person who is not his or her biological child, the requirements relating to divorced or deceased parents must also be taken into account, where applicable. Minors accompanying school tours must also be dealt with in terms of this category of travelers.

4. The following types of Court Orders may be granted:

A) Court Order granting full parental responsibilities and rights (previously called “sole custody”) or legal guardianship in respect of the minor: In this instance the consent of the other parent is not required;

B) Court Order in which both parents are granted responsibilities and rights in respect of the minor: The consent of the other parents is required; and

C) Court orders that are silent on the parental responsibilities and rights: The consent of the other parent is required.

5. Visas

A) Where a child applies for a visa inside South Africa or at a South African Embassy abroad it shall be standard practice for all supporting documents to be submitted prior to the visa being issued.

B) Should authentic visas be produced by the minor but any other supporting documents be unavailable, it may be assumed that all supporting documents have been provided.

6. Exceptions

A) an Unabridged Birth Certificate should not be required in the case of countries that endorse the particulars of parents in children’s passport, e.g. India;

B) Minors accompanying VIPs where the protocol officer is present at Port of Entry. (No supporting documents will be required in these cases);

C) No supporting documents will be required by persons in direct transit at an international Airport.

View PDF format of the South African Requirements for Minors Travelling Internationally (PDF includes free Parental Consent Affidavit Form)