update (16 Sept 2014):
Eyewitness News just tweeted that the requirement for unabridged certificates has been delayed until 01 june 2015! We'll keep you posted!
update (07 July 2014):
South Africa's flag carrier,
South African Airways (SAA), has announced that it comply with new regulations relating to children who travel to and from
South Africa. The national carrier said as of 01 October 2014, it will observe the new regulations by the
Department of Home Affairs, which come into effect in terms of the
South African Immigration Amendment Act of 2010. As from 01 October 2014, the airline will not be able to check in all travellers who cannot produce the necessary documentation in terms of this Act.
According to a new amendment to the
Immigration Act regulation 6, which was published in the
Government Gazette No 37679 (22 May 2014), parents travelling to
South Africa with children under the age of 18 are soon required to be in possession of a fully unabridged birth certificate (including the details of the child's father as well as the mother), in addition to a valid passport. When children are travelling with guardians, these adults are required to produce affidavits from parents proving permission for the children to travel. The new regulation will come in effect on 01 October 2014. The regulations are aimed at fighting child trafficking. We'll keep you posted!
(12)(a) Where parents are travelling with a child, such parents must produce an unabridged birth certificate of the child reflecting the particulars of the parents of the child.
(b) In the case of one parent travelling with a child, he or she must produce an unabridged birth certificate and-
(i) consent in the form of an affidavit from the other parent registered as a parent on the birth certificate of the child authorising him or her to enter into or depart from the Republic with the child he or she is travelling with;
(ii) a court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or legal guardianship in respect of the child, if he or she is the parent or legal guardian of the child; or
(iii) where applicable, a death certificate of the other parent registered as a parent of the child on the birth certificate;
Provided that the Director-General may, where the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child.
(c) Where a person is travelling with a child who is not his or her biological child, he or she must produce-
(i) a copy of the unabridged birth certificate of the child;
(ii) an affidavit from the parents or legal guardian of the child confirming that he or she has permission to travel with the child;
(iii) copies of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the child; and
(iv) the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child, Provided that the Director-General may, where the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child. (via Regulation Gazette No. 10199, p 13/14 (pdf))
