The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) task team which was established to investigate the effects of the new immigration regulations introduced earlier this year has recommended that the requirement that minor children entering South Africa are required to travel with an Unabridged Birth Certificates is no longer applicable.

The IMC recommended that proof of original birth certificates or certified copies would only be required during the application process which is in line with the practice in many other countries.

The new regulations will also enable visitors travelling from countries where no visa facilitation centres are situated to submit their application to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) by post. These visitors will then be required to submit biometrics, including fingerprints and photos or arrival at ports of entry.

South African minor children would still be required to travel with an unabridged birth certificate. The other requirements for South African travelling overseas, such as parental consent affidavits would also remain in place. Details of parents would also be printed in passports so that parents whose particulars are in the passports would then not be required to carry birth certificates.