How To Travel With A Minor From South Africa Legally.
South Africa requires specific documentation for any child under 18 travelling into or out of the country. The rules apply whether you are departing or arriving, and whether the child is South African or foreign.
The requirements are designed to prevent child trafficking and abduction. Immigration officers at ports of entry will check these documents. If you don’t have them, the child can be denied boarding or refused entry.
In summary: Every child under 18 needs a valid passport to travel through a South African port of entry. Children travelling on a South African passport as South African citizens don’t need to carry a birth certificate. If a birth certificate is required, it must be the unabridged version. If only one parent is travelling with the child, you also need a parental consent affidavit, a court order, or a death certificate for the absent parent.
The Core Documents Every Child Needs
1. Valid passport Every child must have their own valid passport. A child cannot travel on a parent’s passport.
2. Unabridged birth certificate An unabridged birth certificate shows both parents’ details. All birth certificates issued after April 2016 are unabridged by default. If your child’s certificate was issued before that date and shows only one parent’s details, apply for a new unabridged certificate at your nearest Department of Home Affairs (DHA) office before travelling.
A certified copy is acceptable at ports of entry. You do not have to travel with the original.
When You Don’t Need These Documents
South African children travelling on a South African passport: No birth certificate is required at all. Your passport is sufficient proof of citizenship and identity.
Children in direct transit: If the child is only transiting through a South African international airport and not entering the country, none of these documents are required.
Children who already hold a valid South African visa: The documents already submitted with that visa application do not need to be produced again at the port of entry.
Passport already lists the accompanying parent: If the child’s passport contains the details of the parent or parents travelling with them, no separate birth certificate is needed.
What Else You Need, By Scenario
Both parents travelling with the child
Documents needed:
- Child’s valid passport
- Unabridged birth certificate (or certified copy)
No consent affidavit required when both parents are present.
One parent travelling with the child
Documents needed:
- Child’s valid passport
- Unabridged birth certificate (or certified copy)
- One of the following:
- Parental consent affidavit from the non-travelling parent, must be no older than 3 months at the date of travel
- Court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or sole legal guardianship
- Death certificate of the other parent (certified copy)
The consent affidavit must follow DHA’s suggested format (Annexure C). It must be commissioned before a commissioner of oaths. A police station, bank, or attorney can do this. It is not valid if just signed and not sworn.
Also bring: certified copy of the non-travelling parent’s SA ID or passport.
Child travelling with someone other than a parent (grandparent, relative, teacher, guardian)
Documents needed:
- Child’s valid passport
- Unabridged birth certificate (or certified copy)
- Affidavit from both parents (or legal guardians) confirming permission for the child to travel with that specific person
- Certified copies of both parents’ SA IDs or passports
- Contact details for both parents
The person travelling with the child must also have their own ID or passport available.
School tours: A letter from the school principal confirming that all individual consent letters and birth certificates are held by the school is accepted in place of individual documents per child. This applies to schools registered with the Department of Basic Education.
Unaccompanied minor (child travelling alone)
Documents needed:
- Child’s valid passport
- Unabridged birth certificate (or certified copy)
- Proof of consent from one or both parents/legal guardians in the form of a letter or affidavit
- Contact details of the parents or legal guardian
- Contact details and ID/passport copy of the person receiving the child at the destination
Most airlines have their own unaccompanied minor policies in addition to the DHA requirements. Check with your airline before travel.
The Parental Consent Affidavit: What It Must Contain
DHA publishes a suggested format for the parental consent affidavit. While the exact wording can vary, it must include:
- Full names and date of birth of the child
- Child’s passport number
- Details of travel (from, to, period)
- Name and ID/passport number of the person the child is travelling with or will be received by
- Full names, ID/passport number, and contact details of the consenting parent
- Commissioner of oaths stamp and signature
- Date of commissioning
Validity: No older than 3 months at the time of travel. Commission it close to your travel date, not months in advance.
Language: Must be in English. If commissioned in another language, attach an English translation certified by a sworn translator.
Download the DHA suggested format here: Parental Consent Letter, Suggested Format (PDF)
Many attorneys and commissioners of oaths keep a copy on file.
When the Other Parent Cannot or Will Not Consent
Other parent is deceased
Bring the death certificate (certified copy). No affidavit required from the deceased parent.
Other parent is incapacitated (serious illness or disability)
Apply to the Office of the Director-General of Home Affairs for a special dispensation in lieu of parental consent. Email: consent@dha.gov.za. Include a full motivation and supporting documents, for example, a treating doctor’s certificate. This dispensation applies to genuine incapacity only, not to unwillingness or being unreachable.
Other parent refuses consent
You cannot travel without it unless a court orders otherwise. Apply to court under Section 18(5) of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 for an order permitting travel without the other parent’s consent. If the refusal is unreasonable, the court can grant the order urgently. Seek legal assistance. Family law attorneys handle these applications regularly.
Other parent cannot be located
This does not qualify for the DG dispensation. You will need a court order. The court can authorise substituted service (via WhatsApp, email, or other means) if the parent is genuinely untraceable.
Only one parent’s name appears on the birth certificate
Only that parent’s consent is required. The absent parent’s consent cannot be given and cannot be required.
Foreign Children Travelling to South Africa
Since November 2019, the rules were relaxed for foreign children:
- Foreign children accompanied by both parents: no unabridged birth certificate required
- Foreign children accompanied by one parent or a non-parent: birth certificate or equivalent parentage document, consent affidavit, and ID copies of non-travelling parents required
- Unaccompanied foreign children: same requirements as unaccompanied SA children
Children from countries that require a South African visa must submit the required documents as part of the visa application, regardless of who they are travelling with.
Practical Tips
Check your birth certificate now, not at the airport. If it’s old, single-parent, or missing, apply for a new unabridged certificate at DHA well in advance. Processing can take 8 weeks or longer.
Carry certified copies, not originals. Certified copies are accepted at ports of entry. Keep originals at home.
Time the affidavit carefully. Commission it within 3 months of travel but not so late that a rescheduled flight takes it out of the window.
Carry everything even if you think you don’t need it. Immigration officers have discretion. Having the full document set means no delays at the gate.
Check destination country requirements too. DHA controls what happens when leaving SA, but your destination country may have its own requirements for children travelling with one parent. Check with the destination country’s embassy or consulate before you travel.
Applying for a Child’s Passport
If your child does not yet have a passport, or their passport has expired, see the Child Passport Application guide. Note that both parents must be present when applying for a child’s passport at a DHA office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a birth certificate to travel with my child from South Africa? Only if you’re not travelling on a South African passport as a South African citizen. If you are, no birth certificate is required. In every other case, you need the unabridged birth certificate or a certified copy.
How old can the parental consent affidavit be? No older than 3 months at the date of travel. Commission it close to your travel date, not months in advance.
Who can commission a parental consent affidavit? A commissioner of oaths, which can be a police officer, bank official, attorney, or Home Affairs official. It must be sworn, not just signed.
What if the other parent refuses to give consent? You cannot travel with the child without consent unless a court orders otherwise. Apply to court under Section 18(5) of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 for an order permitting travel.
What if the other parent is deceased? Bring a certified copy of the death certificate. No consent affidavit is required from a deceased parent.
Can grandparents travel internationally with a grandchild? Yes, with an affidavit from both parents (or legal guardians) confirming permission, certified copies of both parents’ IDs or passports, and the child’s unabridged birth certificate.
Do foreign children need the same documents as South African children? Requirements were relaxed in November 2019. Foreign children accompanied by both parents don’t need an unabridged birth certificate. Foreign children travelling with one parent or a non-parent still need a birth certificate or equivalent document, a consent affidavit, and ID copies of the non-travelling parents.
What happens if I don’t have the right documents at the airport? Immigration officers can deny boarding or refuse entry for the child. There’s no exception process at the port of entry itself, so prepare documents well in advance.
Can I travel abroad with my child if the other parent has died? Carry the child’s unabridged birth certificate showing both parents and the deceased parent’s death certificate. Reports say the death certificate replaces the parental consent affidavit, and that if both parents have died the Director-General of Home Affairs must approve the travel. These details come from press and travel safety sources, not DHA text, so confirm before you travel.
Contact and Assistance
| DHA Contact Centre | 0800 60 11 90 |
| DHA Email | hacc@dha.gov.za |
| Special dispensation requests | consent@dha.gov.za |
| DHA Parental Consent Format | dha.gov.za |
Related Guides
- Child Passport Application
- Passport Renewal
- Birth Certificate Application
- Unabridged Birth Certificate