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Do Australians need a Visa for South Africa?

11th October 2017 Expert Tips
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Do Australians Need a Visa For South Africa?

If you are visiting South Africa for tourism purposes for a period of up to 90 days then no South Africa visa is required, for Australian citizens over the age of 18. If you are from New Zealand however then you will require a visa. Please read about the South Africa Visa Requirements for New Zealand Citizens.

If you are travelling to South Africa with children however, it is vital that you continue reading...

Important Information About Travelling to South Africa with Children

Effective from 1st June 2015, regulations were implemented for travellers arriving with children up to the age of 18 years.

Parents are required to produce an unabridged birth certificate for each child travelling, or a certified copy, to be presented at immigration with the passports. If only one parent is travelling, they must also carry consent from the second parent registered on the birth certificate in the form of an affidavit, authorising the child to travel, or a court order granting full parental responsibilities. In the case of children travelling with other relatives or family friends and no parent, an affidavit must be carried to confirm permission from the parents.

The full South African immigration regulations concerning travelling with children are:

Regulation 6: (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.

(d) Any unaccompanied minor shall produce to the immigration officer -

               (i) proof of consent from one of or both his or her parents or legal guardian, as the case may be, in the form of a letter or affidavit for the child to travel into or depart from the Republic: Provided that in the case where one parent provides proof of consent, that parent must also provide a copy of a court order issued to him or her in terms of which he or she has been granted full parental responsibilities and rights in respect of
the child;

               (ii) a letter from the person who is to receive the child in the Republic, containing his or her residential address and contact details in the Republic where the child will be residing;

               (iii) a copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive the child in the Republic; and (iv) the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child.

Notes to the above:
- A child or minor is anyone under 18 years old
- In South Africa, an abridged birth certificate is issued at birth and contains the bare essentials relating to the child. An unabridged birth certificate must be applied for thereafter. This MAY NOT be the case in your country and an unabridged birth certificate may well be what is issued at birth. It must contain the names of both parents.
- At this stage we are recommending that ALL arriving passengers, including those in transit, fulfill the requirements
- A certified copy of the birth certificate is acceptable.

DON'T FORGET...
  • It is important to have two blank pages side by side in your passport for the entry and exit stamps to be issued. If there is insufficient space, entry into the country may be denied.
  • Visitors must also be in possession of onward travel documents and have sufficient funds for the duration of their stay.

Please double check this with Bench Africa or your travel agent as this may change at any time.

Please visit our South Africa Trip Planner for further information on the requirements for Australians travelling to South Africa and insider tips on what to take with you!

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