POLOKWANE – The provincial department of home affairs says it is ready to help parents who want to apply for unabridged birth certificates for their children.
Parents who want to travel outside South African borders with their children must apply for an unabridged birth certificate for their children. Without an unabridged birth certificate, a child will not be allowed to leave or enter the country.
This regulation is in partnership with the new immigration law, which was officially effective from last Monday.
Under the new law, all children under the age of 18 must produce an unabridged birth certificate with their passport when travelling outside South African borders or wanting to enter the country. This is to help curb human trafficking in the country.
According to an article on www.travelstart.co.za, the department of home affairs confirmed that 30 000 minors were trafficked through South African borders annually, of which half of them are under the age of 14.
The difference between the unabridged and abridged birth certificate is that on the unabridged birth certificate, it will not only be the child’s information, but also the parents’ details. On the abridged birth certificate, it is only the child’s information.
The abridged birth certificates are still valid, it is only parents or legal guardians who plan to travel to another country who need to apply for an unabridged birth certificate.
Unabridged birth certificates have been issued automatically for newborn babies since March last year.
Process to apply for unabridged birth certificate:
• Applications an only be done at home affairs.
• Parents must take their ID and also the child or children’s ID numbers, which are available on the abridged birth certificate.
• The unabridged birth certificate costs R75.
• It may take eight weeks from date of application for unabridged birth certificate to be issued.
Travelling abroad with minors – All you need to know Unabridged Birth Certificate
