Minister of Home Affairs addresses implementation of new immigration regulations

Oscar Thomas
16 September 2014
Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba has today postponed the new visa regulations for children traveling outside of the country. 

The regulation which has been postponed until the 1^st of June 2015 required children traveling in and out of South Africa to be in possession of an unabridged birth certificate and written permission from both parents.

Minister Gigaba said the postponement will greatly assist travelers and the sector as a whole. 

Minister Gigaba said between now and the implementation date of the regulation, citizens who apply for passports in respect of minors will be encouraged by front line officials to apply for Unabridged Birth Certificates for such minors.

Gigaba said we encourage you to anticipate further regulatory changes from the Department of Home Affairs, in particular around the Births and Deaths Registration Act.

“We envision amending the act to implement more stringent processes for the late registration of births, which we intend to end after December 2015 Gigaba added.