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What is an Unabridged Birth Certificate?

 Cape Town - Anyone wanting to travel from or to South Africa with a child under the age of 18 years, parents who are travelling with their child but not their spouse and those who wish to send their child on a trip accompanied by someone other than a parent or unaccompanied. It does not affect those travelling within South Africa (ie: you only need these documents if you cross South Africa’s borders by land, sea or air).

What is an Unabridged Birth Certificate?

It’s a birth certificate that reflects the particulars of both parents of the child.  All children born in South Africa after 14 March 2013 were issued with a valid unabridged birth certificate automatically and free of charge.  Everyone born before that, and those from countries who do not automatically issue unabridged certificates, must apply for the document well before their travel date.

Application process for Unabridged Birth Certificates

- You can apply at your nearest Home Affairs office where your Biometric information will be verified.

- You will need your ID book along, as well as your child's ID number.

- All documents submitted must be originals or certified copies.

- The Unabridged Birth Certificate costs R75.

- It can take up to 8 weeks to acquire an Unabridged Birth Certificate from the date of application.

In an attempt to make the new requirements easy to understand, home affairs has issued an official brochure to prospective travellers. 

The document, as it appears on the SA Home Affairs website, can be seen below: 



Click here for more details on unabridged birth certificates

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