South Africa remains a popular location for business people, families and school trips. Recently the South African Authorities have introduced entry requirements for children under the age of 18. There are reports that some families are not fully aware or not complying with the entry requirements and are refused boarding at the UK or other EU airports.

Health risks may require some vaccination and may include malaria prophylaxis for certain areas at certain times of the year.

Travelling with children (under 18)

The new immigration rules introduced by South Africa in June 2015 relating to travelling with children remain in force. Parents travelling with children (under 18) will be asked to show the child’s full unabridged birth certificate. The full unabridged birth certificate should list the child’s details and both parents’ details. The abridged (short) birth certificate which only lists the child’s particulars won’t be accepted. The South African Department of Home Affairs are not accepting uncertified copies of birth certificates or copies of the parents/guardians’ identification.

The South African Department of Home Affairs have confirmed that no supporting documents will be required by people in direct transit through a South African International Airport. Check with your airline to see whether you need to go through immigration on arrival in South Africa, collect luggage and check in again. If you do go through immigration you’ll need to provide the correct documentation.

There are additional requirements if the child is travelling with only one parent, with neither biological parent, or unaccompanied.

School groups should use the consent form below in addition to the documents referred to above. This special dispensation applies to all schools registered with the Department of Basic Education and its equivalent abroad.

http://www.dha.gov.za/files/PrincipalsConsentAffidavit_SuggestedFormat.pdf

Contact your nearest South African High Commission if you have any specific questions about your trip.

If you’re travelling with copies of documents, make sure you get them certified. The South African Department of Home Affairs won’t accept photocopies of birth certificates or passports.

For more information go to www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa

Healthcare vaccinations and malaria advice in South Africa

Travellers should be up to date with routine vaccination courses and boosters as recommended in the UK. These vaccinations include for example measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and diphtheria-tetanus-polio vaccine.

Additionally, Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid vaccinations are recommended. Global health clinicians will advise on specific requirements.

There is a risk of malaria in South Africa from September to May only in the low altitude areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo which border Mozambique and Zimbabwe; this includes the Kruger National Park. There is a low risk of malaria in northeast KwaZulu-Natal and awareness of risk and bite avoidance is recommended. Awareness of risk and bite avoidance for travellers to western Waterburg is also recommended.

Travellers should follow an ABCD guide to preventing malaria:

Awareness of the risk, Bite prevention, Chemoprophylaxis, Diagnosis

Additional information is available from Global Health Travel clinic or through https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/201/south-africa#Vaccine_recommendations

TravelHealthPro is the website comprising the travel health resources of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC).