An unabridged birth certificate contains the details of both the child’s parents, including their marital status and whether they are the biological parents.
Apleni said minors required the consent of both parents when travelling in and out of the country to address security concerns.
From 1 June, any person travelling with a child should have a passport as well as the unabridged certificate with the details of the parent when entering or leaving the country. “One of the points raised is that in terms of the South African passport and other travel documents, parents must provide consent in as far as the issuance of the travel documents is concerned.”
He said in the case of a single parent, where the second parent did not acknowledge paternity, such consent would not be required from the second parent. Where the custody of the child is shared, consent must be sought from both parents for the purposes of travelling with the minor.
