DESPITE Minister of Home
Affairs, Dr Siyabonga
Cwele’s assertion that
the printing a new style of child
passport has been fully rolled
out, first-hand accounts from
parents contradict the claim.
The Department of Home
Affairs (DHA) first announced
that it would introduce child
passports in 2016. These
passports list both parents’
names and a Government
Gazette last year stated that
SA minors would have to carry
an unabridged birth certificate
(UBC) unless travelling with
a child passport. Meaning,
South African minors with child
passports that display both
parents’ names, will not have
to carry a UBC.
On December 13, the
Minister said more than
60 000 child passports had
been printed.
However, a snap poll on
Facebook indicates that the
roll-out has been inconsistent
at best. Out of 11 parents
canvassed, three had received
child passports with the name
of both parents (although one
incorrectly listed the mother’s
maiden name); four children
received passports without
the parents listed; and four
parents who had applied for
multiple children’s passports
at the same time, reported
that one child’s passport listed
the parents’ names, and the
other did not.
Despite the DHA’s
announcements and the
gazetting of the new child
passports rule, one of the
parents canvassed reported
that, while both parents’
names were listed in her
child’s passport, a UBC
was requested by airline
check-in staff. An Iata
spokesperson told TNW
last year that it had been in
touch with the Department
in December to clarify the
gazetted amendments, and
was guided to follow 3.1 in
the Advisory, which states:
“Where both parents are
travelling accompanied by
one or more of their children,
such children have to produce
valid passports and a Birth
Certificate for each child
travelling.” Iata confirmed to
TNW that this was what it had
loaded on to Timatic.
As such, travel agents report
that they are advising clients
to carry unabridged birth
certificates for their children.
TNW spent over a week
trying to get some clarity
on the roll-out from Home
Affairs, but no response had
been received at the time of
publication.
IDs take priority over
passports
A source close to the DHA
informed TNW that, while
passport applications were
being expedited last year,
taking less time than IDs
to be processed, this has
since changed because of
the upcoming election, and
ID applications are now the
priority.
