Pretoria - The Department of Home Affairs says it has received overwhelming support and encouragement from ordinary South African families who have welcomed the new visa requirements for parents travelling with children.
The department on Thursday welcomed Cabinet’s reaffirmation of the new immigration regulations which came into effect on 1 June and, in particular, the requirements for traveling with children through South Africa’s ports of entry.
Under the new legislation, South Africans and foreign nationals travelling to and from South Africa with children under the age of 18 are required to produce unabridged birth certificates.
The implementation of the new legislation is part of government’s commitment to safeguard the best interests of children and prevent child trafficking.
“The Department of Home Affairs believes the immigration regulations will minimise the vulnerability of children traveling in and out of the country,” the department said on Thursday.
Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba is to convene a ministerial team comprising both the security and economic clusters to amplify consultation for compliance between the department and key stakeholders in the aviation, tourism, travel and hospitality sector.
The ministerial team will look at matters pertaining to the implementation of the immigration regulations with a view to seek a balance between South Africa’s economic development as well as security needs.
The move to establish the ministerial team, said the department, will add to efforts aimed at addressing administrative issues that may have been experienced when the requirements for traveling with children through South Africa’s ports of entry were implemented this month. - SAnews.gov.za
