Traveler's Edition
After making some unpopular visa regulations earlier this year, South Africa are reversing the more restrictive visa regulations due to pressures from their own tourism body.
One visa regulation in particular was blamed for the decline in visitors. Adults arriving in the country in the company of a child would have to prove parenthood or guardianship (birth certificate) and lone adults flying with their child had to show they had consent from the non-travelling parent.
The regulations around children travelling was introduced to tackle child trafficking, but came under heavy criticism from tourism groups in South Africa and outside the country claiming that it is no longer a family friendly destination.
Now, children will have details printed in their passports so it will not be required to carry birth certificates. In addition the parental consent from the second non-traveling parent is not compulsory but is ‘strongly advised’.
