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Kids Travelling to AUS Without Father


Geelslang

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Ok. So I am in AUS already and working. KIds and wife arrive in Dec. Anyone know exactly what is now required in terms of my kids travelling on their own with my wife? Must I write a letter giving details of their passport numbers, date of flight etc and get it certified by a commissioner of the oath and then post it from here to my wife in SA?

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Off the top of my head they will need an affidavit from you giving her permission to fly with kids and a certified copy of YOUR passport. Then their unabridged birth certs with both parents names on. Check to see if there is more. I think the RSA high commission website has the info.

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Geelslang, read this, but to summarize, she will need an Unabridged birth certificate for all of your children, their Passports and an affidavit from you giving permission for her to travel with them - http://www.dha.gov.za/files/Brochures/Immigrationleaflet.pdf

And this is their suggested format for the affidavit - http://www.dha.gov.za/files/ParentalConsentAffidavit_v7.pdf

It is only their suggested format, and we got our lawyers to draw up a document based on a format they have used with others.

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My ex just stated that he gives his sons permission to travel with me on the dates to Australia and for the reason of activating the visa. He stated their ID numbers and his. He also gave me a certified copy of his passport showing his signature. The affidavit itself has to be signed by a police commissioner of oaths. They would not accept any other commissioner of oaths. HTH

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Hi Kirstys, I have checked on the DHA website and I cannot find where it states that it has to be a police commissioner of oaths. It just states "...All documents must be original or copies certified as a true copy of the original by a commissioner of oaths or the equivalent commissioning authority, should commissioners of oath not be a practice in the country concerned;". Did the airport security / customs officer require this?

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Hi Kirstys...also interested to know how it all went at the airport..we're you asked for all these documents in South Africa and upon arrival in Australia...I'm in the same situation...I just don't want to be transfered to the Lil interrogation room when we get to Sydney!!!

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Hi. I actually went to the airport before hand and showed what I had to the airline staff and a manager said sorry it has to be a police commissioner of oaths. So erred on the side of caution. I was only asked for all the documents at JHB customs leaving. My one son is 13 the other 17. The guy hands me all my oldest' stuff and said he doesn't need it. On arriving back I took it all out and the lady looked at us and said don't worry.

Oh sorry the airline check in staff also asked for all the stuff before I left CPT

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Thanks Kirstys...already have a lil folder with all the documents needed..although the letter I have is certified by a commissioner of oaths...(lawyer) not police!!!

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@NatalieB i just didn't want to take any chance. It was soon after this law came into effect and the airline staff had been briefed so maybe they were also just making the assumption it had to be certified by a police man as then it also gets the police station stamp.. But who knows. going out the customs official really scrutinised all the documents. Coming back in the official didn't bother.

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My sister and kids came out to visit us in Sydney in the July hols. She had a whopper of a folder with her with all the letters needed. She even had letters from the schools, saying the kids are going back to school in RSA at the end of the holidays. They are in the position where the father of the kids died 12 years ago. So, my sis had the death cert and everything with her. The guy at JHB, looked through every piece of paper and said there is no way on the flight if the father did not write a letter allowing the kids on holiday. My sis pointed out to him that there is no chance of that happening and he should have a closer look at the name on the death cert he is holding in his hand. At that point he woke up and waved them through.

She has flown with them to quite a few countries and always find her visas take ages to be granted. They also have been pulled up at a few borders, separated her from the kids, with the kids being asked stuff like "Where is Daddy?". Apparently with Canada topping the paranoia list.

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Just a note, I spoke with my lawyer yesterday and he said that it is any Commissioner of Oaths. So lawyers are allowed too. He signs travel affidavits on a regular basis and has had no issues to date. The actual DHA website also just states Commissioner of Oaths and does not make a distinction between Police or otherwise. However, I will verify this when I fly out to Johannesburg on Friday :-), We are flying out to Sydney Thursday next week so if I need anything changed, now would be the time.

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affidavit , certified copies, commissioner of oaths stamp etc may NOT be older than 4 months!!! very important

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  • 1 year later...

Anyone travelled recently under these circumstances?

Hubby flies our in May and I follow with the 3 kids in July.  He will need to organise these letters justs before he goes. Can all 3 kids be on the same letter/affidavit or should they each have an individual letter/affidavit?

Must say this process is the most stressful part for me! Don't want to end up at the airport and they won't let me leave!

 

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@RussellJ Yes I could, but the problem with that is that the information is already dated, as most of it is six months ago, and we all know how often the rules are changed.

However, your wish is my command !

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  • Mara pinned this topic
  • 1 year later...

Hi all

 

Im going to be in this situation as hubby is leaving for Oz next week and the kids and I are only going in December. Hubby has written a letter giving me permission etc which we will get certified at the police this coming week, along with a copy of his passport, visa, flight details and the kids original birth certificates.. will that be ok to travel with? I would hate to get to customs and they dont allow us to go through?

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Seems all good.

i do remember however a home affairs form that you need to get filled in and signed will try find the name of it and post here but maybe do a quick google dha something form.

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Hi

 

My wife has 2 children from a previous marriage and we did the following when we went to Australia and New Zealand:

 

1. Signed Affidavit from the ex husband (obviously for you this will be your husband) with his ID number / passport number and his contact details;

2. Certified copy of ex-husbands passport;

3. Visa's for children printed;

4. Birth certificates (we have unabridged);

5. kids passports;

 

We didn't have any problems as the immigration agent in SA just checked the kids details, asked for the letter and birth certificates and then let us through.

 

 

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