Unabridged Birth Certificate help needed

[iceogre007]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am hoping that someone can help us please, we applied for our unabridged certificates and received an SMS that mine is ready for collection but my wife's one was still outstanding, today she received an SMS saying: please visit office of application to complete DHA24 and DHA288 forms. How and what is these forms for and will this add even more time to our waiting. we are only waiting to receive the unabridged certificate and then we can hear from our CO. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Kind Regards,

[MichKen]

I had to fill these in for my husband and daughter. It's an affidavit and late registration of birth form.   Hand them in at your local home affairs department and get stamped copies for your record.

This will help to speed up the process but I suggest you also scan and email the stamped forms, with your escalation Case number as the subject line to the DHA email is HACC@dha.gov.za. 

Follow up daily and mail again a couple of days in a row.  You will get a mail to acknowledge receipt and it should be very quick after that.

 

With my daughter it took a couple of days, with my husband I eventually had to email the Director General and Ministers offices before I got the birth certificate.  If you get stuck I can provide you these contacts I used.

[vengefire]

From what I've read, it sounds like they can't find your details on/in the system. Those forms are basically for late registration of birth. Sounds like it will lengthen your wait.

I've also read that folks required an affidavit certified by a commissioner of oaths, just double check that they have actually given you all their requirements...

 

I might be wrong and hope I am, but I did a little bit of google investigation for you and that's what I came up with.

[bbop]

I had to fill those forms in for my oldest daughter. First application they last altogether, 2nd time round I had to re - register her birth again (12 years later). It then took a further 2 years to receive the unabridged certificate. The originals got lost in the mail, so now I have to apply for a new one in order to apply for citizenship!

[iceogre007]

Hi Everyone, thank you for your input. My wife will be going to the DHA tomorrow and fill those forms in and then we will hear what is next. @MichKen thank you for your input and I will do that. I will get those email addresses from you if I still struggle after a few days. If you do not mind?

 

[MichKen]

No problem, I will happily give these to you, got them from another forumite, so glad to pay it forward.

Once I escalated these myself it was a matter of hours and it was sorted out!  I mailed over the long weekend (16 December on top of it) and on the Monday by 12 we got a phone call to say it was ready!! I did kinda nag, I sent no less than about 10 emails over that weekend, but it worked!

[iceogre007]

@MichKen my wife just handed those forms in and were handed nothing back or any confirmation of receipt, is there anything we can do to still get an escalation number?

[MichKen]

You should have been given an escalation number when you called the call center to query progress.

But you would have to have asked in fact insisted on copies of the stamped forms when you handed them in.

perhaps go back tomorrow and hopefully they haven't sent them in yet or just try to fill them in again and insist on a copy.

[iceogre007]

@MichKen Good day, Can you provide me with the email addresses that I should use please. We received our escalation number. Thank you in advance for your help.

[MichKen]

Sakia.Lekala@dha.gov.za and norman.ramashia@dha.gov.za and 

Mkuseli.Apleni@dha.gov.za

Hacc@dha.gov.za

 

these are the addresses I used and got immediate results.

[iceogre007]

Thank you @MichKen I appreciate the effort.

[MichKen]

I really hope it helps you!  Please let me know?

[iceogre007]

@MichKen Hi MichKen, it did help thank you very much. I just heard our visas was approved. We are now looking for jobs

[MichKen]

Glad it helped you @iceogre007!

WOW!!! Congratulations on the Visa approvals.

 

All the best for the job search!

[ferreiraw]

Hi guys, seeing as you recently had this done, did your unabridged birth certificate specify the term "unabridged"?

 

I collected mine today, and it does not mention the word "unabridged" anywhere on the document. The birth certificate has almost like a "form code" on the right top corner, "83/DHA - 5". Are your certificates the same or do they specifically mention the word unabridged? I would like to know, as I have to return to get a new passport, I would like to request the right document while i'm there if this is the wrong one?

 

Thanks. 

[Mara]

@ferreiraw an unabridged birth certificate does not have to have the word "unabridged" on it. In RSA you are usually issued with an abridged birth certificate, ie, it only shows the persons name and date of birth and place of birth. An unabridged birth certificate will show, the persons, name, the date of birth, the place of birth, AS WELL AS the names of the parents. Hope that clarifies it for you.

[MichKen]

Agreed and from what I understood the DIBP requirements are that you produce a birth certificate which reflects the names of both parents, and this is what they will check for.

 

I don't think the title or form code of the documents will impact, as long as it is a document issued officially.

 

My husbands mothers ID number did not even appear on the document as she passed away prior to ID numbers, and that was fine.  On my one child's UBC my maiden name appeared and on the other, my married name - both born well after marriage - also was not an issue.

[ferreiraw]

Thanks guys. This birth certificate does indeed show both my mother's and father's particulars as well as their place of birth. 

 

I was just unsure about it, as it was a struggle to get the document at the DHA, I was worried they maybe printed the wrong one to spite me. 

 

Thanks. I believe i received the right document based on your info.

 

Thanks again. 

[CazK]

@ferreiraw Since 2013 (or somewhere around there), the DOHA now issues unabridged birth certificates as standard issue. Coincides with the South African requirement to have them when travelling overseas with minors. My first son (born 2012) was issued with an abridged certificate when he was born, while my other one (born in 2015) was issued with an unabridged version. The code you mentioned matches what my younger son has on his unabridged. If your mum and dad's particulars are on there, you should be fine, as Michken mentioned. 

[Ecodiva]

Hi everyone!

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one struggling with this issue. Very useful advice posted from everyone.

 

I applied on the 14 January 2017 for my unabridged at the same time as my brother. He got his 3 days later and I'm still waiting. I've contacted DHA and the branch office manager as well as emailed the presidential hotline. The response I got was:

"Please visit the nearest Home Affairs Office and fill in the following birth registration forms, DHA-24 and DHA-288. Office to send original copies of the forms to Head Office to be templated and copies to be faxed to 0866028589."

 

*sigh at my life

[ChrisH]

I would strongly suggest using document companies like Bunny Hop for this.  They know who to bug to get the stuff done.

[MichKen]

10 hours ago, Ecodiva said:

Please visit the nearest Home Affairs Office and fill in the following birth registration forms, DHA-24 and DHA-288. Office to send original copies of the forms to Head Office to be templated and copies to be faxed to 0866028589."

 

@Ecodiva do that!  That's the best way to speed things up.  The real reason is probably that they have lost your birth records and therefore can't do the UBC and therefore no amount of pleading or demanding will get you any response.  Effectively that paperwork allows them to proceed with your application because it reregisters your birth and is accompanied by a sworn affidavit.

Firstly, fill in the paperwork at the home affairs office, then let them sign and stamp it; ensure you immediately get copies of the signed and stamped paperwork and fax as they suggested but also email this paperwork to hacc@dha.gov.za. You should have an escalation number by now, so quote this on your email and fax.

[ferreiraw]

 

On 5/9/2017 at 10:49 AM, CazK said:

@ferreiraw Since 2013 (or somewhere around there), the DOHA now issues unabridged birth certificates as standard issue. Coincides with the South African requirement to have them when travelling overseas with minors. My first son (born 2012) was issued with an abridged certificate when he was born, while my other one (born in 2015) was issued with an unabridged version. The code you mentioned matches what my younger son has on his unabridged. If your mum and dad's particulars are on there, you should be fine, as Michken mentioned. 

Thanks @CazK, confirmation makes the mind settle a little bit to be 100% sure. I greatly appreciate your input. 

[Ecodiva]

On 5/10/2017 at 0:09 AM, MichKen said:

@Ecodiva do that!  That's the best way to speed things up.  The real reason is probably that they have lost your birth records and therefore can't do the UBC and therefore no amount of pleading or demanding will get you any response.  Effectively that paperwork allows them to proceed with your application because it reregisters your birth and is accompanied by a sworn affidavit.

Firstly, fill in the paperwork at the home affairs office, then let them sign and stamp it; ensure you immediately get copies of the signed and stamped paperwork and fax as they suggested but also email this paperwork to hacc@dha.gov.za. You should have an escalation number by now, so quote this on your email and fax.

 @MichKen Hopefully I can get copies of the paperwork! I'm going to home affairs tomorrow morning so will try do exactly as you say and hopefully good things come from this. Thanks for the advice  Hold thumbs!

[MichKen]

@Ecodiva ours was very quick after that was done.  I don't think they will have a problem giving you the copies...

[March2]

@MichKen I have applied for my UBC and UMC in April this year and still no show.  I call DHA every week and all I get is that it is still being processed.  If I just go to Home Affairs office and ask them to give me the DHA 24 and 288 forms for my UBC without it being requested by them, will they still let me complete these forms?  Do my parents need to tag along as well to complete these or can I just do my "own birth registration"?  The DHA 288 is quite a comprehensive form (saw a copy on the internet). I am at my wits end with this now?