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Unabridged birth certificate requirement expected to be completely scrapped for foreigners - as soon as this week

The Airline Association of Southern Africa has been advised that President Cyril Ramaphosa recently instructed the Department of Home Affairs to completely rescind the controversial unabridged birth certificate requirement for foreign minors travelling with foreigners to South Africa. 

"The South African government has acknowledged the negative impact of visa regulations - including the unabridged birth certificate requirement - on tourism," said  AASA CEO Chris Zweigenthal at the organisation’s annual general meeting being hosted by Air Austral in Reunion.

"We await confirmation of its revocation in hopeful anticipation," Zweigenthal said on Friday.

Blacky Komani, chair of Tourism Business Council of SA, told Fin24 that government is expected to completely remove the requirement for foreigners traveling with children under 18 to produce an unabridged birth certificates. This change should  be announced officially on October 16th, including timelines for implementation, Komani said.

In December last year, government made only amendments to the requirement - including leaving the decision up to the discretion of the officials, and changing words from “must” to “may”. This will be a complete repeal, said Komani

Zweigenthal lauded the Tourism Business Council of SA for the role it played in bringing about "this latest positive development".

Since its introduction in 2015, the unabridged birth certificate requirement has caused many problems for travellers to South Africa and the tourism industry.  

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