The South African government has announced that it has started to change the passport system to include the names of both parents when it issues a passport for a child.
The Department of Home Affairs has said that foreign passport holders, whose countries have a similar system where both parents’ names are included in a child’s passport, will not have to carry an unabridged birth certificate when entering South Africa.
No other plans were announced to ease the unabridged birth certificate regulation, which often results in traumatic scenes at airports when airlines have to deny boarding to a child.
Tourism Update would like to know from readers which nationalities already have a passport system in place where both parents’ names appear in a child’s passport.
We would appreciate our foreign readers checking a child’s passport and letting us know so that we can see to what extent this concession to tourists is helpful. Send your report to kerryh@nowmedia.co.za
