An unabridged birth certificate with the DHA stamp.
In June 2015, the South African Department of Home Affairs made it mandatory for all passengers under the age of 18 to use an Unabridged Birth Certificate to travel in and out of the country. The immigration law was passed to help combat child trafficking. There are numerous other reasons that South Africans need an unabridged birth certificate. Since unabridged birth certificates suffice for all uses, no more abridged birth certificates are being issued and abridged certificates cannot be apostilled any longer.
On this page, we will take a look at what an unabridged birth certificate is and how you can apply for one using our expert documentation services.
What exactly is an unabridged birth certificate?
Unabridged birth certificates are documents that contain information about a person’s two biological parents or legal guardians. Individuals under the age of 18 years need to provide unabridged birth certificates along with other legal documents (such as passports) when entering or to exit the Republic of South Africa. It wasn’t until after April 2016 that the Department of Home Affairs officially ruled out old birth certificates. Since then, all birth certificates issues are Unabridged Birth Certificates and are referred to as the Birth Certificate.
Unabridged birth certificates are mostly required for:
• International travel
• Emigration purposes
• Obtaining visas for certain countries
Does everyone need unabridged birth certificates?
If you are a minor (under the age of 18), and plan to travel into our out of South Africa, you will need an unabridged birth certificate. You do not need an unabridged birth certificate for domestic travel (for example between Johannesburg and Cape Town), but for international travel, you require this official document.
Often for visas, overseas marriages and foreign citizenship applications, a South African would require an unabridged birth certificate. The document usually does not lapse or expire, although some jurisdictions and countries do require them to be within a certain validity or age.
How can I get an unabridged birth certificate?
Here at Apostil.co.za, we specialise in helping our customers obtain all their legal documents such as unabridged birth certificates and Letters of No Impediment. An application for an unabridged birth certificate is always lodged with the South African Department of Home Affairs, although they can also be processed at South African embassies, missions, or consulates.
To apply for an unabridged birth certificate, you will need to send to us:
• Mandatory: Your ID document in a clear PDF scan
• Possibly: Copies of the IDs of both your biological parents in clear PDF scans
• Mandatory: A completed form – filled in with black ink and PDF scanned to us. Download the DHA Unabridged Birth Certificate DHA-154 Form for us to assist you.
How long does it take to obtain an unabridged birth certificate?
Depending on how easily accessible your details are in the archives, the process generally takes anywhere between three and six weeks. Keep in mind that it may take up to eight weeks in rare cases.
How we can help you?
If you need to obtain an unabridged birth certificate but do not wish to stand in queues at Home Affairs, we can take the stress out of the situation. Apostil.co.za is a documentation agency in South Africa, specialising in legalised and verified SA document assistance.
We can assist you in obtaining an Unabridged Birth Certificate. We handle everything on your behalf, remotely. We make the process of getting your certificates and passport applications from Home Affairs South Africa processed much faster and hassle-free. Get in touch with our team of experts today to learn more about our services and how we can help you obtain your legal documents.
