Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Youngsters Travelling Alone? Right here’s What’s Wanted

Your youngster is flying alone. You’ve booked the ticket, picked the seat, possibly even packed their snacks. However except you’ve sorted the kid journey paperwork South Africa requires, that flight isn’t going wherever. Whether or not your youngster is flying alone on a fast home flight or heading abroad as an unaccompanied minor, there’s paperwork. Numerous it. Right here’s the whole lot it is advisable to know in case your kids are travelling alone, together with the right way to get a passport for a kid, what counts as an unabridged beginning certificates, and the right way to put together for the unaccompanied minor course of.

Young boy travelling alone on a plane looking out the airplane window with a smile.

Can kids journey alone from South Africa?

Sure, however there are guidelines.

  • Below 5? No solo flights allowed.
  • Ages 5 to 17? They’ll fly, however provided that booked beneath the airline’s unaccompanied minor service.

Every airline has their very own unaccompanied minor coverage. Some received’t enable connecting flights. Some solely settle for sure routes. All the time verify the effective print once you e-book.

Sadly, this must be performed instantly with the airline, your favorite journey company can’t step in right here. 

Documents needed for children travelling or flying alone

What paperwork does a baby must fly alone?

Right here’s your must-have guidelines in case your youngster is travelling alone:

  • A sound passport for the kid (right here’s the right way to get one)
  • An unabridged beginning certificates (should record each mother and father)
  • A signed consent affidavit from each mother and father or authorized guardians
  • Copies of each mother and father’ IDs or passports
  • A letter from the particular person receiving the kid at their vacation spot
  • That particular person’s ID or passport copy
  • Flight itinerary with full contact particulars

Professional tip:  The parental consent affidavit is just legitimate for six months. Don’t present up with one from final 12 months. Time it proper.

What’s an unaccompanied minor service?

It’s a paid service supplied by airways for youngsters travelling alone. It contains workers escort, precedence boarding, and handover to a nominated grownup on arrival.

Airways take this severely, and so must you. In case your youngster isn’t booked as an unaccompanied minor (UMNR), they received’t be allowed to fly alone. Don’t threat a last-minute meltdown at check-in.

One mum or dad travelling with a baby?

Father with his son at an airport, sitting on blue airport benches next to their suitcase. This is what's needed when one parent is travelling alone with the children.

Even if you happen to’re not flying solo, your paperwork must be tight.

If just one mum or dad is travelling with the kid, you continue to want:

  • The kid’s passport
  • An unabridged beginning certificates
  • A consent affidavit from the non-travelling mum or dad
  • A licensed copy of their ID or passport

South African immigration doesn’t care if you happen to’re married or divorced. No consent, no boarding.

See what the legislation says about travelling with kids

Recap: Paperwork for youngster travelling alone from South Africa

  • Passport for youngster
  • Unabridged beginning certificates
  • Consent affidavit from each mother and father
  • Copies of mum or dad IDs
  • Receiving grownup’s letter and ID copy
  • Airline-specific unaccompanied minor varieties
Child running towards his father in an airport after travelling along on an airplane.

Last Guidelines for a Baby Travelling Alone

In the case of a baby travelling alone from South Africa, paperwork is the whole lot. Be sure their passport is sorted, their unabridged beginning certificates is prepared, and each consent affidavit is updated. Airways received’t budge with out the precise paperwork, and neither will immigration.

Whether or not your youngster is booked as an unaccompanied minor or flying with one mum or dad, having the proper youngster journey paperwork South Africa requires is the one technique to maintain issues clean at check-in.

Want flights which can be as environment friendly as your prep? We’ve received you.


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