My child lives in another province with his father. Will I need to travel there in order to help him get his ID?

The long answer

Although both parents are supposed to go with their child to apply for an ID, as you are not living in the same province, it’s likely Home Affairs will accept only the father being there, if he can give them the following documents:  

• A certified copy of your ID 

• A letter from you, giving your address and your permission for the father to accompany the child to get his ID, as you are not living in the same province.

The child’s birth certificate will be needed, so if the father does not have it, you should make a certified copy of it for him. The father will also have to provide his own ID.

If Home Affairs does not accept this, you could contact the Home Affairs contact centre and ask them to help. These are the contact centre’s details:

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 0800 60 11 90

If they are not helpful, you could ask for help from one of the following organisations:

• The Black Sash, which gives free paralegal advice

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Tel (national office): 021 686 6952

Helpline: 072 66 33 73, 072 633 3739 or 063 610 1865.

• Lawyers for Human Rights

Email: [email protected]

Tel: Musina 015 534 2203

Durban: 031 301 0531

Pretoria: 012 320 2943

Johannesburg: 011 339 1960

Cape Town: 021 424 8561

• Legal Resources Centre

Email:[email protected]

Johannesburg: 011 836 9831

Cape Town: 021 481 3000

Durban: 031 301 7572

But I think Home Affairs will probably accept just the father being there, if he has the documents I mentioned above.

Wishing you the best,
Athalie