What papers does your child's visa need?
In South Africa, your child applies too. A child has their own visa file. The list adds one line for children. Show the parent tie. Or the other parent’s written yes. The fees are R2 175 per child. We read them on 1 September 2026.
This page looks at one thing: the child’s file. For the full family story, read: how a family extends.
Does your child need their own file?
Yes. Each child has their own visa. So each child asks for their own time. Each child pays the fees too. That is R2 175 per person. We read the fees on 1 September 2026. The base papers are the same as yours. See: what papers you need.
What does the list add for a child?
The visa office’s list has one child line. It asks for: “proof of parental responsibilities and rights or written consent in the form of an affidavit from the other parent or legal guardian”. We read it on 29 August 2026. In plain words: show you are the parent. Or show the other parent says yes. Families show the birth certificate for the tie. That last line is practice, not a rule.
What is the written yes?
It is an affidavit. A short paper with a stamp. The other parent puts their yes on paper. Then a commissioner of oaths stamps it. Read: what is the affidavit, and who stamps it.
What did real families add?
One family we know did this in 2023. Each child’s papers had two more things. A short letter from a parent. It says: I pay for my child. And a copy of the parent’s visa. All the children got their extensions. One family’s story, not a rule. The letter costs one signature.
Does your child go to VFS too?
Yes. The visa office says: “You must attend the appointment for your visa application. You cannot send someone in your place.” That rule is for the child too. A parent can go in with a child. That rule is for children under 18. Each person has their own booking. Book days close to each other.
We build each child’s checklist too. One payment covers up to four people. That is R2 899, tax in.
Three more answers
Do I need the unabridged birth certificate?
Many pages name that paper. Most talk about a different moment. Entering South Africa with a child. This page is about more time, once here. The extension list has no such words. It asks for proof of the parent tie. Families show the birth certificate for that. That is practice, not a rule. We read the list on 29 August 2026.
Does a baby need a file too?
Yes. Every person has their own visa. So every child has their own file. And their own fees: R2 175. We read the fees on 1 September 2026.
The other parent is not with us. What now?
The list gives two roads. Proof of the parent tie. Or the other parent's written yes. The yes is a stamped affidavit. We cannot pick your road for you. Bring what fits your family.
The visa office’s list: read 29 August 2026. The fees: read 1 September 2026.