For many individuals moving to the UK, the main reason is often to give their children a better and safer future.
And most of those moving to the UK are either moving over specifically to have their children in the UK or at least, their second child in the UK.
When this happens there are a few things to bear in mind about having a child in the UK when you are South African.
The main thing that needs to happen is that you should register your child as a South African citizen once they are registered with the UK government. Parents can fill out a foreign birth application at the South African embassy or South African High Commission and this will allow the child dual nationality status.
If you do not register your child as a South African citizen and you plan to visit South Africa at any point, your child will need a visa and will then never be subject to the possibility of overstaying their welcome in South Africa.
Not registering your child as an SA citizen also comes with a lot of additional administration stress, especially if you would like to stay in SA for longer than 6 months. The average visitor’s visa for South Africa is 90 days, which can always be extended but should your child overstay their visa, they may face a ban from South Africa.
If you are a British parent flying with your SA-register child, you will be exempt from SA visa control but will receive the automatic 90-day Visitor Visa upon entering South Africa.
For more information on moving to the UK with your family, contact Robyn Lamb by emailing her on robyn@rcvinternational.com today.