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Brit having baby in SA - can you get visa in country?

Brit having baby in SA - can you get visa in country?

Old May 25th 2016, 7:29 pm
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Default Brit having baby in SA - can you get visa in country?

Any input appreciated:

Brits on 3 year visas, about to have baby in Cape Town. Can we get the baby a visa without leaving the country?

When we got our visas we had to do it in the UK, so in theory I think we might have to leave once the passport arrives.

- I know we'll need an unabridged birth certificate
- A lot of the rules around visas changed in 2014 and again when VFS took over, so don't post if you don't have up to date info

Many thanks
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Old May 26th 2016, 9:34 am
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Default Re: Brit having baby in SA - can you get visa in country?

This forum isn't very active nowadays, and it's probably not the best place to source information about visas because dealing with the SA authorities tends to be pretty subjective. Much of the time it doesn't really matter what the law says, it's what the 'official' thinks it says that counts, who you deal with, what sort of mood he's in and a few other things.

I'd just get in touch with Home Affairs. This will probably be frustrating/painful, but they are the only competent authority for this. You'll have to deal with them at some point anyway, although I suppose you could instruct an attorney to handle it for you.
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Old May 26th 2016, 2:27 pm
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Default Re: Brit having baby in SA - can you get visa in country?

Thanks for letting me know. Yes, I totally know what you mean. Recently we were refused something we needed with the car at one office and tried again successfully at another office.

It's a pity the forum isn't very active. Is there an active expat hangout? Feels like there's so much info to share and learn. Though as you say, mostly you just have to try and see and keep trying.
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Old May 26th 2016, 8:01 pm
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Default Re: Brit having baby in SA - can you get visa in country?

Originally Posted by nicklear
Thanks for letting me know. Yes, I totally know what you mean. Recently we were refused something we needed with the car at one office and tried again successfully at another office.
That's often worth a try, or just go back to the same office on another day and speak to someone else...

It's a pity the forum isn't very active. Is there an active expat hangout? Feels like there's so much info to share and learn. Though as you say, mostly you just have to try and see and keep trying.
I think all the SA online expat forums are pretty much dead now. The country doesn't attract much interest for all the obvious reasons (crime, corruption, increasing cost of living, weak rand, difficulty in obtaining work permits etc). I was born and grew up in the UK, but I'm South African on my mother's side and have never regarded myself as an expat. I don't know many expats either, and I can't really answer you about hangouts, but the ones I've met through business are mainly on contract and seem to live in gated communities/security estates.

Let me know if there's anything specific you want to know and I'll try to help. Check back in a day or two, and see if Ed (moderator) has been online too. He left SA a while back, but I think he knows more about the expat side of things than I do.
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Old May 29th 2016, 6:34 am
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Default Re: Brit having baby in SA - can you get visa in country?

I assume you mean a British visa? In which case yes, my son was born in SA and was registered British before he was registered South African! If you're asking about an SA visa, then I don't think he needs on as he'll be given an ID number which pretty much gives him indefinite leave to remain anyway. With the unabridged marriage certificate you can do anything. Speak to the British consulate, get him registered and then make sure the hospital gives him his ID number. But as Martyn rightly says, despite this happening to me, you could ask at your local Home Affairs office and be met with a nose-picking grunt who can't speak English. How I miss those visits.

Martyn - long time. I'm now in Scotland, good to be in the Auld country!
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