pinkshell

Please can somebody help me im getting mixed messages from everyone!
I have lived in s.a for 12 months now with my partner. We are both british and have been on tourist visas and have extended them twice now as my partner is setting up a business and I dont work.
So heres the question...I am 22 weeks pregnant and am wondering am I able to give birth in s.a on a tourist visa?
I am in the uk at the moment on holiday and will be going back in 3 weeks.
How do I register the baby and also if we do get a working visa in process I will have to go on my partners visa is this ok to be in process?
Please somebody help me I cant stress anymore!

scot47

He is working but is on a tourist visa ? Have you thought that one through ?

pinkshell

He is not working he is looking to set up a business looking for locations, investors etc no work involved

scot47

Sounds dodgy to me. You are adults. You have to make up your own minds. I am not sure that the Authorities in Pretoria will be so understanding.

Do you have medical insurance or sufficient funds to pay for the childbirth ?

http://samedicalaids.wordpress.com/2...-south-africa/

pinkshell

Thankyou for your reply but nothing we do is 'dodgy' and yes we are adults (hence making the move to s.a and having a baby! I have spoken to s.a home affairs amd have an answer now which is perfect so thanks again for your reply

ededed

Well, they can't really stop you, can they?

Make sure you have medical aid. Don't give birth in a government hospital. Registering in SA is easy - and assuming you are both British the high commission will also register the birth and you can organise a UK passport and make sure the child is British.

BritInParis

Unfortunately consular birth registration isn't available for South African births. You can however apply directly for a British passport from the High Commission in Pretoria.

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passport...applying/child

ededed

We registered my son's South African birth with the high commission. Unless the rules have changed in the last few years......?

BritInParis

That's surprising. How many years ago was this? Was it consular birth registration or registration as a British citizen? South Africa is one of several ex-colonies (Australia, Canada, Ireland, etc..) in which consular birth registration isn't offered due to it having an English language birth registration system broadly equivalent to the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-birth/y/south-africa

MartynK

Both my kids were born in SA back in the 80s. We got in touch with the British consulate who said we could register their births if we wanted to, but that there really wasn't any point in doing this because their status would be determined by our birthplaces and citizenship. They have dual citizenship, and obtained their British passports within the last few years through a normal application supported by our birth certificates.

kcarter

Hi, I can't really offer any advice on the legality of you being in SA and on visas, but I am an expat on an accompany spouse visa (my husband is South African) and I have 2 children, both born here, aged 4 and 1. I did not register their births at the British consulate as I had no idea you could even do so. But I phoned to check they would definitely secure a GB passport and that is the case.
We fly frequently to the UK and they use their UK passports and on enquiry I was told that they are therefore GB citizens and have right to remain in UK with no need for any other documentation, if they wished to do so. They also have SA passports. As long as their mother is a British citizen, they are entitled to British citizenship and passport wherever they were born.
You will need to get a copy of baby's unabridged birth certificate from Home Affairs but rules have changed and it is quite easy to do so now I believe (took almost a year for my first son's) Then you apply using application forms online and send to British Consulate in Pretoria to be processed and a UK passport will be issued.
Do make sure you have medical aid. I had great experiences giving birth to my 2 sons here and the care was excellent, but this was Private through medical insurance and extremely expensive if you do not have. Feel free to PM me if you need any more info on that side of things.
Congrats and good luck!