Travel with Children

All visitors under 18 years of age need to present a valid passport when entering, departing or transiting Botswana and/or Namibia. No extra documentation is required if the child is travelling with both parents and they all have the same surname. However if there is a situation where a parent’s surname and child’s surname is different, a Birth Certificate must be produced that contains the particulars of the child as well as the parent/s at the time of birth. We also strongly recommend carrying proof of the parental relationship (e.g. Marriage Certificate). These documents can be copies of the originals.

For single parents or those travelling alone with their child/ren, the following must also be provided:

• A court order granting full responsibilities or legal guardianship of the child, or
• The death certificate of the absent parent, or
• A Parental Consent Letter in which the absent parent gives consent for the child to travel. This letter must be no more than 6 months old when presented and be verified (stamped and signed) by the police or other person/institution, such as a Notary or Commission of Oaths.
• A sworn translation (certified/authenticated) in English should accompany all documentation that is in a language other than English. Copies of original documents are sufficient and need not be certified.

These measures are aimed at managing the movement of children across the region’s borders to reduce human trafficking. Like many other developing nations, Botswana and Namibia are affected by this ongoing problem and as such, they have enacted the “United Nations Anti Human Trafficking Protocol”, which calls upon governments to come up with deliberate measures aimed at combating human trafficking.