GLOSSARY OF TERMS Documentation is a term used to refer collectively to all government issued documents concerning a person’s identity, including birth certificates, identity cards, passports, permits, visas, asylum seeker visas, and refugee permits. Birth registration is the permanent and official record of a child’s birth by the government of the country where the child was born. A birth certificate is the document subsequently issued to that child, which reflects their name, date and place of birth, and the details of their parents. “Citizenship” and “nationality” have the same meaning and can be used interchangeably. In South Africa we use the word citizenship. Citizenship is the legal bond between an individual and the state. It is based on a person’s “genuine links” to a state. A genuine link can take the form of birth in the territory of the state, or descent from citizens of the state. The rules for obtaining citizenship of a country are determined by the laws of each individual country. In South Africa, citizenship is determined by the South African Citizenship Act (1995). Identity cards (ID cards) 4 HOW TO GET DOCUMENTED Passports are official documents which allow a person to travel to other countries. It is normally issued to citizens, but a state may also issue passports to non-citizens, such as refugees, who are unable to approach their countries for a passport. Permits or visas are official authorisations allowing non-citizens to reside or work outside their country of citizenship. They can take the form of a stand-alone document, or a sticker pasted into the passport, or a stamp in the passport. In South Africa they are issued by the Department of Home Affairs upon application. An Irregular migrant is a person who is not a citizen, and who does not have the required authorisation from a government to remain in its territory. An irregular migrant, may have an expired visa, permit or passport, or they may have no passport at all. Undocumented persons have no government issued proof of identity (documentation), such as a birth certificate, and identity card or a passport. Citizens, non-citizens, and stateless persons can all be undocumented. are official documents issued to citizens, permanent residents, and recognised refugees. In South Africa, ID cards are issued to all persons whose details are recorded in the population register (South African citizen, permanent residents, and recognised refugees). The ID card reflects that person’s official identity number. Other countries will have different ways to document their citizens and long-term residents. HOW TO GET DOCUMENTED 5