What Is Apostille?
it means that the origin of such documents is verified and can be presented to the authorities of the Country of Destination (the country where the document is submitted or used)
How To Get Apostille In South Africa
Depending on the type of documentation, you may first have to get the documentation stamped/signed by the appropriate department or institution; by a magistrate, an additional magistrate or assistant magistrate; or a registrar or an assistant registrar of the High Court of South Africa before the Legalization Section.
Apostilles in South Africa
If you plan on using legal documents outside of South Africa, you’ll have to get them apostilled at DIRCO in Pretoria, in order to ensure their validity.
Before obtaining an Apostille Certificate for South African documents, you’ll need to verify that the country that will be receiving the document is a signatory to the Apostille Convention (Convention de La Haye du 5 October 1961).
Click here for the list of countries that require or use apostilles.
Any document issued in South Africa has to be apostilled or legalized when it is going to be used in a foreign country.
South African diplomatic or consular representatives abroad are not permitted to issue Apostille Certificates, only Certificates of Authentication.
We offer easy apostille services quickly and efficiently. See our pricing.
Apostilles (at DIRCO in Pretoria)
High Court Authentications
Embassy Authentications
Health Certificate Verification
Academic Certificate Verification
Sworn Translations (for any language), and
Expungements.
If you plan on using official South African documents outside of the Republic of SA within a country that does not form part of the Hague Conference, your documents cannot be apostilled for validity and verification.
You must still, however, be able to prove that your documents are legitimate and have been legitimately signed by the correct authorities, which is why some additional steps may be required.
Police Clearances Certificates
To apply for visas and prove your lack of criminal record, you may need an urgent Police Clearance for South Africa, which we can obtain for you very quickly with our Basic, Standard, Quicker and EXPRESS (5-7 days) options (see pricing).
Click here to read more about SAPS Police Clearances for South Africa
Department of Home Affairs documentation
Civic Service Certificates (Birth certificates, Marriage Certificates, Death certificates, Letters of No Impediment, etc.) as fast as 2 weeks
Letter of Retention of SA Citizenship
Determination of SA Citizenship
Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Applications
Notary and legalization services
In some cases, official South African documents will have to be notarized by a notary public before being apostilled.
TEFL documentation
For those applying to teach English abroad, we offer a TEFL Pack of documents.
We also collect and courier all documents.
Depending on the type of document you need to have easily apostilled or legalized, the origin of your document, and the country requesting your document, the process of legalization or attestation may differ. Click to contact us now to enquire about pricing and timing.
How much does it cost to apostille a document in South Africa?R875 per documentPricing
| Service description | Price (R = ZAR) |
|---|---|
| Apostille/Authentication DIRCO (Pretoria) | R875 per document |
| Apostilled SA qualification (includes SAQA and DIRCO) | R2,250 Estimated timing |
| Apostilled SA medical certificate (includes HPCSA and DIRCO) | R2,250 |
| Notarisations (by notary public) | R950 per page |
How long does it take to apostille a document in South Africa?
In general, it takes weeks (and even up to months) to get your original documents apostilled for use abroad. Apostil.co.za provides an express service that have your documents apostilled in as little as seven days (excluding courier times).
What is an Apostille Certificate South Africa?
An Apostille certificate simply means that your document that originates in South Africa has been authenticated or legalized by The Legalization Section at the Department of International relations and Cooperation (The Department of Foreign Affairs), which is in Pretoria.
How do I notarize a document in South Africa?
1. The original documents must be taken to a South African Notary Public and must be signed or copied in his/her presence.
The Notary will then attach an authentication certificate to the signed document or copy which will include the Notary’s signature, stamp and seal.