Official apostille for government-issued documents
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) is the official government body in South Africa responsible for issuing apostilles on government-issued public documents. A DIRCO apostille authenticates documents for use in any of the 120+ countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Unlike High Court apostilles which are for notarised documents, DIRCO apostilles are specifically for documents issued by South African government departments such as Home Affairs, SAPS, Department of Education, and universities.
DIRCO Apostille: ~1 week
Transparent, all-inclusive pricing. Our fees cover document handling, DIRCO submission, and collection.
| Service | Cost (ZAR) | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| DIRCO Apostille | R1,650 per document | ~1 week |
| Local Courier | R250 | 1–2 working days |
| International Courier | R750–R1,100 | 3–5 working days |
Send us your original documents or certified copies via courier or drop-off at our Bryanston office.
We verify your documents meet DIRCO requirements and prepare them for submission.
We submit your documents to DIRCO in Pretoria on your behalf.
Once processed, we collect your apostilled documents and courier them to you.
No — not for a government-issued document. An apostille issued by DIRCO authenticates the signature and seal of the South African official who issued your document, so its legal validity comes from DIRCO — the government department — not from whoever submits it. You only need a notary to first certify private documents such as affidavits, powers of attorney, certified copies, or sworn translations. An attorney’s qualifications do not make an apostille any more valid — a specialist submission agent like Easy Services Group lodges and collects the identical government apostille, usually faster and for less than legal fees.
A DIRCO apostille is an official certificate issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria that authenticates government-issued public documents for use in countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Government-issued documents require DIRCO apostilles, including: birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, police clearance certificates, matric certificates, university degrees and diplomas, and other documents issued by government departments.
A DIRCO Apostille takes approximately 1 week to process at R1,650 per document. Timeframes can vary depending on DIRCO's workload and public holidays.
DIRCO (Department of International Relations and Cooperation) is located in Pretoria, South Africa. We handle the submission and collection process on your behalf, so you don't need to visit DIRCO personally.
Contact us today for a quote. We handle the entire process so you don't have to visit DIRCO.