DIRCO Apostille

What is a DIRCO Apostille?

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.

Documents We Apostille at DIRCO

• Birth Certificates - Unabridged birth certificates from Department of Home Affairs
• Marriage Certificates - Marriage certificates from Home Affairs
• Death Certificates - Death certificates from Home Affairs
• Police Clearance Certificates - SAPS police clearance for international use (visa, immigration, employment)
• Matric Certificates - National Senior Certificate (NSC) for international study or employment
• University Degrees - Degrees, diplomas, and academic transcripts from SA universities
• Divorce Decrees - Court-issued divorce orders
• Letter of No Impediment - Single status affidavit for marriage abroad

How the DIRCO Apostille Process Works

Common Uses for DIRCO Apostilled Documents

• Immigration & Visa Applications - Work permits, residency applications, citizenship
• International Study - University admissions abroad, scholarship applications
• Marriage Abroad - Getting married in another country
• Employment Overseas - Job applications, professional registration
• Property Transactions - Buying or selling property internationally