Document legalisation and authentication for international recognition
An apostille is an official certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document. South Africa is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, which means documents apostilled in South Africa are recognised in over 120 member countries without further legalisation.
We handle the entire apostille process for you, from document preparation to DIRCO or High Court submission and collection, making international document authentication simple and stress-free.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) issues apostilles for government-issued public documents. DIRCO apostille is required for documents issued by government departments such as Home Affairs, SAPS, and educational institutions.
Processing Time: 1-2 weeks at DIRCO in Pretoria
The High Court issues apostilles for notarised documents and private documents. This is the faster option for documents that have been notarised by a Notary Public.
Processing Time: 3 working days at any High Court in South Africa
We assist with obtaining original certificates from the Department of Home Affairs for apostille purposes. These documents are essential for immigration, marriage abroad, and international applications.
Processing Time: 2-4 weeks from Home Affairs
For countries that are not members of the Hague Convention, documents require embassy attestation. We facilitate the complete attestation process including:
The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) provides verification and evaluation of qualifications. We assist with:
We assist with obtaining certifications from professional councils:
Our streamlined process ensures your documents are authenticated correctly:
DIRCO apostilles are for government-issued documents (birth certificates, police clearance, degrees, marriage certificates) and take 1-2 weeks. High Court apostilles are for notarised documents (powers of attorney, affidavits) and take about 3 working days.
DIRCO apostille processing takes 1-2 weeks. High Court apostille processing takes approximately 3 working days. Home Affairs certificates typically take 2-4 weeks to obtain before apostille can be done.
South African apostilles are accepted in all 120+ countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. This includes the UK, Australia, most European countries, UAE, USA, Canada, and many more. For non-Hague countries, embassy attestation is required.
For DIRCO apostilles, you generally need the original document. However, a notarised certified copy can be apostilled through the High Court if the original is unavailable. We can advise on the best approach for your specific situation.
Yes! While we're based in Johannesburg, we serve clients throughout South Africa. You can courier your documents to us, and we'll handle the entire process and courier the apostilled documents back to you.
Let us handle the apostille and legalisation process for you
The Campus, Bryanston
Gauteng 2021, South Africa
Monday - Saturday
08:00 - 18:00