Apostille-ready translation of South African documents for international use — coordinated end-to-end with our translator partner network
For any non-English-speaking destination — Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, China, Saudi Arabia — your apostilled South African documents typically also need sworn translation into the local language to be accepted. We coordinate sworn translation through our accredited translator partner network and bundle it with your apostille or embassy attestation in a single workflow. Quote-based per language and document.
A sworn translation is a translation produced by a translator who has been formally accredited and sworn in by a court or competent authority to produce legally valid translations. Different countries call this slightly different names:
The translator stamps each page, signs a sworn declaration that the translation is true and accurate, and the result is legally equivalent to the original document for use in legal, governmental and academic processes.
An apostille certifies the original document, but it does not change the language. If your destination country’s authorities operate in a language other than English, they need to be able to read the document — and they need legal assurance that the translation is accurate.
This is the most important early decision. Some destinations only accept translations done by sworn translators registered in their own country. Examples:
Others accept South African sworn translations:
We confirm the requirement before quoting. WhatsApp us your destination.
You send us the documents and tell us the destination country and authority. We confirm the right translation route — SA-side or destination-side, language pair, formatting requirements.
The document is sent to our accredited translator partner. The translation is produced, stamped and signed under the translator’s sworn registration.
For SA-side translations, the translator’s signature is authenticated by the High Court and apostilled by DIRCO. The apostille on the translation makes it legally valid abroad.
We courier the package — original apostilled document plus apostilled sworn translation — to you or directly to the foreign authority.
Through our translator partner network we coordinate translation in 25+ language pairs. The most commonly requested for South African documents:
| Language | Common Destinations | Translation Side |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | Italy, Vatican, Switzerland | Italy-side (Traduttore Giurato) |
| Portuguese | Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique | SA or destination |
| Spanish | Spain, Latin America | Spain-side for Spain |
| French | France, Belgium, Canada-Quebec, Switzerland, French-speaking Africa | France-side for France |
| German | Germany, Austria, Switzerland | SA or destination |
| Dutch | Netherlands, Belgium | SA or destination |
| Greek | Greece, Cyprus | Greece-side |
| Mandarin / Cantonese | China, Taiwan, Hong Kong | Destination |
| Arabic | UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt | SA-side accepted by most Gulf states |
| Russian | Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan | SA or destination |
Don’t leave translation as an afterthought — it’s where most apostille packs get rejected. Tell us your destination and document set and we’ll bundle apostille and translation in one quote.
A translation by a translator who has been formally accredited and sworn in by a court or competent authority. The translator stamps and signs each page, attaches a sworn declaration of accuracy, and the translation is legally equivalent to the original for use abroad.
Italy, Spain and France require translation done by their own sworn translators. Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, UK and Brazil generally accept SA sworn translations. We confirm before quoting.
For SA-side translations, the translator’s signature is authenticated by the High Court and then apostilled by DIRCO. The apostille certifies the translator’s sworn signature.
Typical SA-side sworn translation turnaround is 5–10 working days for standard documents (1–3 pages), longer for technical or multi-page packs. Destination-side translation timing depends on the country — Italy and Spain typically 1–3 weeks. We always quote a realistic timeline upfront.
Quote-based per language pair, document type and page count. Common ranges: SA-side English to Portuguese / Dutch / German R350–R650 per page. Destination-side Italian or Spanish €25–€60 per page. We pass through translator costs at cost plus a small coordination fee.
No — foreign authorities will reject non-sworn translations. The legal weight of a sworn translation comes specifically from the translator’s court accreditation. Save yourself a rejection cycle and use a sworn translator from the start.
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Gauteng 2021, South Africa
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