You may have heard the term “Apostille” if you are contemplating immigrating or working abroad. An Apostille indicates that a document has been legalized or authenticated by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in Pretoria when it is attached to it.
While apostilles are recognized by the majority of countries, they are not accepted by all. If you intend to travel to a country that is a signatory to the Hague Convention of 1961, you will need to file an apostille with the embassy in that country.
Apostille certificates may be issued on original documents or certified copies of documents. There may be a preference as to how you submit your document to the country requesting an apostille, some documents require copies while others require originals. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates, and death certificates are examples of documents that demand originals.
How Much Time Does It Take for Apostilled Documents?
Apostilles are generally processed within five weeks with Dirco. However, if you work with an agent like DocAssist, it may be significantly faster. Our Apostille process typically takes about seven working days from the time your documents are received.
Getting an apostille can prove to be a very challenging process, which is why hiring a company such as DocAssist can be of great assistance to you.
Apostilling Documents: How It Works
Getting legal documents apostilled in South Africa is easy and fast if you live abroad. DocAssist offers apostille services for legal documents. Upon receiving all of the necessary information and documents, we take them to Dirco for apostillation and deliver them to you through DHL. Please contact us today for more information about DocAssist or to begin the process.