Apostille is a term you may have heard discussed if you are planning on immigrating or working abroad. Apostilles are required when applying for a visa, but what does it mean?
Most, but not all, countries recognize apostilles as a means of verifying a document’s authenticity. An apostille is required if you are travelling to a country that has signed the Hague Convention of 1961. Legalization processes must be handled by the embassy of any country not a member of the organization.
The Apostille is required for a number of documents, including unabridged birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates, as well as police clearance certificates.
Does an Apostille Expire?
Although apostilles are generally accepted immediately after they are issued, there may be circumstances in which a recent apostille is required. An apostille cannot be older than six months in some cases. Potential employers or visa authorities may request that you provide an apostille for a criminal record check that is less than three or six months old.
Use DocAssist For Fast Legal Document Assistance
When you need to apostille legal documents, you are likely to find the process of obtaining them directly from the Department of Home Affairs to be a lengthy and tedious one.
When you use a service like DocAssist, you do not need to deal with DHA or Dirco. DHL will deliver your documents to your doorstep after we have handled the entire process. Moreover, the turnaround time is significantly shortened.
In the case that you have already applied to DHA and wish to expedite your application, DocAssist can assist you in expediting your documents and sending them to Dirco on your behalf. Please contact us for more information or to apply for and apostille legal documents in South Africa.