It is simple to apostil your documents in South Africa. To get your documents apostilled, simply send them to Dirco in Pretoria, pay the fee and wait four to five weeks. Not everyone who needs their documents apostilled lives in South Africa. For immigration purposes, South Africans living abroad often need to apostil their documents.
Apostilles: What Are They?
An Apostille is a name for a specialised certificate. It comes from the French language and means certification. The countries or territories where the documents will be used (typically signatory countries to the Hague Apostille Convention) may require notarized documents by Notary Publics.
It only applies, however, if both the issuing and receiving countries are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention; otherwise, the public document will be authenticated by Apostille to verify its authenticity. Obtaining an Apostille certificate ensures that your original document is genuine and authentic before it can be accepted in another Hague Convention country.
What Is the Difference Between Notarized and Apostille Documents?
Legal documents are notarized by public notaries. A notarized document is a guarantee that the signatures on the document are authentic. South Africans can use notarized documents within the country. Notarization is always included with the Apostille as a requirement for obtaining it.
For a document to be accepted outside South Africa, it must be authenticated by a public official. Apostille certificates are issued in response to the Hague Convention, which allows documents issued in one country to be considered official documents in another.
What Is the Process for Apostilling Documents
How can a foreigner get their legal documents apostilled in South Africa? The easiest and fastest way is to hire a document agent. DocAssist can assist you with this process. As soon as we receive all the necessary documents and information, we send them to Dirco to be apostilled. Afterwards, we send them to you through DHL. To get the ball rolling, contact DocAssist today.