If you are applying for a UK visa from South Africa, you will likely need an apostille stamp on your supporting documents. Here is what an apostille is, why it matters for your visa application, and how to get one without the hassle.
An apostille is a certificate issued under the Hague Convention that verifies the authenticity of a public document for use in another member country. South Africa and the United Kingdom are both signatories, meaning a South African document with an apostille stamp is legally recognised in the UK without further authentication.
The UK Home Office often requires that supporting documents — such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and police clearance certificates — carry an apostille to be accepted. Without it, your application may be delayed or rejected. An apostille confirms that the document was issued by a legitimate South African authority and that the signature or seal is genuine.
In South Africa, the apostille process involves two government departments. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) or the original issuing authority verifies the document. Thereafter, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria issues the apostille certificate. This process can take weeks if you handle it independently.
Our apostille services team manages the full process — from collecting your original documents to submitting them at DIRCO and collecting the apostilled documents. We track your application at every stage and can expedite the process where possible, helping you meet your visa deadline.
A standard apostille through DIRCO typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. With Certificates RSA's expedited service, we prioritise your application and can often reduce this timeline significantly. We recommend starting the process at least 6 weeks before your visa submission deadline to allow for any unexpected delays.
The cost of an apostille depends on the number of documents and the urgency of your application. Contact our team for a detailed quote based on your specific requirements. We provide transparent pricing upfront with no hidden fees.
Contact Certificates RSA today to begin the apostille process. Our team will advise on the exact requirements for your documents and the expected timeline for your UK visa application.
Please note that from time to time the CRC and HA experiences backlogs and turnaround times listed on our website cannot be guaranteed. Loadshedding is putting a lot of pressure on the system and affecting applications and turnaround times. Kindly take this into consideration when making travelling plans or have deadlines.
