A normal certified copy cannot always be Apostilled in South Africa. For many government-issued documents, including Birth Certificates and Police Clearance Certificates, the original document is required. Here is what you need to know before submitting your documents.
For many South African government-issued documents, DIRCO requires the original document rather than an ordinary certified copy. This includes documents such as Birth Certificates and Police Clearance Certificates. Certain notarised copies may follow a High Court Apostille route, depending on the document and the requirements of the receiving authority.
Many people assume that if a document has been certified at a police station, bank or by a Commissioner of Oaths, it can automatically be apostilled for use overseas.
In South Africa, this is not always the case.
Whether a certified copy can be apostilled depends on the type of document, who issued it and the legalisation route that applies.
For many official South African public documents, DIRCO requires the original document.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) is responsible for issuing Apostille Certificates and Certificates of Authentication for many South African public documents intended for use abroad.
For official public documents issued by South African government authorities, DIRCO generally requires the original document bearing the appropriate official signature and stamp.
A normal certified photocopy is not a replacement for the original document.
This is particularly important for documents such as:
• South African Birth Certificates
• Death Certificates
• SAPS Police Clearance Certificates
• Citizenship-status documents
DIRCO does not normally legalise ordinary certified copies of these documents.
For example, if you need to Apostille a South African Unabridged Birth Certificate, you should provide the original certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs rather than a photocopy that has simply been certified.
The same principle applies to a South African Police Clearance Certificate.
For the standard DIRCO route, the original South African Birth Certificate should be submitted.
A certified photocopy of the certificate is generally not accepted by DIRCO as a substitute for the original public document.
If your original certificate has been lost, damaged or is unsuitable for legalisation, you may need to obtain a replacement certificate before proceeding with the Apostille.
Certificate Assistance can assist with obtaining an Unabridged Birth Certificate and arranging the Apostille afterwards.
A South African Police Clearance Certificate is another document where the original certificate is important.
DIRCO's legalisation requirements state that original Police Clearance Certificates must be submitted for the appropriate legalisation process.
Police Clearance Certificates can also be subject to document-age requirements, so it is important to confirm that your certificate is still suitable for the country or authority where you intend to use it.
Certificate Assistance can assist with obtaining a new SAPS Police Clearance Certificate where required and can arrange the Apostille afterwards.
A notarised copy is different from a normal certified copy.
Certain documents may be copied and certified by a South African Notary Public and then processed through the appropriate High Court legalisation route.
However, this does not mean that every government-issued document should be processed this way.
A High Court Apostille on a notarised copy generally authenticates the Notary Public's signature and certification. It does not necessarily authenticate the original government document itself.
The foreign authority receiving the document must therefore be willing to accept a notarised copy.
This is why it is important to confirm the requirements before choosing the legalisation route.
Original document:
The actual document issued by the relevant authority, such as Home Affairs or SAPS.
Certified copy:
A photocopy that has been certified as a true copy, commonly by a Commissioner of Oaths.
Notarised copy:
A copy formally certified by a Notary Public and potentially suitable for further High Court legalisation depending on the document and destination.
These documents are not interchangeable for Apostille purposes.
Why the Destination Country Matters
Before obtaining an Apostille, you should confirm exactly what the foreign authority requires.
Requirements can differ depending on:
• The country where the document will be used
• The type of document
• The organisation receiving the document
• Whether the country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention
• Whether an original or legalised copy is specifically requested
A country that is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention may require Authentication and possibly further embassy or consular legalisation instead of an Apostille.
The correct route depends on who issued the document and which signature needs verification. Start with our guide to documents that may go directly to DIRCO, then review Apostille versus Authentication if the receiving country is not covered by the same process.
Certificate Assistance assists South Africans locally and abroad with the preparation and legalisation of South African documents.
We can help you determine the appropriate process for documents including:
• Police Clearance Certificates
• Unabridged Birth Certificates
• Marriage Certificates
• DIRCO Apostilles and Authentication
• Notarial documents
• Letters of No Impediment
• Other South African documents required overseas
If you only have a copy of your document, contact us before sending it.
We can review what you have and advise whether you need the original, a replacement document, notarisation or another legalisation process.
Our estimated Apostille processing time is approximately 7–14 days once the correct documents are available.
If you need a South African document Apostilled or authenticated for use overseas, Certificate Assistance can guide you through the process.
Contact us and tell us:
• Which document you have
• Whether you have the original
• Which country the document will be used in
• What the receiving authority has requested
We will help you determine the correct next step before your documents are submitted.
Certificate Assistance is a private document assistance service and is not affiliated with DIRCO, the Department of Home Affairs, SAPS or any other government authority.
Official guidance: For current authority-issued requirements, refer to the DIRCO Legalisation Services guidance. Verify the latest instructions and the receiving organisation's requirements before submitting documents.
Generally, no. For the standard DIRCO legalisation route, the original Birth Certificate issued and properly signed and stamped by the Department of Home Affairs should be submitted rather than an ordinary certified photocopy.
DIRCO generally requires the original South African Police Clearance Certificate for legalisation. If you no longer have the original or it is too old for your intended purpose, you may need to obtain a new certificate.
In some circumstances a copy can be certified by a Notary Public and processed through the appropriate High Court route. However, this authenticates the notarial certification rather than necessarily authenticating the underlying public document, so the receiving authority must be willing to accept this format.
Our guides are prepared to help South Africans understand document requirements, processing, Apostille and Authentication steps, and overseas use. Where possible, we check current requirements against official authorities and clearly distinguish our private service estimates from government processing.
Learn more about Certificate Assistance and our editorial approachCertificate Assistance prepares practical guidance on South African Police Clearance Certificates, Home Affairs records, Apostille and related document processes. We are an independent private support service. Official authorities issue, verify or authenticate documents and control their decisions and processing times. Our guides distinguish official requirements from optional assistance and encourage readers to confirm the latest rules with the receiving authority.
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