Do I Need My Maiden Name on a South African Police Clearance Certificate?
If you have changed your surname after marriage, divorce or for another reason, you may be wondering whether your previous or maiden surname should appear on your South African Police Clearance Certificate.
This is particularly important when the certificate is being used for immigration, citizenship, employment, residency or another international application.
The answer depends on what the authority requesting your Police Clearance Certificate requires.
SAPS allows applicants to request that a maiden surname or other previous surname be reflected on the Police Clearance Certificate, but this must be requested as part of the application and supporting proof must be provided.
WHY WOULD MY MAIDEN NAME BE NEEDED ON MY POLICE CLEARANCE?
An immigration authority, employer, embassy or other organisation may want to confirm your criminal record history under all names you have previously used.
For example, you may:
• Have been born under one surname
• Have changed your surname after marriage
• Have previously used a different married surname
• Have changed your surname legally
• Have documents issued under different surnames
If your immigration or citizenship application asks for details of previous names, it is important to check whether those names should also appear on your Police Clearance Certificate.
CAN A MAIDEN NAME APPEAR ON A SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE CLEARANCE?
Yes.
The South African Police Service states that where a maiden surname or other surname is required on a Police Clearance Certificate, this must be mentioned in the application.
Documentary proof of the surname must also be included.
A certified copy of a marriage certificate is one example of supporting documentation that may be used to prove a maiden or previous surname.
WHAT DOCUMENTS MAY BE REQUIRED?
The exact supporting documents depend on your circumstances.
For a standard South African Police Clearance application, you will generally need:
• A full set of fingerprints
• Completed Police Clearance application information
• Copy of your ID or passport
• Supporting proof of any maiden or previous surname that needs to appear
• Any additional documentation required for your particular application
If your surname changed due to marriage, your marriage certificate may be required as proof.
It is better to raise the previous surname before the application is submitted rather than discovering later that the receiving authority expected it to appear on the certificate.
WHAT IF MY CURRENT ID SHOWS MY MARRIED SURNAME?
Your current surname can appear on your identification while you still have a maiden or previous surname that needs to be disclosed for an overseas application.
If the organisation requesting your Police Clearance requires your previous surname, tell us before we submit your application.
We can help you check what supporting documentation should accompany the application.
WHAT IF I HAVE USED MORE THAN ONE SURNAME?
If you have used several surnames during your lifetime, tell the authority requesting the Police Clearance and confirm exactly which names they require to be reflected.
SAPS allows maiden and other surnames to be requested where appropriate, provided the request is made in the application and documentary proof is supplied.
Because immigration and citizenship requirements differ between countries, you should not assume that only your current surname will be sufficient.
WHAT IF I ALREADY RECEIVED MY POLICE CLEARANCE WITHOUT MY MAIDEN NAME?
If your Police Clearance Certificate has already been issued and you later discover that the receiving authority requires a maiden or previous surname, contact us before submitting the document.
The correct next step will depend on what is missing, the supporting documents available and the requirements of the organisation receiving the Police Clearance.
Checking this before beginning an immigration or citizenship application can help prevent unnecessary delays.
DO I NEED MY MAIDEN NAME FOR IMMIGRATION?
Not every immigration authority has the same requirements.
Some applications ask applicants to disclose:
• Maiden names
• Previous married surnames
• Previous legal names
• Aliases or other names previously used
If the immigration authority requires a Police Clearance that covers a previous surname, make sure this is dealt with when the PCC application is prepared.
Always follow the requirements of the country or authority where the certificate will be submitted.
CAN I APPLY FROM OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA?
Yes.
You can apply for a South African Police Clearance Certificate while living overseas.
Applicants abroad generally need to arrange suitable fingerprints in the country where they are living and provide the necessary identification and supporting documents.
Certificate Assistance can assist with the South African processing once the required documents are ready.
HOW MUCH DOES A POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE COST?
Certificate Assistance charges:
R2,550 per Police Clearance Certificate
Estimated lead time:
8–10 working days
Processing times are estimates and may depend on SAPS processing and the individual application.
If a maiden or previous surname needs to appear on your certificate, tell us before submitting your application so we can advise you on the supporting documents required.
DOES THE POLICE CLEARANCE NEED AN APOSTILLE?
If your Police Clearance Certificate is being used overseas, the receiving authority may also require it to be Apostilled or Authenticated.
This depends on the destination country and the organisation requesting the document.
Certificate Assistance can assist with both the South African Police Clearance Certificate and the subsequent Apostille or Authentication process where required.
NEED A POLICE CLEARANCE WITH YOUR MAIDEN OR PREVIOUS SURNAME?
Certificate Assistance can help you prepare and process your South African Police Clearance Certificate correctly.
Police Clearance Certificate: R2,550
Estimated lead time: 8–10 working days
We assist clients in South Africa and abroad and can also arrange Apostille or Authentication where required.
When contacting us, let us know:
• Your current surname
• Your maiden or previous surname
• Why you need the Police Clearance
• The country where the certificate will be used
We can then guide you through the correct requirements.
Certificate Assistance is a privately owned document assistance service. We are not affiliated with SAPS, DIRCO or any other South African government department.
