Walk in services at the Legalisation Section of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) have now resumed after almost two years of pandemic-related closures. From Monday 11 March 2024, individuals who wish to apply for an Apostille certificate for their documents issued by South Africa will be able to access the service directly at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) at the OR Tambo Building, Pretoria.
This is exciting news for those who need to get their documents apostilled. Walk-in access to apostille services at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) could make the process of apostilling your documents a lot faster and easier, which means that individuals and agencies could potentially wait less time to receive their apostilled documents. Instead of the current 6-7 week wait, they could potentially receive them within 1-2 business days or even the same day, making the turnaround time much shorter. Whether you need apostilled documents for personal or professional reasons, this article will help you understand the new requirements and steps involved in obtaining a walk-in apostille at DIRCO.
DIRCO’s Apostille Walk-In Conditions
If you’d like to get your documents apostilled at DIRCO’s walk-in service, it’s important to know that the walk-in service is subject to certain conditions. The conditions below have been published in a notice from Dirco regarding the re-opening of the walk-in service at the Legalisation Section of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO):
- Limited number of appointments: DIRCO’s walk-in Apostille service operates on a limited appointment basis, with a maximum of 32 people per day. It’s advisable to arrive early to increase your chances of getting an appointment.
- Service hours and days: The walk-in apostille service is available on certain days and at certain times: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:30 to 12:30. Please note that walk-in appointments are not available in the afternoon. Please note that DIRCO is closed on public holidays.
- Accessibility: Vehicles are no longer allowed in the main building. Parking is available outside the DIRCO building. However, there are parking spaces inside the building for people with disabilities to access the building easily.
- ID requirements & registration: On arrival, each individual must present their own documents for apostille along with a valid form of identification (ID). Before you consider going to DIRCO for legalisation, make sure you know what documents are required and that you have them along with a valid ID to proceed with the Apostille process. In order to secure an appointment for the walk-in Apostille service, it is necessary to register at the security desk at the main gate. This helps to manage the flow of visitors efficiently.
- DHA Documents processing time: The Legalisation Section of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will process certificates issued by the Department of Home Affairs within 3 working days. Therefore, DHA certificate holders cannot receive same day service.
Global Apostille delivers fast document legalisation.
Need to get your documents apostilled quickly at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)? Global Apostille offers a fast, reliable, 3 days express service for apostilling documents, ensuring they are ready for use abroad. Our premium DIRCO Apostille service is available in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town for individuals and companies. We process all types of documents, including personal documents such as birth certificates and company certificates. In addition, our team of licenced and professional translators offers same-day translation services from Spanish, German, French and Portuguese into English and vice versa, ensuring a secure and private translation service. For more information, please contact us at: Tel: 012 348 3134; Mobile: 081 347 6060; Email: info@apostillelegalisation.co.za.
