Obtaining an apostille for your documents can often prove to be a challenging task, but it is necessary when dealing with international matters such as studying abroad, seeking employment in a foreign country or planning a marriage abroad. This article aims to describe a complete DIY guide for DIRCO apostille appointment, emphasizing important steps on how to submit your documents for apostilling and how to collect them afterwards. Within the context of South Africa, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)holds a pivotal role in the validation and legalization of documents intended for international use. However, starting from May 14, 2021, DIRCO has temporarily suspended personal walk-in requests as a precautionary measure against Covid-19. This implies that it is not possible for members of the public to visit DIRCO and instead, they should use a courier or an agency like Global Apostille. Therefore, you cannot arrange an appointment to submit your documents, but you can book a time appointment to collect them.
Three essential steps to get your documents apostilled
Step 1: Choose how you’re going to submit your documents
Since DIRCO does not accept personal submissions to the public you have two options to submit documents. First, choose a registered courier company to submit your documents on your behalf. The second option is to use registered mail through the Post Office.
Courier service guidelines:
– Please ensure that your package includes a cover letter and the letter should include the destination country, your contact details, and an email address so they can contact you once the process is complete.
– All courier companies must deliver to the Internal Mail Section, located in the basement of the OR Tambo Building, between 08h30 and 12h30 from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
RSA Post Office guidelines:
– Please include an A4 self-addressed/pre-paid envelope (sent by registered mail only, no cash accepted) with your documents so that they may return them to you once they have been legalised.
– If you are sending your documents by mail, please enclose a cover letter stating the number of documents to be legalised, the country for which legalisation is required and the sender’s full contact details (telephone/e-mail). The postman will deliver your documents to the DIRCO OR Tambo building.
Step 2: Apostille Process
DIRCO will legalize and add an apostille certificate to your documents, which confirms their authenticity for international use. The processing time is as of September 2023 around 4-5 weeks. Please note that this only applies to working days, as they do not work on weekends or public holidays. They will send you an email when they have completed your documentation and it is ready for collection. The email will confirm the appointment to collect.
Step 3: Collect your document
Once the apostille process is complete, you can collect your documents from the DIRCO office. Collection from the Legalisation Section at DIRCO is only possible by appointment. This is where you will get a DIRCO apostille appointment, only to collect your documents. No visitors are permitted without an appointment. You will be notified via email (from collections@dirco.gov.za ) once the procedure has been finished and is actually ready for collection from the Legalisation Department. If you are not collecting the documents yourself, you must provide a letter of authority to the relevant courier or person to allow them to collect on your behalf. If you do not provide a copy of the letter of authority, they will not release the documents.
Tips for your DIRCO apostille appointment
When going to collect your documents it is important to note that:
- They only permit entry to individuals with a scheduled appointment.
- Report to Security (main entrance) thirty minutes before your confirmed appointment time to ensure arrival on time at the Legalisation Section.
- You must complete formalities to gain entry into the building, and there is a distance between the main security entrance and the Legalisation Section on the ground floor.
- If you miss your collections appointment, you must reschedule a new appointment. They do not make any exceptions or special arrangements.
- To reschedule an appointment for document collection, please email collections@dirco.gov.za with your reference number, stating that you missed your appointment and need a new date and time to collect your documents from our office.
Getting an apostille from DIRCO is crucial to confirm your documents’ authenticity overseas. Although the procedure may appear complicated, this DIY guide for DIRCO apostille appointment will help you navigate your document submission with ease. Keeping up-to-date with recent regulations and methods is vital to ensure a seamless apostille operation and reach your global ambitions without uncertainty. By sticking to these guidelines and putting in the utmost effort during your preparation, you can effectively manage the apostille process.
Global Apostille At Your Service!
To ensure the legality of South African documents outside the country, you must validate them with a South African apostille. At Global Apostille, we offer an express DIRCO apostille service to help you obtain your documents quicker since DIRCO’s apostille process as of September 2023 can take 4-5 weeks to complete. Our service is the fastest in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the Gauteng area. We, also provide same-day translation from Spanish, German, French, and Portuguese into English and vice versa. We guarantee that we will provide you with a team of licensed and professional translators who will provide you with a secure and private translation and apostille service. For more information on our services please feel free to contact us. Tel: 012 348 3134| Mobile: 081 347 6060 | Email: info@apostillelegalisation.co.za
1 thought on “DIY guide for DIRCO apostille appointment”
Hello.
I would like to have 3 documents Attested for the UAE.
1 x Unabridged Birth Cert
2 x Unabridged Death Cert