Home Affairs Agents and Contacts
⚠️ Expect Delays — Home Affairs Processing Is Unpredictable
Experiences with South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs can vary greatly. Some people receive their documents within weeks, while others wait months or even a year or more for standard documents like unabridged birth or marriage certificates.
There is no guaranteed timeline, as processing times can depend on the office, the official, and even the day.
Plan for delays, apply as early as possible, and hope for the best — especially if you’re working towards immigration or residency deadlines.
⚠️ Old, Abridged, or Handwritten Certificates — Use with Caution
If you have an abridged, handwritten, or older version of a birth or marriage certificate, be aware that we cannot guarantee it will be accepted. It all depends on the official you deal with:
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Some may accept it without question.
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Others may check online and reject it if they believe it’s not an official document.
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Some officials may instantly recognize it as invalid.
If you need to get the correct certificate urgently — especially from abroad — it can be difficult.
✅ Your Options:
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Use an agent for a quicker, hassle-free process.
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Apply directly through Home Affairs, but be prepared to follow up regularly.
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Take your chances with what you have, but it’s risky.
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Plan ahead — ideally months or even years in advance.
🚨 Our #1 Immigration Step:
Before applying for jobs or updating your CV: Check your eligibility and order your Home Affairs documents early. They take time, and without them, you’re stuck.
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Apostilles (at DIRCO in Pretoria)
High Court Authentications
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Health Certificate Verification
Academic Certificate Verification
Sworn Translations (for any language), and
Expungements.
If you plan on using official South African documents outside of the Republic of SA within a country that does not form part of the Hague Conference, your documents cannot be apostilled for validity and verification. You must still, however, be able to prove that your documents are legitimate and have been legitimately signed by the correct authorities, which is why some additional steps may be required.
Police Clearances Certificates
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To apply for visas and prove your lack of criminal record, you may need an urgent Police Clearance for South Africa, which we can obtain for you very quickly with our Basic, Standard, Quicker and EXPRESS (5-7 days) options (see pricing).
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Department of Home Affairs documentation
- Civic Service Certificates (Birth certificates, Marriage Certificates, Death certificates, Lettersof No Impediment, etc) as fast as 2 weeks
- Letter of Retention of SA Citizenship
- Determination of SA Citizenship
- Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Applications
Notary and legalisation services
In some cases, official South African documents will have to be notarised by a notary public before being apostilled.
