China joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 7 November 2023. Your South African documents now need a single DIRCO apostille — not the old embassy attestation chain.
On 7 November 2023, China formally joined the Hague Apostille Convention. From that date, Chinese authorities accept a single South African apostille issued by DIRCO. The old embassy attestation chain — ending with a stamp from the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria — is no longer required.
This is good news: an apostille is faster, cheaper and simpler. Instead of four steps and an embassy submission, your document needs one DIRCO apostille. We handle it end to end, so you do not need to visit any office.
Because China is now a Hague member, you need a DIRCO apostille, not embassy attestation. Get it through our apostille service: DIRCO Apostille — R1,650. Still sending documents to a non-Hague country such as the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait? See embassy attestation.
A single apostille replaces the whole attestation chain. The route depends on the document type — we manage it from start to finish.
Birth, marriage and death certificates and SAPS police clearances are state-issued, so they go directly to DIRCO for an apostille. No notary or High Court step needed.
Degrees, TEFL certificates, affidavits and powers of attorney are first notarised, then apostilled by the High Court. Both routes produce a Hague apostille China accepts.
One flat fee replaces the old multi-step attestation cost — and there is no embassy fee, because the embassy step is no longer required.
| Service | Our Fee (ZAR) | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| DIRCO Apostille Government documents — birth, marriage, SAPS clearance |
R1,650 per document | ~1 week |
| High Court Apostille Private documents — degrees, TEFL, affidavits (notary included) |
R1,650 per document | 3 working days |
| Local Courier | R250 | 1-2 working days |
| International Courier (to China) | by destination zone | 3-5 working days |
Note: Embassy attestation is no longer required for China. If you were previously quoted for a full attestation chain, an apostille is now the correct — and cheaper — option. Get yours via our DIRCO apostille service.
China requires apostilled documents for Z visas (work permits), study visas, and business registration. These are the documents we most often apostille for clients going to China:
We handle your DIRCO or High Court apostille end to end — no office visits. Contact us for a same-day quote.
An apostille. Since 7 November 2023, China is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so South African documents for China need a single DIRCO (or High Court) apostille. Embassy attestation is no longer required.
A DIRCO apostille for government documents (birth, marriage, SAPS clearance) takes about one week. A High Court apostille for notarised private documents — degrees, TEFL certificates, affidavits — takes about 3 working days. We handle the full process and courier nationwide.
Yes. For a Z visa you need an apostilled degree or diploma, SAPS police clearance certificate, and TEFL/TESOL certificate. Since China joined the Hague Convention these are apostilled (via DIRCO or the High Court) rather than attested at the embassy. Most TEFL schools in China will confirm the specific requirements.
Yes. We offer a nationwide courier service. Send your documents to us from anywhere in South Africa (Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, etc.) and we handle the entire apostille process on your behalf. We return your apostilled documents by courier.
The Campus, Bryanston
Gauteng 2021, South Africa
Monday - Saturday
08:00 - 18:00