Full attestation chain for non-Hague countries - we handle everything
Embassy attestation is the process of getting your South African documents officially verified by a foreign embassy or consulate. It is required when your documents are going to a non-Hague Convention country such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, China, Vietnam, or Thailand.
Unlike an apostille, which is a single certificate for Hague Convention countries, embassy attestation involves a multi-step chain where each authority verifies the previous step. We handle the entire chain so you do not need to visit any office yourself.
If your destination country is a member of the Hague Convention (UK, Australia, EU, USA, etc.), you need an apostille. If not, you need embassy attestation. Learn the difference.
Embassy attestation is not a single step. Each authority in the chain verifies the signature from the previous step. We manage the entire process from start to finish.
Private documents are first notarised by a Notary Public. Government documents (birth certificates, police clearance) skip this step.
The High Court authenticates the notary's signature. Processing takes approximately 3 working days.
DIRCO (Department of International Relations and Cooperation) issues a Certificate of Authentication. This takes approximately 1 week.
The destination country's embassy or consulate in Pretoria verifies the DIRCO authentication and stamps the document. Processing varies by embassy (3-10 working days).
Transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Embassy fees (charged by the embassy itself) are passed through at cost.
| Service | Our Fee (ZAR) | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Full Attestation Chain Notarisation + High Court + DIRCO + Embassy |
R3,150 per document | 2-4 weeks |
| Embassy Attestation Only Documents already authenticated by DIRCO |
R1,500 per document | 3-10 working days |
| DIRCO Authentication Standalone DIRCO certificate |
R1,650 per document | ~1 week |
| Local Courier | R250 | 1-2 working days |
| International Courier | R750–R1,100 | 3-5 working days |
Note: Embassy fees are charged separately and vary by country. See individual country pages for embassy fee details. Prices exclude embassy fees.
We handle embassy attestation for all major non-Hague Convention destinations. Each embassy has different requirements, fees, and processing times.
We also handle attestation for Egypt, Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Malaysia, Taiwan, and other non-Hague countries. Contact us for details.
Almost any official South African document can be attested for use abroad. The most common documents include:
| Feature | Embassy Attestation | Apostille |
|---|---|---|
| Used For | Non-Hague countries (UAE, Saudi, Qatar, China, etc.) | Hague Convention countries (UK, EU, Australia, USA, etc.) |
| Process | Multi-step chain (Notary + High Court + DIRCO + Embassy) | Single certificate from DIRCO or High Court |
| Processing Time | 2-4 weeks (full chain) | 3 days to ~1 week |
| Cost | From R3,150 + embassy fees | R1,650 per document |
| Countries Accepted | Specific to each embassy | 125+ Hague member countries |
We handle the entire attestation chain so you do not need to visit any office. Contact us for a same-day quote.
An apostille is a single certificate for countries that are members of the Hague Convention (UK, Australia, EU, USA, etc.). Embassy attestation is a multi-step process for non-Hague countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, China, etc.) where each step in the chain verifies the previous one. Learn more.
Any country that has not signed the Hague Apostille Convention requires embassy attestation. The most common destinations from South Africa are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, China, Vietnam, and Thailand.
The full attestation chain takes approximately 2-4 weeks: notarisation (1 day), High Court authentication (3 days), DIRCO authentication (~1 week), and embassy attestation (3-10 working days depending on the country).
No. We handle the entire process on your behalf, including submission to and collection from the embassy. You send us your documents and we return them fully attested.
Embassy fees are charges set by each embassy for their attestation stamp. These fees vary by country and document type and are not set by us. We pass them through at cost. See individual country pages for specific embassy fee details.
The Campus, Bryanston
Gauteng 2021, South Africa
Monday - Saturday
08:00 - 18:00