Apostille a CIPC Document for Overseas Use (DIRCO Process, 2026)

What apostille is

An apostille is a certificate that confirms a document is genuinely issued by the South African government, so foreign authorities accept it. Required by the Hague Apostille Convention (which South Africa joined in 1995).

If the country you're using the document in is NOT a Hague Convention member (e.g. UAE, Saudi Arabia, China), you need legalisation instead - a different process involving the embassy.

When you need this

• Visa renewal that requires "proof of business interests in SA".
• Opening a foreign bank account for an SA company.
• Tendering for foreign government contracts.
• Migrating an SA Pty's IP or shares to a foreign holding company.
• Marriage/inheritance abroad where you've cited an SA company as proof of income.
• Some emigration / financial-emigration applications.

The DIRCO apostille process

1. Get an ORIGINAL CIPC document (not a downloaded PDF). Apply at eServices or visit a CIPC office. Fee: R30-R100 per certified-copy print.
2. Take the original to DIRCO's Legalisation Section. Walk-in service: Office 4, Second Floor, Northern Pavilion, Loftus Versveld Stadium, 416 Kirkness Street, Arcadia, Pretoria. Or post to: Private Bag X152, Pretoria, 0001.
3. Pay the apostille fee: R950 per document.
4. Turnaround: typically 5-10 working days from submission. Agency / express services advertise 1-3 days at higher cost.
5. Verify the apostille is correctly issued. Receiver country's embassy can often check.

DIRCO contact: legalisation@dirco.gov.za | +27 (0)12 351 1000 | fax +27 (0)12 329 1018.

Why PDF prints get rejected

From r/PersonalFinanceZA: "The agency helping me out have tried printing out the PDF from the website to have that apostilled but have come back and said it still looks like a copy so it will get rejected."

Some receiving countries' authorities (Spain, Italy, Brazil are common) reject anything that looks like a printout. They want a wet-stamped original from CIPC. The fix:

• Apply at CIPC for an Apostilled-Compliant Copy. Specify in the request that you need it for international use.
• Or have a high-court notary public notarise the printout (R250-R500). Some receiving countries accept notarised copies.
• Or use a registered SA agent who has a wet-stamped relationship with CIPC.

Common pitfalls

• Visa deadline: budget 3-4 weeks for the chain (CIPC original -> DIRCO apostille -> ship).
• Some countries also need translation. Check the receiving authority's exact requirements first.
• Original-vs-copy confusion: ALWAYS ask the receiving authority what specifically they accept.
• Lost in transit: courier with tracking. DIRCO does not replace lost apostilled originals - you start over.

Frequently asked questions

Tools to help

Related guides