When you need to use your South African qualifications or professional documents abroad, they must first be authenticated and legalised through a process known as apostille certification. At Emigration Assist, we handle the entire process from start to finish, ensuring your documents are accepted by foreign authorities quickly and efficiently.
Apostille for Educational Documents
The process for educational documents in South Africa depends on the type of qualification.
Degree or Diploma Certificates
Before your degree or diploma can be legalised by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), it must first be verified by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). SAQA checks the authenticity of the qualification directly with the issuing university or college. Once verified, the document is submitted to DIRCO for authentication or apostille.
Matric Certificates
If you need to legalise your matric certificate, it must first be verified by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) or Umalusi, the national council that oversees school qualifications. Once verified, the certificate is then sent to DIRCO for the final apostille.
These verification stages can take several weeks, and DIRCO’s current processing time for authentication can take up to two months. At Emigration Assist, we offer a priority DIRCO service, where we handle this step in as little as one week, saving you valuable time and stress.
For more information about document legalisation, visit our Apostilles and Legalisation of Documents page.
You can learn more about their verification process on the SAQA website. Once verified, the document is submitted to DIRCO
Apostille for Medical Documents
Medical professionals who wish to work abroad need their registration or qualifications verified before they can be apostilled. In South Africa, medical documents must first be verified by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Once verified, these documents are submitted to DIRCO for apostille or authentication.
This process ensures that your medical qualifications are fully recognised by overseas authorities, whether you are applying for registration with a foreign medical council or submitting professional credentials for employment.
Why Use Emigration Assist?
The process of legalising educational or medical documents in South Africa can be time-consuming and confusing. Each institution and government department follows its own verification procedure, and delays are common. DIRCO alone can take up to eight weeks to issue an apostille.
Emigration Assist has established relationships with these authorities and offers a one-week DIRCO service, drastically reducing your waiting time. We manage every stage — from SAQA, Umalusi, the Department of Education, or HPCSA verification, right through to final apostille at DIRCO.
We also assist with related services such as unabridged birth certificates, vault copies, and police clearances, which are often required alongside educational or medical documents for visa or immigration purposes.
Get Started
If you are emigrating, applying for overseas registration, or submitting your qualifications abroad, let Emigration Assist manage the entire process on your behalf.
Visit our contact page or email us directly to start your document legalisation today. Our team will ensure your paperwork is processed quickly, correctly, and with minimal effort on your part.
