Document

Attestations and Apostilles

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Document Attestations and Apostilles

A lot of people are confused as to why document or certificate attestation is required, what is the process, who attest these documents, and why do they need this for their visa applications?

Apostilles or Legalisation (Documentation Attestation as it is more commonly known) is basically the process of authenticating South African documents for use in Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman.

It most commonly used to authenticate academic, marriage or legal documents for employment or higher education purposes abroad, when requested by foreign companies and entities to certify that documents are true.

At One Visa World our processing time for attestation is largely dependent on which embassy you require stamping from and your documentation. Currently, the Saudi Arabian embassy has the longest processing time – just less than 2 weeks. Whereas the UAE embassy will have documents stamped within 3-5 working days.

Why Choose Us?

We know what our clients go through during the documentation process, and the stress it can cause. This is why we pride ourselves on our understanding and personal commitment to getting successful attestations and documents approved or verified for our clients.

Documents we can legalise and authenticate

We specialise in the authentication of required documents, such as:

  • Degrees
  • Diplomas
  • Police clearances
  • Birth certificate
  • Marriage certificates
  • Business documents

Document Attestation Services

At One Visa World, we provide a quick and 100% genuine attestation/apostille service to individuals and companies of South Africa origin as well as those who live abroad. Our offices in Pretoria are close to and provide quick access to all Embassies and Government departments in South Africa’s Capital City.

We specialise in Attestation/Apostille services for the following Countries:

  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Qatar
  • Kuwait
  • Countries under The Hague convention

Where can documents be Apostilled?

The majority of documents that are required to be apostilled can only be apostilled in Pretoria as this is where DIRCO (The Department of International Relations and Cooperation a.k.a Foreign Affairs) is located.

In order for documents to be apostilled they have to go to one or more of the following places:​

  • Notary Public and the High Court
  • Departments of Basic and Higher Education as well as Umalusi
  • HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa)
  • DIRCO

We also offer a range of services that simplifies the entire process of Attestation/Apostille that include:

  • Overnight courier (collecting & delivering)
  • Overnight courier to multiple embassies/consulates
  • Sworn Translation Services
  • Authentication by the Notary Public & High Court
  • Authentication by Departments of Basic & Higher Education
  • Authentication by HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa)
  • Authentication by DIRCO

One Visa World - Services(3)

Our Promise

With many years of experience in Visa Facilitation Services, including the attestation of documents, we can confidently state that we are experts in this field and will have your documents attested and returned to you efficiently and without errors.

If you would like a quote or need more information, call us, email us or simply click on the button below and complete the form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about UAE Visas

It was a treaty developed by Hague Conference on Private International Law (83 Members: 82 States and 1 Regional Economic Integration Organisation) in 1961 to prevent children under the age of 16 years of being internationally abducted by a parent and removing them from their home country. Please see here a list of these countries: https://www.hcch.net/en/states/hcch-members Visa

An Apostille is a kind of attestation in which certificates are legalized through a sticker or a stamp that is attached to the original document, which is admissible in all countries that relate to The Hague Convention of 1961. Basically, apostille is a global attestation that is admissible in nearly 92 nations, and most of the western world acknowledges Apostille.

The attestation is the process of verifying the authenticity of a document & declaring its authenticity by attaching it with the sign of the verifying personnel. The process requires the submission of original documents as well as a copy of the same to authorized employees for verifying and required sign/stamp.

When you present a legal document in a foreign country, it is often very difficult to determine whether the document is genuine and legal and therefore overseas governments sometimes need proof that the South African documents or qualifications which you hold is a genuine and not fake.

When it is made valid by the Embassy

Between 3 to 5 working days depending on the nature of the document and the country you require it for. Every country has a different fees structures and time frame to deliver the documents. You should speak to our attestation expert for this complete information.

You simply send your document(s) to us or we will collect from you. We will process the attestation on your Certificate on your behalf and return the documents to you by Special Delivery. We can also send the documents to a third party or overseas by the fastest Courier service.

As per UAE law, a person coming to UAE for work should get all his/her documents duly attested by the Embassy of UAE in their country of origin. When you apply for a visa to UAE, the documents you submit to the governing bodies should be attested by the Ministry of foreign affairs (MOFA) in order to get those documents accepted. If the documents you submit are legitimate, your documents will be processed quickly.

We are professionals and a trusted with a team of highly experienced and well-trained staff in the field of document certifications. We follow, a pre-defined series of steps during the attestation process, so that none of the documents go missing even by mistake. Special attention is given to each document throughout the process of attestation i.e., from collection to delivery.

Payment is done upfront as this will kickstart our efficient process

Payment can be made by any one of the following options. Online transfer, DD, Cheque, PAYPAL, Western Union Money Transfer, hard cash or by depositing the amount directly into our account. We also offer a payment link for your credit card.

Documents can be stamped at various embassies provided that it meets the attestation requirements by that embassy

Original documents are required in order to start the attestation process