If you are required to present documentation originating from South Africa or you need to sign documentation for use in another country, it is likely that such documentation must first go through a process of being legalised, or otherwise commonly referred to as “authenticated”. The type of authentication or seal/endorsement required depends on the document type.
Having documents notarised by a Notary Public and thereafter obtaining a High Court Apostille allows such document to be officially accepted in another country if the country in question is a signatory to the Hague Convention (most foreign countries are). There are many examples of when you might need a document officially recognised in a foreign country, for example, if you are requested to provide a foreign authority with an affidavit (sworn testimony).
No matter how trustworthy the document or your signature might be in South Africa, a foreign jurisdiction will most likely not accept the authenticity of such document or signature as checks and balances differ throughout the world. For this reason, the approval of a Notary Public to the authenticity of the process will be sufficient for recognition by a foreign authority. The seal of a Notary Public is recognised globally. But who authenticates the signature of the Notary Public? This is where the Apostille process comes in.
After the Notary Public has provided his or her seal and enclosed your document under a Notarial Certificate, the documents are provided to the High Court which will confirm that the Notary Public is duly admitted as such within the Republic of South Africa.
We charge a nominal fee of R1,590.00 inclusive of VAT, which includes the following:-
- A telephonic or email consultation with one of our attorneys to discuss the document or documents needing legalisation and discussing the way forward;
- The drafting of a Notarial Certificate;
- A consultation with our Notary Public in order to notarise the document;
- The drafting of a covering letter addressed to the Registrar of the High Court;
- The attendance at the Western Cape High Court to deliver the Notarised document in order to obtain a High Court Apostille; and
- The attendance at the Western Cape High Court to collect the document, duly Apostilled by the Western Cape High Court.
Thereafter, you can collect your Notarised and Apostilled document from our reception.
Additional documents are charged at a reduced fee of R750.00 inclusive of VAT, per document.
We will also provide you with a Notarised copy free of charge.