Questions about birth certificates, Home Affairs, apostilles, processing times, missing records, overseas delivery and how SA Docs works? Start here.
Your case may not fit a generic answer.If an answer depends on your circumstances or an overseas authority's wording, create your account and show us the requirement rather than guessing.
The full South African birth certificate commonly requested for citizenship, immigration, marriage, passport and other official processes. View Full / Unabridged Birth Certificate →
A vault request concerns the underlying South African birth registration record rather than simply the normally issued full certificate. View Vault Birth Certificate →
Use the exact wording supplied by the receiving authority, the destination country and what you are trying to achieve. Use our document guide →
Our customer-facing target is approximately 4–6 weeks once a complete case is ready for processing. Individual Home Affairs cases can vary, so this is a target rather than a guarantee.
Start with what you still know: approximate dates, the office where you applied, identity details, old correspondence or related records. Explain what is missing when you create your case.
Apostilles & overseas use
Authentication of your documents
An apostille is a form of authentication used so a South African public document can be presented for official use in another country where the relevant apostille arrangements apply. It does not replace the underlying document.
No. The receiving authority determines whether authentication is required.
Allow approximately 7–10 working days once the underlying document is available. Document retrieval time is additional. View Apostille & Legalisation →
Yes, where appropriate, the authentication stage can follow the document-retrieval stage as part of the same managed case.
Your SA Docs account
How the service works
No. Tell us what you are trying to achieve and show us the requirement you have been given. We can guide you before you choose the wrong service.
Yes. The technology keeps your case, messages and documents organised. It does not replace human case management when an application needs attention or clarification.
The requirement can be raised against your existing case so you can respond and provide additional information without starting the process again.
Yes. The wider SA Docs model is designed around an ongoing customer account for future South African document requests.
Tracked international delivery can be arranged once the required South African processing and any authentication stages are complete. Delivery timing depends on destination.
Still haven't found the answer?Create your SA Docs account and start a conversation. Tell us what you are trying to achieve and show us any requirement you have been given.
