Need proof of your divorce for visa applications, remarriage abroad, or overseas legal matters? We obtain certified copies of divorce decrees from all 14 South African High Courts and handle the complete apostille process.📞 087 001 0733 | ✉️ info@apostille.co.za[Get a Quote →]
A Decree of Divorce (also called a decree absolute or final divorce order) is the official court document proving your divorce was legally finalised in South Africa.The decree is:
This document is essential for many legal processes, both in South Africa and abroad. If you've lost your original, we can obtain a certified High Court copy.
Remarriage Abroad
Foreign authorities require proof that previous marriages were legally dissolved before they will register a new marriage.
Visa & Immigration Applications
Many countries request divorce decrees as part of visa applications, particularly for family or spouse visas.
Letter of No Impediment
When applying for a single status certificate, you may need to provide your divorce decree alongside it.
Overseas Property or Asset Division
Legal proceedings involving foreign assets from a previous marriage may require apostilled divorce documentation.
Name Change Verification
If you changed your name after a divorce, foreign authorities may need the decree as supporting documentation.
Estate & Inheritance Matters
Claims on a former spouse's estate or disputes involving overseas assets may require apostilled divorce decrees.
Lost your original? Never received a copy? We obtain certified, High Court-stamped copies from all 14 South African High Courts.
The more information you provide, the faster we can retrieve your file:
✅ Court where divorce was finalised – Essential (mandatory)
✅ Divorce case number – Significantly speeds up the search
✅ Date of divorce – Day, month, and year
✅ Names and ID numbers – Both parties (plaintiff and defendant)
Don't have all these details? We can still help in most cases, but the process takes longer and costs more without key information.
| Situation | Time | Success Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Full details available | 1-2 weeks | Very high |
| Partial details | 2-4 weeks | High |
| Minimal details | 4-8 weeks | Moderate |
| Pre-2000 divorces (archived) | 3-6 months | Variable |
We successfully assist 80-90% of clients in obtaining their divorce decrees.
Not all High Courts maintain equally organised archives. Cape Town generally has better records than Johannesburg, for example.
Physical files from divorces before 2000 are often stored in off-site archives. Retrieval requires:
In rare cases, the court archive file is empty or missing entirely. When this happens, options are limited:
We're upfront about this: While we have an excellent success rate, there are cases where files cannot be retrieved due to archive issues beyond anyone's control.
Files are sometimes moved between courts or to off-site storage without clear tracking. This can add months to the retrieval process.
Divorce decree (High Court stamped copy)
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DIRCO Apostille
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Ready for useCountries: UK, Germany, Australia, Netherlands, USA, most of Europe, and 120+ others.
Divorce decree (High Court stamped copy)
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DIRCO Authentication
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Embassy Attestation
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Ready for useCountries: UAE, China, Qatar, Vietnam, Thailand, and others.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Obtain decree only (no apostille) | From R2,500 |
| Obtain decree + DIRCO Apostille | From R3,350 |
| Obtain decree + DIRCO + Embassy | From R4,500 |
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| DIRCO Apostille only | R850 |
| DIRCO + Embassy attestation | From R1,700 |
| Situation | Additional Fee |
|---|---|
| Pre-2000 divorce (archived files) | From R1,500 |
| Department of Justice application | From R2,000 |
| Urgent/expedited search | Quoted individually |
Fees vary based on court location and the information available. We provide accurate quotes after assessing your case.[Get a Quote →]
We retrieve divorce decrees from every High Court division:
| Province | High Court |
|---|---|
| Gauteng | Johannesburg, Pretoria |
| Western Cape | Cape Town |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Durban, Pietermaritzburg |
| Eastern Cape | Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, Mthatha |
| Free State | Bloemfontein |
| Limpopo | Polokwane |
| Mpumalanga | Mbombela |
| North West | Mahikeng |
| Northern Cape | Kimberley |
Don't know which court handled your divorce? If you know the area where you lived at the time, we can determine the likely court.
No. Divorce records are not publicly accessible online due to privacy laws.
Access is restricted to:
A formal legal application must be made to the High Court that issued the decree. This is why you need your case number or sufficient details for the court to locate your file.
How long does it take to get a divorce decree?
With full details (case number, court, date): 1-2 weeks. Without full details or for older divorces, several weeks to months.
What if I don't know my case number?
We can search using other details (court, approximate date, names, ID numbers), but it takes longer and may cost more.
What if the court can't find my file?
In rare cases, files are missing or empty. If this happens, we'll advise you on alternatives, such as obtaining records from your original attorney or requesting a reissue.
Can my ex-spouse also get a copy?
Yes. Both parties to a divorce can apply for copies of the decree.
Do I need my ex-spouse's permission?No. You can apply for your own divorce decree without involving your former spouse.
What's the difference between a divorce decree and a divorce settlement?
The decree is the court order confirming the divorce is final. The settlement is the full agreement covering assets, maintenance, children, etc. For international use, usually only the decree (front page) needs to be apostilled.
Can I apostille my divorce settlement agreement?
Yes, if the foreign authority specifically requests it. The settlement follows the same apostille route as the decree.
I was divorced outside South Africa—can you help?
No. Foreign divorce decrees must be apostilled in the country where the divorce was granted. We can only apostille South African court documents.
What if I need both a divorce decree AND a letter of no impediment?
We handle both. Many clients need both documents for remarriage abroad.
We work with all 14 South African High Courts and successfully assist the vast majority of clients. Provide your details and we'll retrieve, certify and apostille your divorce decree.[Get a Quote →]Contact us:
