A visa medical certificate — sometimes called a Medical Report of Good Health or a Certificate of Medical Fitness — is a document issued by a registered South African medical practitioner confirming that you are in good health and free from communicable diseases. It is a standard requirement for visa and immigration applications to countries worldwide. The certificate confirms that you meet the health requirements set out under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) and that no further vaccinations or medical procedures are required before you travel. Without it, most visa applications will be rejected outright.
Countries require medical certificates from visa applicants for several reasons. Immigration authorities need assurance that incoming residents will not pose a public health risk. Many countries also want confirmation that applicants will not place an excessive burden on their public healthcare system. For work visa applicants, the certificate serves as evidence that you are physically fit to perform the duties of the job you have been offered.A visa medical certificate is commonly required for:
Almost every country that accepts long-term visa applications requires some form of medical clearance. The specific requirements vary significantly by country.
Spain requires a medical certificate specifically certified by the HPCSA and apostilled by DIRCO. The certificate must confirm that the applicant does not suffer from any diseases that could have a serious impact on public health, in accordance with the International Health Regulations of 2005. Spain is one of the stricter countries in terms of medical certificate requirements.
The United Kingdom requires medical examinations for settlement visa applicants, conducted at approved panel clinics. Tuberculosis testing is mandatory for applicants from countries with high TB incidence, including South Africa.Australia requires medical examinations through Bupa Medical Visa Services (formerly known as panel physicians). The examination includes chest X-rays, blood tests, and a general physical examination. Results are submitted directly to the Department of Home Affairs.
New Zealand has similar requirements to Australia, with medical and chest X-ray certificates required for visa applicants who intend to stay for more than 12 months.
The United Arab Emirates requires medical fitness testing for all residence visa applicants, including blood tests for HIV and Hepatitis B/C, and a chest X-ray for tuberculosis.
Taiwan requires a medical certificate for work permit applicants, which must include tests for certain communicable diseases.
Saudi Arabia requires a medical report for all work visa applicants, which must be authenticated and legalised through the Saudi Embassy in Pretoria.
Canada requires immigration medical examinations conducted by designated panel physicians. The examination includes a physical assessment, chest X-ray, blood tests, and urinalysis. For countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention, the medical certificate must be apostilled by DIRCO. For non-member countries, the certificate may need to be legalised by the embassy instead.
You must visit a medical doctor who is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). This can be your own GP or any private doctor in South Africa, provided they hold current HPCSA registration. This is not optional — if the doctor is not registered with the HPCSA, the certificate will be rejected at the authentication stage.Important: Before your appointment, confirm with the doctor's rooms that the practitioner is registered with the HPCSA. You can also verify registration on the HPCSA's iRegister portal at isystems.hpcsa.co.za/iregister.During the examination, the doctor will typically:
Cost: A standard visa medical examination typically costs between R800 and R2,500, depending on the doctor and the tests required. Some countries require specific additional tests (such as chest X-rays or blood work), which may increase the cost.
Once you have the medical certificate, it must be submitted to the Health Professions Council of South Africa for authentication. The HPCSA verifies that the issuing doctor is registered and that the certificate is genuine.This step is mandatory before the certificate can be apostilled. DIRCO will not apostille a medical certificate that has not been authenticated by the HPCSA.The HPCSA authentication process typically takes 2 to 3 working days, provided the medical practitioner's registration is in order.
After HPCSA authentication, the certificate is submitted to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria for the apostille. The apostille is the internationally recognised certificate that confirms the document is genuine and has been properly authenticated.The DIRCO apostille process takes approximately 5 to 7 working days through the standard queue. Express processing is available through registered agents and can reduce this to 1 to 2 working days.
Once the apostille has been issued, the completed document can be:
Having handled thousands of document legalisation matters, these are the most common issues we see with visa medical certificates:
Using an unregistered doctor. If the medical practitioner is not registered with the HPCSA, the authentication will be rejected. Always verify registration before your appointment.
Missing or illegible stamps and signatures. The HPCSA requires the doctor's signature, practice number, and stamp to be clearly visible. Certificates with faded stamps or unclear signatures are frequently returned.
Wrong certificate format. Some countries require the medical certificate to be in a specific format or on a specific form. Spain, for example, has particular requirements about what the certificate must state. Check the embassy website for your destination country for specific format requirements before your doctor's appointment.
Expired certificate. If the 90-day validity has passed, you will need a new medical examination, and the entire process starts again.
Skipping the HPCSA step. Some applicants try to submit the medical certificate directly to DIRCO for apostille without first obtaining HPCSA authentication. DIRCO will reject this.
Not allowing enough time. The full process — medical examination, HPCSA authentication, and DIRCO apostille — takes 7 to 10 working days under normal circumstances. During peak periods (typically January to March and September to November), processing times can be longer.
Visa medical certificate — A general health assessment confirming fitness to travel and reside abroad. Required for visa and immigration applications. Must be authenticated by the HPCSA and apostilled by DIRCO.
Yellow fever vaccination certificate — An International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) issued under the WHO International Health Regulations. Required for travel to or through yellow fever endemic areas. Does not require apostille — it is internationally recognised in its own right.
Panel physician report — A medical examination conducted by a doctor specifically designated by the destination country's immigration authority (common for UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand applications). These reports are submitted directly to the immigration authority and typically do not require a separate apostille.
What happens if my doctor is not registered with the HPCSA? The HPCSA will reject the authentication and you will need to obtain a new medical certificate from a registered practitioner. There is no appeal or workaround for this requirement. Always verify your doctor's HPCSA registration before the appointment.
How long does the HPCSA take to authenticate a medical certificate? Typically, 2 to 3 working days if the medical practitioner's registration is current and in good standing.
Can I use any doctor for a visa medical certificate? The doctor must be registered with the HPCSA. Beyond that, any registered medical practitioner can issue a visa medical certificate — it does not need to be a specialist. However, some countries require examinations at specific panel clinics (such as the UK, Australia, and Canada). Check your destination country's requirements.
Is a visa medical certificate the same for every country? No. While the general requirement is similar, different countries may require different tests, different certificate formats, or examinations at designated panel physicians. Always check the specific requirements for your destination country before obtaining the certificate.
Can I get a visa medical certificate if I am already overseas? The South African visa medical certificate must be issued by an HPCSA-registered doctor practising in South Africa. If you are overseas, you would need to obtain a medical certificate from a doctor in your current country of residence, which would be authenticated and legalised in accordance with that country's procedures.
Do I need an apostille or embassy legalisation? If the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you need a DIRCO apostille. If the destination country is not a member of the Hague Convention, you will need embassy legalisation instead. We handle both processes.
What if my visa medical certificate is rejected by the embassy? We can assess the reason for rejection, advise on the correct course of action, and reprocess the document if necessary. Common reasons for rejection include expired certificates, incorrect format, or missing authentication steps.
Can the medical certificate be apostilled without HPCSA authentication? No. DIRCO requires HPCSA authentication before it will issue an apostille on a medical certificate. This is a mandatory step that cannot be bypassed.
How long is the DIRCO apostille valid? The apostille itself does not expire. However, because the underlying medical certificate is valid for only 90 days, the practical validity of the apostilled document is limited to that period.
Which countries recognise the South African apostille? Any country that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention will accept an apostille issued by South Africa without further legalisation. There are currently over 120 member countries. For non-member countries, embassy legalisation is required instead.
