A single error at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) can set your international plans back by weeks or even months. Understanding these common rejection reasons is the first step to ensuring your documents are globally ready.
1. Abridged vs. Unabridged Certificates
The most frequent cause for rejection is submitting an "Abridged" certificate.
- Most foreign jurisdictions and DIRCO require Unabridged Birth or Marriage Certificates because they contain full parental details and necessary security features.
- If you submit a computer-printed abridged version, it will be rejected immediately, requiring a new application through Home Affairs.
2. The "Pre-Verification" Gap (SAQA & Umalusi)
DIRCO does not verify the authenticity of academic degrees or diplomas directly.
- Tertiary qualifications must first be verified by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), a process that can take 15–25 working days.
- Matric certificates must be verified by Umalusi.
- Attempting to legalise an academic document without these prerequisite verification letters will result in an automatic rejection.
3. Missing or Incorrect Notarial Certification
Not all documents can go straight to DIRCO. Many legal and private documents—such as powers of attorney, contracts, or sworn translations—must first be notarised by a Notary Public.
- Following notarisation, these documents must be authenticated by the High Court (Gauteng Division, Pretoria for local documents) before DIRCO will accept them for an Apostille.
- Skipping the High Court step is a common error for those attempting the process themselves.
4. The 6-Month Validity Rule
While a South African document might technically be "permanent," many foreign embassies and DIRCO have strict rules regarding the "freshness" of the document.
- Police Clearance Certificates (PCC) and Letters of No Impediment are typically required to be less than six months old at the time of legalisation.
- Submitting an "expired" PCC will lead to rejection, even if the document itself is authentic.
5. Signature Database Mismatches
DIRCO maintains a database of "specimen signatures" for authorised officials across various government departments.
- If the official who signed your document is not on the DIRCO database, or if their signature has changed, the document cannot be legalised.
- This is common with older documents or those signed by newly appointed officials in smaller municipalities.
How Apostille.co.za Eliminates Rejection Risk
We don't just "submit" your documents; we perform a pre-compliance audit.
- Expert Notary Oversight: As specialists in notary public services and document legalisation, we ensure your documents meet the exact standards of the High Court and DIRCO before they leave our office.
- Direct Attendance: We attend the High Court and DIRCO in Pretoria daily, allowing us to resolve minor signature or clerical issues on-site.
- Verification Management: We handle the entire chain of command, from SAQA verification to final Embassy attestation.
