How to get a copy of your divorce decree in South Africa

Divorce records or divorce decrees are documents that detail the proceedings of a person’s previous marriage. These documents are stamped and signed by the High Court or the court where the decree was issued.

There seem to be many false rumours spread on the internet that lead people to believe that divorce records can be downloaded online from the Department of Home Affairs. But this is unfortunately not possible. Divorce decrees must be obtained from the court where the divorce was finalised, which can be a tedious process.

What are divorce records?

Divorce records refer to divorce decrees. A decree of divorce is a summary of your divorce settlement. It serves as proof that your divorce was finalised in the South African High Court, and it is signed and stamped by the court where the divorce was finalised.

If you misplaced your original divorce decree, it can be tricky to obtain a copy of the document as it’s not available anywhere online. You’ll have to apply for a copy of the original document at the High Court, where you got divorced.

Where can I gain access to divorce records for South Africa?

Most jurisdictions limit access to public records. They may also prohibit you from viewing the decree unless you are a party to the case or a legal representative of one of the parties. This is why these documents are not available online.

The civil court, where your divorce was filed, is where copies of divorce decrees are stored in electronic and hardcopy format. In order to obtain a copy of this certificate, you will need to have the case number of your divorce on hand.

Can I get a copy of my original decree of divorce?

The process of obtaining a copy of your South African divorce decree isn’t lengthy, but it is difficult. And that is why it is always best to work with professional documentation service providers, like Apostil.co.za, to help take the hassle out of the process.

In order for us to help you obtain your decree of divorce, you would need to provide us with the following information:

• Divorce case number
• Court where the divorce was finalised
• Date (day, month, and year) of the divorce
• Names and ID numbers of the plaintiff and defendant (you and your ex-spouse)

What does it cost to obtain a copy of a divorce decree in South Africa?

Depending on how urgently you need to obtain a copy of your divorce decree, costs vary. Please contact us or head over to our pricing page to get an estimated idea of the costs involved. Once your South African Divorce Decree has been issued, you might have to get it apostilled or attested in order for it to be seen as valid in foreign countries. We can assist with this legalisation process as well.

Need assistance with divorce records?

Apostil.co.za is a concierge service in South Africa that can help you obtain your documents in the fastest time possible. It is true that sometimes divorce records go missing, and although it is a rare occurrence, it is a possibility. We can, however, still assist with tracing your records and having copies issued as soon as possible. We work with all 14 High Courts of South Africa. Apostil.co.za can assist more than 90% of clients with obtaining copies of their divorce decrees.