Emigrating is a big step whether you go alone or take your partner and children with you. The paperwork, timing, emotional impact and logistics can look very different depending on which path you choose.
One thing does stay the same: foreign governments rely heavily on South African documents to assess your identity, family relationships, good standing and qualifications. Those documents often need to be apostilled or authenticated before they will be accepted abroad.
This guide walks through the main differences between emigrating solo and emigrating with family – and where Apostil.co.za can help with the documentation side in each case.
For a broader overview of the entire process, start here:
👉 Emigration Guide
Emigrating solo: simpler, but still document-heavy
When you emigrate on your own, the admin is usually more straightforward than moving an entire household – but it’s not light. You’re still likely to need:
- A valid South African passport
- A South African Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
👉 Police Clearance (SAPS) - Proof of qualifications and work experience
👉 Apostilling academic documents and diplomas - Sometimes proof of funds or financial history
- Depending on the route, medicals and other supporting evidence
As you’re applying alone, you don’t usually need to prove family relationships – but you may still need unabridged birth certificates for certain visas, citizenship applications, or future family sponsorships:
👉 Unabridged Birth Certificate
If your degree or diploma must be legalised, you’ll typically need:
- Verification (SAQA / Umalusi / QCTO, depending on the qualification)
- An apostille or authentication for overseas use
👉 Academic qualification apostille
Even when you’re emigrating solo, it pays to get these documents in order well before you apply.
Emigrating with a partner or spouse
When you emigrate with a partner, the documentation expands in two directions:
- Your own individual documents; and
- Proof of the relationship itself.
If you are married
You will usually need an unabridged marriage certificate that clearly shows both spouses’ details:
👉 Unabridged Marriage Certificate
This is particularly important if:
- Your surname changed after marriage.
- You are applying under a spousal or partner route.
- You will be proving dependency for healthcare, housing or tax purposes abroad.
If your marriage took place many years ago or overseas, it’s quite common to discover that Home Affairs records or certificates are incomplete. Sorting this out before you lodge visa applications can prevent delays and refusals. For other long-form civic records (including divorce and death certificates), see:
👉 Unabridged certificates – overview
If you are in a long-term relationship
Some countries recognise unmarried or de facto partners for immigration purposes, but they often have their own evidence rules (cohabitation, joint finances, shared children, etc.).
Even if you aren’t married, it’s wise to ensure all of your civil status records (single, divorced, widowed) and any previous marriages are correctly reflected at Home Affairs and supported by unabridged certificates.
All relationship documentation that will be used abroad may need to be apostilled:
👉 Apostille & authentication services
Emigrating with children
Adding children to the picture changes both your planning timeline and your documentation.
Most foreign governments want clear proof that:
- The child is who you say they are, and
- They are legally your child and allowed to relocate with you.
This almost always means you will need unabridged birth certificates for each child:
👉 Unabridged Birth Certificate
You may also need:
- Birth certificates for both parents, especially for citizenship by descent cases.
- Proof of marriage, divorce or custody arrangements if only one parent is emigrating or consenting.
- Parental consent affidavits for travel and immigration where one parent remains behind.
- School reports and immunisation records for enrolment abroad.
While children themselves are not usually required to obtain police clearances, every adult included in the application often must:
👉 Police Clearance (SAPS)
Because these documents will be used outside South Africa, expect to need apostilles or authentications on:
- Unabridged birth certificates
- Unabridged marriage certificates
- Divorce orders or custody documents
- PCCs for adults
A useful planning guide for this is:
👉 Which documents you need to get apostilled when moving overseas
Staggered moves: going ahead solo while family follows later
A very common pattern for South Africans is:
- One partner moves first on a work or study visa.
- The rest of the family joins later once jobs, housing and schools are in place.
This can work well, but it has documentation implications:
- You may still need family documents upfront to show your long-term intention (for example, if your visa route is designed to “lead into” family reunification later).
- You will likely need updated police clearances and apostilles by the time your partner and children apply to join you, especially if the first set has become too old for the embassy’s rules.
- Any powers of attorney needed to manage South African property or finances while one partner is abroad may have to be notarised and apostilled.
Using Apostil.co.za means you don’t have to fly back just to stand in queues for new certificates or police clearances during this staggered period.
Documentation differences: solo vs family – at a glance
While every case is unique, a rough comparison looks like this:
Solo emigrant – typically needs:
- Passport
- Police Clearance Certificate
- Academic / professional qualifications (verified and apostilled where required)
- Sometimes a single unabridged birth certificate
Emigrating with partner and/or children – typically adds:
- Unabridged birth certificates for all children
- Unabridged marriage certificate (if married)
- Divorce or death certificates, where applicable
- Custody or parental consent documents
- Additional police clearances for each adult
- Sometimes more extensive proof of funds, accommodation and schooling
Nearly all of these South African documents require apostilles or authentications to be accepted abroad:
👉 Apostille & authentication services
How Apostil.co.za helps, whichever route you choose
Whether you’re emigrating solo or with your entire family, Apostil.co.za can:
- Obtain unabridged birth, marriage and other civic certificates from Home Affairs – including from abroad.
- Help expedite unabridged certificates when you’re working to visa or school deadlines.
- Arrange police clearances and have them apostilled for foreign immigration authorities.
- Verify and legalise academic and professional qualifications for work or study routes.
- Handle apostilles, authentications and embassy legalisations for all your key documents.
- Courier your completed, legalised documents to you, wherever you are.
Planning to emigrate solo or with your family, and want your documentation under control from the start?
Contact Apostil.co.za for fast, professional help with unabridged certificates, police clearances, apostilles and all your emigration documentation needs:
👉 Contact Apostil.co.za
