If you want to travel abroad, you will likely need to submit an unabridged marriage certificate or birth certificate as part of your travel documentation. But there are also other reasons why you would need official Home Affairs documents. Although many South Africans think obtaining these certificates is relatively quick and easy, it can take much longer than anticipated. In this post, we look at how to expedite Home Affairs documents if you have already applied for them at a DHA office.
How can I apply to expedite Home Affairs documents that I have already applied for?
The only authority that issues official certificates such as birth, marriage, and death certificates is the DHA, so an application must always be lodged with them. Embassies, missions, and consulates abroad can also accept applications from South Africans living abroad. However, these applications are forwarded to the DHA Head Offices in Pretoria.
To apply for your certificates, you will need copies of your South African ID document, and you must complete the appropriate application form.
💡 Please note! For all marriages, Home Affairs has not updated their Marriage Certificate information on the DHA systems. This means that without a BI-30 / DHA-30 marriage register form (click for an example), it is very difficult to obtain an unabridged marriage certificate on your own. Your BI-30 or DHA-30 form is the one you sign together on the day you get married (usually with two photos and fingerprints on the right hand side).
If you have already submitted your application at a Home Affairs office, you can partner up with Apostil.co.za to have your certificate expedited and issued as soon as possible. Please keep in mind that even though we can assist with speeding up the process, you must still collect your certificate (in person) at the office where you applied.
Although there are instances where Apostil.co.za can apply for an Office Change request in order to collect documents on behalf of its clients, this is a more expensive route to take. It is also not always possible to apply for an Office Change in cases where an application has been made at a foreign embassy.
How long does it take to obtain official documents from the DHA?
This depends on whether you’re applying in your personal capacity or if you’re using a document assistance service like Apostil.co.za. In most cases where South Africans apply for their official documents from abroad through SA embassies, it can take anywhere between 6 and 8 months for their document to be issued. If you are based within South Africa, it can take between two and 6 months to issue your documents.
These delayed timelines are what is causing many South Africans to turn to document concierge services like Apostil.co.za. We can have civic certificates ready for our clients in between one and six weeks, depending on which document it is and if the express process is chosen.
Need assistance expediting Home Affairs documents?
If you need help with obtaining your Home Affairs certificates in the quickest time possible, Apostil.co.za is here to help! We are a professional documentation agency that specialises in South African document assistance.
Apostil.co.za handles everything on your behalf. We make the process of getting your certificates from Home Affairs processed much faster and hassle-free. Our team of experts is ready to help you with all your legal document requirements, so feel free to get in touch with us today!
