The High Courts authorise certain documents
Sometimes, documents must be sent to the High Court for an apostille or attestation before being legally used outside of SA.
Many people refer to the High Courts as Supreme Courts as they tend to legalisation matters. Apostil.co.za works with all High Courts of South Africa to assist our clients with a range of documents such as apostilles and divorce decrees.
How many High Courts does South Africa have?
South Africa has exactly 14 High Courts at the time of writing (2022).
The 14 High Courts of South Africa
At present, there are 14 provincial divisions of the High Court. They each represent provincial divisions of the High Court and are situated in the following areas:
- Easter Cape High Court – Bhisho
- Free State High Court – Bloemfontein
- Western Cape High Court – Cape Town
- KwaZulu Natal High Court – Pietermaritzburg
- Eastern Cape High Court – Port Elizabeth
- KwaZulu Natal High Court – Durban
- Eastern Cape High Court – Grahamstown
- South Gauteng High Court – Johannesburg
- Northern Cape High Court – Kimberley
- North Gauteng High Court – Pretoria
- Limpopo High Court -Thohoyandou
- Eastern Cape High Court – Mthatha
- North West High Court – Mafikeng
- Polokwane Circuit Court of the North Gauteng High Court – Polokwane/Pretoria
Which documents does the High Court authenticate or apostille?
Some of the documents that a High Court can authenticate or apostille are listed below.
- Any notarised document (by a Notary Public)
- Documents translated by a Sworn Translator registered at that High Court
- Deeds
- Contracts
- Affidavits
- Divorce Decree
- TEFL Certificate
- South African Degrees or Diplomas
- Department of Home Affairs documents (Civic Services Documents) such as birth, death, and marriage certificates, as well as letters of no impediment
- Police Clearance Certificates
- Medical reports
- Passport copies
- Notarised Power of Attorney (POA) forms
An important note on High Court authentications and apostilles
Before you can legally use your South African documents abroad, they follow an authentication process. The country you travel to determines the appropriate authentication process. Authentication can be simplified with the Apostille process if the country you are traveling to is a member of the Hague Convention, but where the country does not form part of the Convention, a Certificate of Authentication by the High Court will often be required.
Some documents, like transcripts and Police Clearances/Certificates of Good Standing, cannot be apostilled since they are not issued by a government body in South Africa. The only way to have them apostilled is to have a copy of the document notarised first. An apostille verifies a Notary’s stamp and signature. You can use apostilled documents if the country you travel to is also a member country of the “Apostille Convention”.
Do you need assistance with High Court authentications and apostilles?
High Court authentication is a complex process. It often involves repeat visits to various administrative bodies. If you don’t understand the process, it can cause frustration and timely delays. Apostil can apply for your document authentication and apostille process on your behalf. This takes the stress out of the equation and also ensures that you obtain your documents as soon as possible without having to cue day in and day out.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our range of documentation services and how we can help you.