Get your Vault Birth Certificate fast

Do you need to obtain a South African Vault Birth Certificate from the Department of Home Affairs ? We’ll assist with the paperwork, submit your application, follow up with the DHA, collect it when its ready and ship it worldwide to you.

DHA Vault Birth Certificate

Free Consultation

Email us at [email protected], or fill out the form below and our experts will contact you to find out your exact requirements.

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R2950 (6-8 weeks) or
R4650 (3-4 weeks)
Including Home Affairs fees

Payment Options include Visa Mastercard, EFT or Wire Transfer

R1750 (7-15 days)

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R250 National Overnight

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R950 International

The DHA Vault Birth Certificate often needs to be apostilled or legalised at DIRCO for use internationally. Click here for more details. Because this document is based upon a photocopy of the original birth register we strongly suggest that you get it apostilled via DIRCO.

Some countries will not accept apostilles and require specialist legalisation procedures.

Get your Vault Birth Certificate from the Department of Home Affairs

A Vault Birth Certificate, also known as a certified copy of the birth register or vault birth register, is an official South African government document from the Department of Home Affairs.

The Vault Birth Certificate is a stamped and signed copy of the original hand written forms completed by the child’s parents or guardians when they originally registered their child. It looks like a photocopied piece of paper with an official Home Affairs stamp on it certifying it to be a true copy of the original

The Vault Birth Certificate is required if the certificate is intended for applying for British or Portuguese citizenship by descent, and in some other specific cases. In most other citizenship cases an Unabridged Birth Certificate will be required and the Vault birth certificate will not be accepted. Contact us for more details.

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Please Note: If you are applying for UK or Portuguese citizenship via descent you have to to apply for this Vault Birth Certificate instead of a Unabridged Birth Certificate. the overseas authorities will reject the Unabridged Birth Certificate in these situations. Please contact us for more details

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27 October 2026
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The staff were very friendly and very efficient throughout the process I was informed about everything if needed I would definitely use there services again.
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27 October 2026
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Exceptional service and communication. Will highly recommend and will be using their services again
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22 October 2026
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Very well run service, no notes
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21 October 2026
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The service and communication were excellent! Highly recommend their services.
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19 October 2026
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We used Embassy Services to apply for our unabridged birth certificates with Home Affairs. We applied for 2 certificates in August and got both, including Apostilled by mid October. Working with Embassy Services was a great choice for us because it made the process flawless and stress free. They included a courier service to Mauritius, which was super convenient. I can highly recommend using them!
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17 October 2026
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Fast and reliable service! This is exactly what I was looking for while living abroad. Obtaining government documents from overseas can be stressful, but Embassy Services made the entire process so much easier and took away the worry. Their prices are also very reasonable, which was one of the main reasons I chose them. I would definitely recommend their services!
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14 October 2026
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I highly recommend using Embassy Services. I had received various quotes for what I needed done and they were the most reasonable in price, but over and above that, they were professional and extremely efficient. They exceeded my expectations for service delivery.
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14 October 2026
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There's no way this service could be better. Excellent feedback with every step of the process. Recommended.
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12 October 2026
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The embassy staff are patient, professional, and thorough. They take the time to explain everything clearly and answer any questions you may have. Their attention to detail and commitment to getting things done properly are commendable. I would gladly use their services again and highly recommend them.
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10 October 2026
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Excellent service I’m in UK needed copies of confirmation of drivers license. It took 5 days and they were delivered. Amazing service and excellent pricing. They what’s app u the progress throughout the process. I would recommend them 100%
DHA Vault Birth Certificate
DHA Vault Birth Certificate

How To Apply For your Vault Birth Certificate

  1. Download the application form, complete it, scan it and email it to us along with a copy of your ID or Passport.
  2. We will check the form and confirm receipt and send you an invoice.
  3. Once we receive payment we will submit your application to Home Affairs the next day and confirm submission with you.
  4. We follow up and ensure that everything is being processed and once Home Affairs has completed the process we collect it the following business day.
  5. We follow and ensure that everything is being processed and once the HPCSA has completed the process we collect it the following business day.
  6. We send you a high resolution scan of the verified document to ensure that all the details are correct and for your peace of mind.
  7. Once you have confirmed that all details are correct we send it for apostilling (if you have ordered that option), or courier it directly to you. Local courier takes 1 business day, worldwide courier takes 4-5 days.

DIRCO Apostille Legalisation

DIRCO Apostille Certificate

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DHA Vault Birth Certificate

The Vault Birth Certificate often has to be attested with an apostille at DIRCO for use internationally.

An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document so it can be accepted in countries that are party to the Apostille Convention

find out more about apostilles & legalisation

More Information

In South Africa, a Vault Birth Certificate is a certified copy of the original birth register completed by the parents when the child is born and issued by the Department of Home Affairs.

Key Features:
  • Legal Validity: It is a legally recognized document that serves as proof of birth and parentage for certain citizenship applications.
  • Personal Information: It includes the full name, date of birth, and place of birth of the individual.
  • Parental Information: The names, dates of birth, places of birth of both parents are normally included.
Usage:
  • Citizenship applications The UK and Portuguese authorities require a vault birth certificate for citizenship applications by descent
  • Proof of Parentage: It serves as an official document proving the legal relationship between the child and the parents, which can be important for custody or adoption cases.
  • Ancestry Research – the Vault Birth Certificate can be useful for Ancestry Research as it sometimes contains additional information that would not appear on a Unabridged Birth Certificate. Old Vault certificates can contain information about the parents’ professions or addresses where they lived.

The Abridged Birth Certificate, often issued at birth before 2013, contains limited information and is less commonly accepted for official purposes, especially outside South Africa. The Unabridged Birth Certificate, being more detailed, is required for most legal and official processes.

Since 2013 all people have been issued with a Unabridged Birth Certificate at birth

Frequently Asked Questions

What information does the Vault Birth Certificate have on it?

The Vault Birth Certificate is a certified copy of the originakl birth register that was completed by the parents when the child was born. It includes the details of the birth, including the name, date, and place of birth as reported by the parents

In addition, the certificate contains the full details of the parents, including their names, dates of birth and their place and country of birth.

What is the difference between the Unabridged Birth Certificate and a Vault Birth Certificate?

An Unabridged Birth Certificate is a computer printed certificate that is issued by Home Affairs that contains details transcribed from the original Vault birth register (Vault Birth Certificate).

The Vault Birth Certificate is a stamped and signed copy of the original hand written forms completed by the child’s parents or guardians when they originally registered their child. It looks like a photocopied piece of paper with an official Home Affairs stamp on it.

Does this birth certificate have an expiry date?

Vault Birth Certificates are valid forever and do not normally have an expiry date. In some foreign country applications however, the foreign country requires the certificate (and apostille) to be issued with a recent amount of time (normally 3 or 6 months)

Please check with your local authorities or embassy whether the certificate has to be submitted within a defined timeframe.

Is there any expedited or faster option to get this certificate?

The fastest turnaround time to get the certificate issued at the DHA is 3-4 weeks. The standard turnaround time is 6-8 wweeks. We collect the certificate the day that it is ready

Do I need to get this certificate apostilled or legalised for my current country?

Every country has different rules and regulations regarding apostilles. In general this certificate will need to be apostilled or legalised at DIRCO for visa or travel purposes

We strongly suggest that you check with your local embassy or government authority whether this certificate needs to be apostilled, legalised or translated..

Are you affiliated or accredited with the DHA or DIRCO?

Embassy Services (Pty) Ltd is a private company and not a government department or High Court issuing body or associated with the Department of Home Affairs or any foreign embassy. We provide consulting, submission and collection services, and charge for our expertise and for successfully and quickly obtaining and legalising documents.

While we endeavour to obtain and get all documentation processed and legalised in the shortest possible time, we cannot be held responsible for any delay at a government department or foreign embassy that is out of our control. Please see our terms and conditions for details

I have another question about this service

We would be happy to assist. Simply email us or call or whatsapp us on +27 10 500 5320 and we will respond asap!

About Embassy Services

We’re a document and legalisation services company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. We specialise in obtaining documents and legalising them for use internationally, from government departments such as Home Affairs to High Court notarisation and apostilles at DIRCO.

Our focus is on fast turnaround times and impeccable customer service, we keep you continually updated at every step of the process, and ensure that your specific needs are filled to your exact requirements

Call or Whatsapp us on +27 10 500 5320 or email us at [email protected].