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Certified South African Name Change Document Translation
eVerbary translates your South African name change document into English for $24.95 per page with no word cap, by a professional human translator, with a signed certification. Most orders are delivered within a few hours. Accepted by USCIS and by US universities, colleges and schools, or your money back.
$24.95/page
Flat rate per page, no word cap. No hidden fees.
Money-back guarantee
Accepted by USCIS and by US universities, colleges and schools, or your money back.
24-hour delivery
Most 1-3 page documents are delivered within 24 hours. Same-day available.
Changes recorded by Home Affairs
A South African name change is recorded by Home Affairs in the population register under the Births and Deaths Registration Act. A change of forename is made under section 24 on form BI-85; a change of surname under section 26, which also lets a married, divorced or widowed woman resume a surname she had before. Home Affairs then issues an amended birth certificate and new identity documents.
The letter approving the change and the amended unabridged birth certificate are what US offices read. Current ones are in English; older approvals and amendments may be in Afrikaans and are translated with their dates and reference numbers. See our Afrikaans page.
Marriage names, and names that only look changed
A woman who takes her husband's surname on marriage needs no separate approval; the marriage certificate is the evidence. Going back to a maiden name after divorce is done through Home Affairs, and the divorce decree is usually asked for alongside.
Many apparent changes are not changes at all. du Plessis, Du Plessis and Duplessis are the same surname written three ways, and a double surname like Janse van Rensburg may be shortened on one document. We reproduce each document's form and note the difference.
What USCIS requires
Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), a foreign-language document must be accompanied by a complete English translation and the translator's certification that it is accurate. Every seal, stamp and marginal note is part of the document, so every one is translated.
State agencies set their own rules — see government agencies — and what our certification states is on this page.
How it works
Upload a photo or a scan of your document, pick the language pair and check out online. You never have to mail originals: a legible copy is all we need.
A professional human translator, never machine translation, translates the document word for word and mirrors the layout of the original. Every certified translation ships with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy that meets the requirements of USCIS, courts and universities.
Your translation is delivered digitally, usually within 24 hours for documents of one to three pages, and same-day delivery is available. If anything needs adjusting, we revise it.
Certified vs. standard translation
A certified translation is a word-for-word translation accompanied by a signed statement attesting to its accuracy and completeness. It is what official bodies require: USCIS, courts, universities and government agencies. Certified translations are $24.95 per page, where one sheet of your document is one page, with no word cap.
A standard translation is the same professional human translation without the certificate, for when you only need to understand the content or for internal or informal use. It is billed at the same $24.95 per page with no word cap.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a deed poll in South Africa?
Changes are made through Home Affairs and recorded in the population register. The approval letter and the amended birth certificate are the documents to submit.
My name changed when I married.
The marriage certificate shows that. A name change document is needed only for changes made through Home Affairs.
My approval letter is in Afrikaans.
Older ones may be. We translate it in full, with the reference number and the date.
Ready to get started?
Upload your documents and receive your certified translation, typically within 24 hours.