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Certified South African Criminal Record Certificate Translation
eVerbary translates your South African criminal record certificate 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.
Police clearance from the SAPS in Pretoria
A South African police clearance certificate is issued by the South African Police Service from its criminal records centre in Pretoria, which holds records for the whole country going back to 1901. It is based on fingerprints, taken on form SAPS 91(a) at a police station in South Africa or by the police where you live abroad, and it states either that no record exists or the offences and sentences recorded.
The certificate is in English, so USCIS and the National Visa Center need no translation of it. What does need translating are court records in Afrikaans from older cases, such as a magistrate's court judgment or charge sheet. See our Afrikaans page and our court translation page.
Names, ID numbers and validity
The certificate is matched to you by fingerprints, but it also carries your name and ID number, which officers compare with your passport. A surname such as Janse van Rensburg may be written in a different form from your US papers; we follow the document and note the passport spelling. See our identity card page.
DIRCO only apostilles original certificates no older than six months, but US offices set their own limits on how recent a certificate must be. Ask the receiving office before applying, because processing takes weeks.
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
My police certificate is in English. Do I need a translation?
No. A SAPS clearance certificate in English goes in as it is.
I am already in the US. How do I apply?
Have your fingerprints taken on form SAPS 91(a) by a local police agency, and submit them to the SAPS directly or through someone in South Africa. Check the current fee and process with the SAPS or a South African consulate.
I have an old conviction recorded in Afrikaans.
The court records about it may be in Afrikaans. We translate them in full, including the case number and the court's stamp.
Ready to get started?
Upload your documents and receive your certified translation, typically within 24 hours.