Issuing Apostilles
An Apostille is a certificate that verifies the origin of a document. This must be done on all official documents produced by government agencies or other institutions of public trust that bear the coat of arms or seal of the Republic of Namibia or another state that has ratified the Convention. A public document's provenance must be verified before it can be utilised in another nation.
According to the Hague Convention on 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirements of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, apostille certificates are provided. This Convention was joined by Namibia on January 30, 2001. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and the Registrar of the High Court have been selected to issue Apostilles on behalf of the Republic of Namibia because Namibia is a party to this Convention.
When a public document needs to be utilised in a country that is not a signatory to the Convention, the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation uses the legalisation process to verify the document's provenance.
What is a public document in terms of the Convention?
•    Documents emanating from an authority, or an official connected with the courts or tribunals of the State; including those emanating from a public prosecutor, a clerk of court or a process-server;
•    Administrative documents;
•    Notarial Acts;
•    Official certificates which are placed on documents signed by persons in their private capacity, such as official certificates recording the registration of document
•    or the fact that it was in existence on a certain date and official and notarial authentications of signatures.
Where applications may be made for Apostilles?
Applications for apostilles may be made to the Directorate: Legal Services in the Ministry of Justice and the Registrar of the High and Supreme Court of Namibia.
Procedure to be followed in applying for apostilles at the Directorate Legal Services
Apostilles processed by the Directorate Legal Services are issued by the Permanent Secretary or the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice.
Applicants for Apostilles on Public documents are required to complete an application form which can be collected from our offices on the 1st floor, Rooms 138-144, Ministry of Justice, Head Office, Justitia Building, Independence Avenue.
Applicants must:
•    Provide the full names, surname and capacity of the person who signed the document;
•    Attach the original document on which they want an Apostille to be issued.
•    In the case of an ID or Passport, only copies certified by a Notary Public will be accepted.
Kindly take note that as per the terms of the Hague Convention we only issue Apostilles on Namibian public documents bearing the seal/stamp of the Republic of Namibia. Namibian documents that are not issued by the Republic of Namibia can nevertheless be notarized by the Registrar of the High Court of Namibia.
Documents which may be presented to the Registrar are as follows:
•    High and Supreme Court documents and Notarial Certificates
•    All public documents issued by any O/M/A or body other than the High or the Supreme Court or a Notary Public must be submitted to the Directorate of Legal Services.
Contact Details
1.    Registrar of the High Court of Namibia,
Main Division, General Office,
High Court Building,
corner of John Meinert and Luderitz Street,
WINDHOEK Tel: 061 292 1253/4

2.    Registrar of the High Court of Namibia,
Main Division, SADC Building,
corner of John Meinert and Robert Mugabe Street,
WINDHOEK
Tel: 061 292 1353
Application forms for an Apostille by the Registrar may be downloaded from the website www.ejustice.moj.na, under High Court forms and Precedents.
Application made to both the Directorate of Legal Services and the Registrar for an Apostille may not be done through e-mail or fax, because the original documents must be submitted.
Apostilles issued by both the Directorate of Legal Services and the Registrar are done free of charge.