Terms of Use

1. Who we are

1.1 GlobeCerti (Pty) Ltd (Registration No. 2025/596006/07) (“GlobeCerti”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is a document authentication and apostille coordination company based in Cape Town, South Africa. GlobeCerti is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal services.

1.2 Where legal or notarial services are required as part of your order — including notarial certified copies, notarial authentications, affidavits, and powers of attorney — those services are performed separately by Semira Hristov Inc (Registration No. 2026/346865/21), an appropriately authorised legal practice regulated by the Legal Practice Council, or by another appropriately qualified and authorised legal practitioner or notary. GlobeCerti coordinates and administers these services on your behalf; it does not itself perform legal or notarial acts.

1.3 Where a conflict of interest could arise between GlobeCerti's and Semira Hristov Inc's respective roles, this is managed and disclosed in accordance with Semira Hristov Inc's professional obligations under the Legal Practice Act. Nothing in these Terms affects the independent professional judgment of any legal practitioner or notary involved in your order.

2. Acceptance of these terms

2.1 These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the GlobeCerti website, the Document Route Finder, and any service you order from us. By using this website or placing an order, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and our Refund and Cancellation Policy, each of which forms part of this agreement.

2.2 If you are using our services on behalf of a company, organisation, or another individual, you confirm that you have the authority to bind that party to these Terms.

2.3 You must be at least 18 years old, or have the consent of a parent or guardian, to place an order with us.

3. Our services

3.1 GlobeCerti coordinates the authentication, verification, apostille, and legalisation of documents, including but not limited to DIRCO Apostille, High Court Apostille, notarial certified copies, notarial copy and signature authentications, affidavits and powers of attorney, Umalusi verification, Department of Basic Education (DBE) verification, and SAQA verification. Current services and pricing are published on our website and are subject to change without prior notice, except in respect of orders already placed and confirmed.

3.2 The Document Route Finder on our website provides general guidance only, based on the information you provide. It is not a substitute for the requirements of the specific receiving authority, institution, or embassy that will ultimately receive your document, and final requirements are always determined by that recipient, not by GlobeCerti.

3.3 We aim to respond to enquiries and confirm orders the same working day, and to provide realistic turnaround estimates based on the currently published timelines of DIRCO, the relevant court, SAQA, Umalusi, DBE, or the relevant embassy. These estimates are not guarantees, and actual turnaround depends on factors outside our control, including the receiving authority's own processing times, courier and postal service delays, and public holidays.

4. Your responsibilities

4.1 You are responsible for ensuring that any document you submit to us is genuine, complete, accurate, lawfully obtained, and suitable for its intended purpose. You warrant that you have the legal right to submit the document for the service requested.

4.2 You are responsible for providing accurate contact, delivery, and payment information, and for promptly responding to requests for clarification, additional documents, or instructions during the course of your order.

4.3 You must not use our services for any unlawful purpose, including submitting fraudulent, forged, altered, or stolen documents, or attempting to obtain authentication of a document you know or suspect to be invalid. We reserve the right to refuse, suspend, or cancel any order where we reasonably suspect fraudulent or unlawful conduct, and to report such conduct to the relevant authorities.

4.4 Where a document is intended for use by, or relates to, a minor (for example, a travel consent letter or permission letter), you confirm that you have the necessary parental responsibility, consent, or legal authority to submit that document on the minor's behalf.

4.5 Reliance on customer information. GlobeCerti is entitled to rely on the accuracy and completeness of the information and documents you supply. GlobeCerti is not responsible for any delay, rejection, additional cost, unsuccessful application, or other consequence arising from information that is inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, or that changes after you have submitted it to us.

4.6 Right to decline or discontinue an order. In addition to clause 4.3, GlobeCerti may decline to accept, or may discontinue, an order where it reasonably believes that the requested service cannot lawfully or properly be performed, that a document does not meet the requirements of the relevant receiving authority, that your instructions are materially incomplete or contradictory, or that continuing would expose GlobeCerti or any appointed service provider to legal, regulatory, or reputational risk.

5. No guarantee of acceptance by third parties

5.1 An apostille, authentication, or verification confirms the genuineness of a signature, seal, or the authority of the official who signed the underlying document. It does not guarantee that a foreign authority, embassy, employer, educational institution, court, or other recipient will accept the underlying document for its intended substantive purpose. GlobeCerti is not responsible for a recipient's decision to reject, query, or impose further requirements on a document that has been correctly authenticated, verified, or apostilled.

5.2 You are solely responsible for determining the requirements applicable to your intended use of a document, including the requirements of any foreign government, embassy, consulate, court, educational institution, employer, or immigration authority. GlobeCerti may provide guidance based on the information you supply and on publicly available requirements, but that guidance is not a guarantee of acceptance, and you remain responsible for confirming final requirements with the intended recipient where necessary.

6. Pricing and payment

6.1 All prices displayed on our website are in South African Rand and may be updated from time to time. The price applicable to your order is the price displayed and accepted at the time the order is confirmed. Where a service includes a third party fee (for example, SAQA's own tariff), this is disclosed to you separately before you make payment.

6.2 Payment is processed through PayFast, an independent third-party payment gateway. By making payment, you also agree to PayFast's own terms and conditions. GlobeCerti does not store your full card details.

6.3 By placing an order and requesting that we begin processing immediately, you consent to GlobeCerti commencing work before expiry of any statutory cooling-off period that might otherwise apply, as described in our Refund and Cancellation Policy.

6.4 Cancellations, refunds, and the treatment of amounts paid to third parties on your behalf are governed by our Refund and Cancellation Policy, which forms part of these Terms.

6.5 Changes after submission. Once an order has been submitted, lodged, dispatched, or otherwise processed, GlobeCerti cannot guarantee that a change you request can be accommodated. Any additional work, retrieval, re-lodgement, amendment, courier, or third party cost arising from a change you request after submission may be charged separately.

7. Courier and delivery

7.1 Where physical documents are couriered to or from you, we use third-party courier providers and take reasonable care in selecting them, but we are not liable for loss, theft, or delay caused by a courier or postal service once the document has left our possession, except to the extent caused by our own negligence in the handling or dispatch of the item.

7.2 Where you provide GlobeCerti with an original document, GlobeCerti will take reasonable care of that document while it is in GlobeCerti's possession. You should retain a copy or scan of any original document before sending it to us. Where an original document is required to be submitted to a receiving authority, it may remain outside GlobeCerti's possession while being processed by that authority, and GlobeCerti is not liable for loss or delay occurring while the document is in the custody of that authority.

7.3 Unclaimed or undeliverable documents. You are responsible for providing an accurate delivery address and for receiving documents delivered to the address you nominate. Where a document is returned to GlobeCerti because of an incorrect address, a failed delivery, a refusal to accept delivery, a failure to collect, or another circumstance attributable to you, any additional courier, storage, redelivery, or administrative cost may be charged to you.

8. Intellectual property

8.1 All content on the GlobeCerti website — including text, graphics, logos, icons, the Document Route Finder tool, and its underlying design and functionality — is owned by or licensed to GlobeCerti and is protected by South African and international intellectual property law.

8.2 You may view and use the website for your own personal or business purpose of ordering our services, but you may not copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from any part of the website or its content without our prior written consent.

9. Acceptable use

You must not: attempt to gain unauthorised access to our website, systems, or data; interfere with or disrupt the operation of our website; use automated means (including bots or scrapers) to access or extract content from our website without permission; upload any material that is unlawful, defamatory, or infringes the rights of any third party; or use our services to facilitate identity theft, fraud, or any other unlawful activity.

10. Third-party websites and services

10.1 Our website may contain links to third-party websites (including DIRCO, SAQA, Umalusi, DBE, courier providers, and PayFast) for your convenience. We do not control and are not responsible for the content, availability, or practices of these third-party websites or services. Your use of any third-party website or service is subject to that third party's own terms and privacy practices.

10.2 Third party information. Where GlobeCerti relies on information, requirements, forms, processing times, or procedures published or communicated by a government department, court, educational institution, embassy, courier provider, or other third party, GlobeCerti is not responsible for any subsequent change, inaccuracy, or omission by that third party.

11. Privacy and data protection

Our collection, use, and storage of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains how we comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). By using our services, you agree to the processing of your personal information as described in that Policy.

12. Availability of the website

We aim to keep our website available and functioning correctly, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access. We may suspend, restrict, or withdraw access to the website, in whole or in part, for maintenance, security, or other operational reasons, without incurring any liability for doing so.

13. Disclaimers

13.1 GlobeCerti will provide its services with reasonable care and skill and in accordance with applicable law. Except for rights and warranties that cannot lawfully be excluded, GlobeCerti does not warrant that the website or any third-party service will be uninterrupted, or that a document will be accepted by a particular receiving authority.

13.2 Nothing on our website, in our marketing, or in any communication from us constitutes legal advice. Where you require legal advice specific to your circumstances, you should consult a qualified attorney.

14. Limitation of liability

14.1 Subject always to applicable law and any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, GlobeCerti's total aggregate liability to you arising out of or in connection with an order, whether in contract, delict, negligence, or otherwise, is limited to the amount you paid to GlobeCerti for that specific order.

14.2 To the maximum extent permitted by law, GlobeCerti will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or economic loss, including loss of profit, or loss of opportunity, arising from a receiving authority's, embassy's, employer's, or institution's decision to reject or delay a document, even where GlobeCerti has been advised of the possibility of such loss.

14.3 Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under the Consumer Protection Act, 2008, or any other applicable law, including liability for gross negligence, fraud, or wilful misconduct.

14.4 This clause 14 does not limit the professional liability of Semira Hristov Inc or any other legal practitioner or notary for the performance of a legal or notarial act, which is governed by the applicable professional rules and any separate engagement with that practitioner.

15. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold GlobeCerti, its directors, employees, and appointed service providers harmless against any claim, loss, damage, cost, or expense (including reasonable legal costs) arising from: your breach of these Terms; your submission of a fraudulent, forged, or unlawfully obtained document; your provision of false or misleading information; or your unlawful use of our website or services. This indemnity does not apply to the extent a claim arises from GlobeCerti's own negligence, fraud, or wilful misconduct.

16. Force majeure

GlobeCerti will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform its obligations where this results from circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disaster, civil unrest, government action, industrial action, courier or postal service disruption, or failure of a third-party system (including a receiving authority's own systems or PayFast's payment gateway).

17. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to our website or services, or decline to process an order, at any time and without liability, where we reasonably believe you have breached these Terms, engaged in fraudulent or unlawful conduct, or where we are required to do so by law or by a receiving authority. Clauses which by their nature are intended to survive termination (including clauses 8, 14, 15, and 20) will continue to apply.

18. Confidentiality

We treat information and documents you share with us as confidential, and we only disclose them to the extent necessary to perform the service you have requested — including to Semira Hristov Inc, the relevant receiving authority, and our courier providers — or as required by law. Further detail is set out in our Privacy Policy.

19. Complaints and dispute resolution

19.1 If you have a complaint about our services, please contact us first at info@globecerti.co.za or 067 554 1293 so that we can try to resolve it directly.

19.2 If a complaint relates to the handling of your personal information, you may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

19.3 If a dispute cannot be resolved directly, either party may refer the matter to mediation before pursuing formal legal proceedings and the parties will act reasonably and in good faith in attempting to resolve the dispute through mediation before litigating.

20. Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. You and GlobeCerti agree to submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of South Africa in respect of any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of our services.

21. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services, technology, or legal requirements. The version published on our website at the time you place an order will apply to that order. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

22. General

22.1 Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be severed, and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

22.2 Entire agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and GlobeCerti in relation to your use of our website and services, and supersede any prior agreement or understanding.

22.3 No waiver. A failure by GlobeCerti to enforce any provision of these Terms is not a waiver of its right to do so later.

22.4 Assignment. You may not transfer or assign your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. GlobeCerti may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

22.5 Order of precedence. In the event of any inconsistency between these Terms and the Refund and Cancellation Policy, the Refund and Cancellation Policy will govern questions concerning cancellations and refunds. The Privacy Policy governs the processing of personal information. Any separate written professional engagement relating to legal or notarial services governs those professional services to the extent of any inconsistency with these Terms.

23. Contact us

GlobeCerti (Pty) Ltd
Ground Floor, Lutomburg Building, 2 Leeuwen Street, Cape Town 8001, South Africa.
Email Tel: +27 67 554 1239.