South Sudan works in English and draws on common law, so a power of attorney is a recognisable instrument and needs no translation. What it does need is realism about whether the office, court or registry on the other end is currently able to act on it.
Quick facts
Land is the area needing most care. South Sudanese law recognises community land alongside public and private land, and most rural holdings fall into the first category, where decisions involve the community rather than an individual owner.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Consular act | Consular tariff | Ask the consular section |
| U.S. notarisation | $5–$25 per signature | First step |
| State and federal certification | $3–$25 plus $20 | Before the consular step |
| Lawyer’s fees in South Sudan | Agreed with the firm | Drafting and completion |
| Translation | Not applicable | English is official |
Inheritance files usually involve several relatives, and with a diaspora spread across North America, Australia and the region, coordinating them is the slow part.
How to apply
- Ask the lawyer in South Sudan what the matter actually requires.
- Establish whether the land is community, public or private.
- Check that the relevant office or court is currently functioning.
- Collect the identity details of everyone named.
- Have the document notarised and certified, then submit to the embassy.
- Send the original tracked and keep a scan.
Required documents
- South Sudanese passport or nationality certificate.
- The wording required by the lawyer in South Sudan.
- Full details of the person receiving the authority.
- Land or case references where they exist.
- Evidence of relationship for inheritance matters.
- Payment in the accepted form.
Where to apply
At the embassy on Vermont Avenue in Washington, on its three opening days.
No offices currently listed.
Additional notes
Check it can be used
Before drafting anything, establish whether the office involved is currently operating where the property is. It saves preparing a document nobody can act on.
Community land
Most rural land is held communally, so authority over "the family land" may not mean what an overseas relative assumes.
Be specific
Name the asset and the acts authorised as precisely as the records allow.
Revocation
Revoking requires a further instrument through the same route, with notice to whoever holds the original.