In Australia, an apostille is a stamp/certificate issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) certifying that a document is either an original Australian government document or a document that has been notarised by a notary public. Certified copies of original Australian government documents must also be notarised before they can be stamped with an apostille.
An apostille will only be recognised in a country that is a signatory (like Australia) to the Apostille Convention otherwise known as the Hague Apostille Convention or officially known as the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. For more information, please contact DFAT on 1300 935 260 or visit their website smartraveller.gov.au.
Which countries are members of the Apostille Convention?
Countries that are members of the Apostille Convention in alphabetical are as follows (updated 31 August 2021):
Notary public services and apostille services
We also help clients with obtaining an apostille from DFAT on their original Australian government documents or documents that we notarise as part of our notary public services. This apostille service means our clients avoid the hassle and effort of making their own arrangements with DFAT for the apostille.
I don’t need an apostille, I need something else…
If the intended destination country is not a signatory to the Apostille Convention, it will not recognise an apostille. Instead, you must have your document ‘authenticated‘ by DFAT and then legalised by the foreign representative office (ie, consulate or embassy) of the intended destination country. DFAT can authenticate documents that are either original Australian documents or documents that have been notarised by a notary public.
Other FAQs regarding our notary public services
If you have any other questions regarding our notary public services, please contact us or browse our other frequently asked questions:
- What’s a ‘notary public’?
- What does a notary public do?
- What’s the difference between a notary public and a justice of the peace?
- What’s the difference between a notary and a commissioner of oaths?
- What makes you different from other notaries?
- What’s an ‘apostille’?
- What’s the Apostille Convention?
- I’ve been told I need an apostille. Where and how do I get it?
- What’s ‘authentication’?
- Are you recognised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade?
- What’s your experience in providing notary public services?
- Do you provide any services other than notary services?
Do you have any questions regarding this article?
Whether you’re notarising a document for the first time or the hundreth time, the requirements, processes, and terms can be confusing and daunting – or just a pain and a hassle (especially if you need an apostille, or to authenticate or legalise as well). Don’t worry! We’re here to simplify it, explain it, and help you with what you need to achieve it.
Contact us or visit our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about our notary public services. We’ve also created a flowchart to help explain notarisation, apostille, authentication and legalisation.
So, what’s next?
Visit our Notary Fees page for a free quote for our notary public services or just call us on +61 2 9687 8885 to speak with our friendly team about your requirements.
Why choose Phang Legal for your notary public services?
We’re a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney known for our experience and expertise in notarising documents for other countries, our low-cost fixed fees and service offering, and our availability to help on short notice. With our offices conveniently located in Parramatta, the geographic centre of the Sydney metropolitan area, we help clients from across Sydney and beyond with personal, professional and timely notary public services.
Notary Public
This website is maintained by Phang Legal, a boutique law firm in Parramatta and a leading provider of quality notary public services to satisfied clients across Sydney.
Ern Phang is a director of Phang Legal and a notary public (since 2005). Ern regularly writes about his experiences as a notary public and the issues faced by his clients in sending documents to other countries.