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  4. Notarial services (legalising documents) in Australia

Notarial services (legalising documents) in Australia

Last Updated
Friday, 24/02/2023

 

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provides some notarial services in Australia. We deliver these services through the mail and at Australian Passport Offices.

Please note: in-person appointments for legalisation services at the Sydney Passport Office and Melbourne Passport Office are limited due to the current high passport demand. Where possible, submit your legalisation request by post and provide a return envelope (instructions listed as ‘Step 3’ below or select ‘submit by mail’). If you require in-person lodgement due to compassionate circumstances, contact legalisations.australia@dfat.gov.au.

Please note: in-person appointments for legalisation services at the Canberra Passport Office ceased on 11 July 2022 due to the current high passport demand. Legalisation services continue to be offered in Canberra by mail (instructions listed as ‘Step 3’ below or select ‘submit by mail’) or via a document lodgement service.

  • Book an appointment
  • Submit by mail

Explore this page for information about:

  • how to find out if you need your document legalised
  • which documents we can legalise in Australia
  • how to request our notarial services in Australia

This page is for people who need a document legalised in Australia, to use overseas. If you're already overseas, see notarial services overseas.

Do I need to get my documents legalised?

DFAT can't tell you if you must get your documents legalised. You must ask the overseas authority who requested your document.

This means contacting the individual, business, organisation, educational institution or government agency directly. Ask them if you must get your document legalised before they'll accept it.

Documents we can legalise in Australia

We can only legalise Australian public documents:

  • originals issued by Australian government agencies or officials
  • originals issued by Australian tertiary education institutions
  • copies notarised by Australian Notary Publics

We can't legalise any other documents in Australia.

Learn more about documents we can legalise.

For more information or advice about notarial services, email legalisations.australia@dfat.gov.au or contact us online.

How to get your documents legalised in Australia

Step 1: Prepare your documents

Follow these steps before you request our services.

  1. Ask the overseas authority which documents you need legalised. DFAT can't advise you what you need legalised to use in another country.
  2. Confirm the documents are eligible for legalising by DFAT.
  3. Find out if you'll need either an apostille or an authentication for your documents.
  4. Gather your documents.
  5. If your document is not an original Australian public document, take it to an Australian Notary Public to be notarised.

Step 2: Request our services in Australia

We can legalise your documents in Australia by mail or in person.

To request our services, complete the Document legalisation request form.

It's important that you prepare your documents and complete the request form accurately. We don't accept incomplete requests.

Check what documents we will accept.

Step 3: Submit your documents

Option 1: Make an appointment, submit in person

You can submit your documents and forms at any Australian Passport Office. You must make an appointment before attending. Someone can attend on your behalf.

Hours for appointments are 8:30am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.

To make an appointment online please select the office that you would like to attend:

  • Adelaide
  • Brisbane
  • Darwin
  • Hobart
  • Melbourne
  • Perth
  • Sydney

N.B in-person appointments are not available in Canberra. See submit by mail.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) uses third-party software (Setmore) to manage appointments. Your personal information (including your name and contact details) will be collected by DFAT via Setmore to book your appointment and for related purposes. By proceeding with this booking, you are consenting to the collection of this information by Setmore on DFAT’s behalf for these purposes. If this information is not collected, DFAT’s ability to arrange your appointment will be limited. Your personal information will be handled by Setmore in accordance with Setmore’s Privacy Policy, and by DFAT in accordance with DFAT’s Privacy Policy.

Before you attend the appointment, make sure you've prepared everything you need. Bring a credit or debit card with you for payment. If you want your legalised documents returned to you by mail, bring a self-addressed registered post envelope.

If you arrive without something you need, we can't process your request. You'll have to make another appointment and come back.

Option 2: Submit by mail

You can post your documents and forms to us.

  • Send your forms and original documents via registered post.
  • Include your credit card authorisation.
  • Include a self-addressed registered post envelope for its safe return.

Keep a copy of both tracking numbers. We don't take responsibility for documents lost in the mail.

You can send your application to either the Melbourne, Sydney or Canberra passport offices.

Melbourne

Australian Passport Office Authentications Section
GPO Box 2239
MELBOURNE VIC 3001

Sydney

Australian Passport Office Authentications Section
GPO Box 2239
SYDNEY NSW 2001

Canberra

Australian Passport Office Authentications Section
GPO Box 9908
CANBERRA  ACT 2601

Pay the fee

  • Apostille or authentication: $92

Fees increase in line with the consumer price index (CPI) on 1 January each year.

Step 4: We'll process your request

What we do

Our officers will check the signature and seal on your documents against our database.

We verify the signature or seal by issuing an apostille or authentication certificate directly on the document.

We may have to contact the issuing authority. This could cause a delay. We'll tell you if this happens.

How long it takes

Processing times can vary.

Demand increases at the end of the school year and during peak holiday periods. This cause delays. It takes longer if your request is incomplete, or you haven't paid the fee.

Incomplete requests

We don't accept incomplete requests by mail. We'll return your documents via post with a letter telling you what to do next.

Step 5: We'll return your documents with the apostille or authentication certificate

Once we legalise your documents, you can collect them from the Australian Passport Office. Or, we'll send them back to you in the self-addressed envelope you supplied us earlier.

If are unsure of any of the above information please contact us at legalisations.australia@dfat.gov.au

Read more

  • See which documents we can legalise.
  • How to request our notarial services overseas.
  • How to request a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) to Marriage.
  • See our general advice on travelling with children, overseas adoptions and getting married.
  • Understand how and when we can help. Read the Consular Services Charter.

See also

  • Contact the embassy or consulate of the country that issued the overseas document (DFAT).
  • Verify an Australian issued apostille online (DFAT).
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Need to verify an Apostille?

Use our online portal

Verify an apostille

Related content

Notarial services (legalising documents) overseas

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides notarial services overseas. We deliver these services through our embassies and consulates.

View details
Notarial services

The Australian Government can provide some notarial services. The services we provide depends if requested in Australia or overseas. We charge fees for our service.

View details
Documents we can legalise

Foreign authorities may request a document to be issued with an Apostille or an Authentication certificate before they will accept it. This is called ‘legalisation’.

View details

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  • Document Legalisation Request Form (PDF 1.69 MB)

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Emergency consular assistance

The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance.

+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas

1300 555 135 from within Australia

For how we can help you overseas see the Consular Services Charter.

Enquiries and feedback

For non-urgent enquiries, or to provide feedback on consular services that you've recently received, contact us online.

For information on notarial services, email legalisations.australia@dfat.gov.au

For information about Australian visas, contact the Department of Home Affairs.

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For more information go to about us.

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      • LGBTI++
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      • Armed conflict
      • Assault
      • Cyber security
      • Demonstrations
      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • AfricaBrowse destinations in Africa.
    • AmericasBrowse all destinations in the Americas.
    • AsiaBrowse all destinations in Asia.
    • EuropeBrowse all destinations in Europe.
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    • PacificBrowse all destinations in the Pacific.
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Kidnapped
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Scammed
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Demonstration
      • Armed conflict
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Terrorist situation
      • Volcanic eruption
      • Bushfire
      • Nuclear incident
    • Australia's biosecurity and border controls
  • Urgent helpLinks to help
  • Our servicesLinks to services
    • Consular Services Charter
      • Arabic
      • Chinese Simplified
      • Chinese Traditional
      • Indonesian
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • Travel advice explained
    • Subscription
    • Crises
    • Passport services
    • Notarial services
      • Documents
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
      • Notarial forms
    • Voting overseas
    • Communities
      • العربية (Arabic)
      • Bahasa Indonesia
      • 中文 简体 (Chinese Simplified)
      • 中文繁體 (Chinese Traditional)
      • 日本語 (Japanese)
      • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
      • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
      • Filipino community
      • Indian community
    • Resources
      • Consular State of Play
      • CHOICE travel insurance guide
      • Fact sheet: Travel Smart
      • Fact sheet: Missing overseas
      • Fact sheet: Arrested or jailed overseas
      • Fact sheet: Sexual assault overseas
      • Fact sheet: Death overseas
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement