What does a Notary do?
A notary is a senior legal practitioner qualified to authenticate, witness and certify original and copy documents for use overseas and internationally.
What is an apostille?
An Apostille is an official government certificate and seal issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) stamped onto the reverse side of a single-page document or attached to multiple paged documents.
An Apostille verifies the seal and signature of the Notary Public.
For an additional administrative fee, we can assist you with obtaining an Apostille from DFAT.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Yes, our notary public services are by appointment only. We take appointments Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm – please complete our online form to request an appointment with Sydney Notary Services.
If your preferred time is not available, please contact us at admin@sydneynotaryservices.com.
Can you arrange an apostille and/or authentication for me?
Yes, we can arrange an apostille or consular authentication on your behalf.
Can the Notary come to me/my office?
Yes, in some circumstances the Notary may be able to visit you. Please note this is reserved for commercial/business clients only, and the Notary charges will be at the hourly rate of $650 + GST.
What should I bring with me to the appointment?
You should bring the document you require to be notarised – if you need to sign a document in front of the notary, make sure this document is unsigned; if you require a certified copy, make sure you bring the original document with you.
You will need a form of photographic ID – such as a passport (Australian or international), Australian Driver’s Licence, KeyPass, Working With Children Check, etc.
Further, if your photographic ID does not have your current residential address on it, you will also need to bring along documentation that contains your current address, such as a utility bill (electricity, phone bill, etc.).
Can you notarise documents that are not in English?
No, unfortunately our Notary can only attest or certify English language documents.
However, we can help arrange for your document to be translated to English prior to your appointment.
I need my university documents notarised – can you assist me?
Yes, we can notarise university documents, however, there can be certain requirements that need to be met when notarising university degrees, awards, transcripts, certificates and letters.
If you require an Apostille or Consular Authentication of your university documents, then prior to notarisation the document must be:
- verified and signed as a ‘true and accurate record’ by the student administration office of the issuing institution; OR
- the award must be verifiable through the university website.
Otherwise, if you do not require Apostillation/Authentication, we can notarise your university documents without further requirements.