Legalisations

Legalisations (Authentications and Apostilles)

The Australian government legalises documents by issuing either an apostille or authentication certificate to the original document. We can legalise Australian documents for use overseas (not foreign documents).

Legalisation is the process where we verify the signature, seal or stamp on a document. We compare it to what we have on record. Once we confirm the match, we attach an apostille or authentication certificate to the original document. Ask the receiving foreign authority what they need.

 

Documents we can legalise

We can legalise many types of documents for use overseas. Documents must be Australian public documents. This means documents that are:

• originals issued by an Australian government agency or official
• originals issued by an Australian educational institution
• copies notarised by an Australian Notary Public

We can only legalise private documents once they have been notarised by an Australian Notary Public. If a document is notarised, it becomes a 'public document'.

Please visit Smartraveller for further information on the types of public documents we can legalise.

 

Prepare your documents for legalisation overseas

1. Ask the overseas (foreign) authority which documents they need. Ask them which ones you must also get legalised. Consulate staff cannot advise clients of foreign requirements.
2. Find out if you will need either an apostille or an authentication for your documents. Consulate staff cannot advise.
3. Confirm the documents are eligible for legalising by DFAT. If in doubt, contact us first.
4. If your documents are not eligible as-is, you may need to get them notarised first. Find a Notary Public in Australia. Send your document to them. Once notarised, we can legalise it.
5. Gather your documents. Check if there are any special requirements for your type of document.

 

Is an appointment required?

Most legalisations can be completed by mail (except, most digital documents accessible via an online portal, require an in-person appointment - see below).

How to provide your documents by mail:

• Print and complete this Notarial Services Request and Payment Form. 

Processing times are 2 business days. Your documents can either be mailed to you (Swiss address only - postage fees apply) or arrange to collect when the documents are ready (by appointment only).

 

How to book an appointment?

All notarial appointments are held in Geneva only (not Bern or Zurich) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The current waiting time for an appointment is 1-2 weeks - please advise us if your request is urgent.

Appointments can only be made by sending an email to: [email protected] (click this email link to auto-populate the below required information in your email).

Please provide the following in your email:

1. Title your email subject with: “Last name”, “First Name” – Notarial Appointment
2. Your full name, contact phone number and email address
3. The full name of anyone else requiring the same service
4. Preferred 'day' (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday) and ‘time’ (morning/afternoon preference)
5. Where you will be coming from
6. Specific details of the notarial service you require: Full instructions from the requesting authority must be provided before an appointment can be scheduled. Please attach these details to your appointment request email.

 

Electronic Documents

If your original document is electronic, you must provide your document in its original electronic form. DFAT can only issue an Authentication or Apostille certificate on a copy we have printed ourselves directly from the source. Scanned copies are not electronic documents for our purposes and cannot be accepted.

• Online portal: You must log in to the online portal while at an in-person appointment to prove the authenticity of the document. Then forward the document to us by email during the appointment.
• Emailed to us: You can ask the issuing authority to send the electronic document directly to us by email. This does not require an in-person appointment.

 

Digital Australian Federal Police (AFP) Certificates

Digital National Police Certificates issued by the AFP may be submitted by email.

To request a legalisation, please forward the original AFP email containing the digital certificate link together with this completed Notarial Services Request and Payment Form. 

 

Australian Divorce Orders

Australian divorce orders granted on or after 13 February 2010 are issued electronically and include an electronic seal and signature. The electronic version is the only official record issued by the Court. Paper copies are no longer issued by the Court, and the Consulate is unable to provide copies.

For privacy and security reasons, the Consulate cannot access online court portals on your behalf. If you require a legalisation on the electronic divorce order you must come in-person and access the online court portal during the appointment.

To obtain or access a divorce order, you must contact the relevant court directly:

• Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia: Register online via Court portal. For further information see Proof of divorce (divorce order) | Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
• Family Court of Western Australia: Register online via the eCourt Portal of Western Australia. For further information see Acknowledge Conditions Of Use - eCourts Portal

 

Original University Documents

Your university must first verify your degree before we can legalise it.

If you are getting the original legalised, you can verify your university documents by:

• contacting your university to have a verification stamp applied to the documents
• accessing a copy of the document from your My eQuals account for verification or similar online portal
• arranging for your university to email verification directly to the relevant Australian embassy, high mission, consulate or the Australian Passport Office. The university must include a copy of the document in the email.

If you are getting a copy legalised, an Australian Notary Public must:

• get the copy verified by the university
• state that 'the original record has been verified with the issuing institution'. A statement that the document is a 'true copy' will not meet this requirement.

Legalisation via My eQuals account

This service can be requested by mail. You must first provide the Consulate access to your document(s) from your My eQuals account for verification. Then send us the My eQuals access authorisation together with this completed Notarial Services Request and Payment Form.