Notarial Services

Notarial services

 

 

NOTICE:  Client should speak with a consular officer before arranging travel for notarial services. Some notarial services are not available at the Australian Consulate Vancouver or the Australian Consulate-General Toronto and therefore, clients may be required to arrange these notarial services with a consular officer at the Australian High Commission in Ottawa. 

To book an appointment for passport and notarial services in Canada click here.

 

Australian High Commission Ottawa	Australian Consulate-General Toronto	Australian Consulate Vancouver
• Witnessing Commonwealth of Australia Statutory Declarations (Statutory Declarations Act 1959) • Witnessing Australian state and territory statutory declarations (*except for South Australia)	• Witnessing Commonwealth of Australia Statutory Declarations (Statutory Declarations Act 1959) • Witnessing Australian state and territory statutory declarations (*except for South Australia)	• Witnessing Commonwealth of Australia Statutory Declarations (Statutory Declarations Act 1959) • Witnessing Australian state and territory statutory declarations (except for South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia).
• Witnessing the signing of Australian land transfer documents (see details below)	• Witnessing the signing of Australian land transfer documents (see details below)	• Witnessing the signing of Australian land transfer documents (except for Western Australia and in certain circumstances, Victoria.  See details below)
• Witnessing the signing of applications forms for, and issuing of, Certificates of No Impediment (CNI)	• Witnessing the signing of applications forms for, and issuing of, Certificates of No Impediment (CNI)	• Witnessing the signing of applications forms for, and issuing of, Certificates of No Impediment (CNI)
• Witnessing notices of intended marriage	• Witnessing notices of intended marriage	• Witnessing notices of intended marriage
• Witnessing the signing of other Australian forms(where permitted by Australian laws – (see details below)	• Witnessing the signing of other Australian forms(where permitted by Australian laws – (see details below)	• Witnessing the signing of other Australian forms(where permitted by Australian laws – (see details below)
• Perform legalisation of signatures and/or seals through either an authentication or an apostille	• Perform legalisation of signatures and/or seals through either an authentication or an apostille	• Perform legalisation of signatures and/or seals through either an authentication or an apostille
• Certifying true copies of documents or photographs	• Certifying true copies of documents or photographs	• Certifying true copies of documents or photographs
• Swearing of affidavits, oaths or affirmations	• Swearing of affidavits, oaths or affirmations	• NOTE: Swearing of affidavits, oaths or affirmations cannot be performed at the Vancouver Consulate

 
*NOTE: In addition to the above, the Australian diplomatic and consular staff may witness signatures and certify documents under the:

• Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cwth) – usually for the opening of an Australian bank account, where the client must be identified and their forms witnessed, the list of authorised officers is normally displayed on the documents presented for witnessing;
• Australian Consular Officers’ Notarial Powers and Evidence Act 1946 (Qld) for the making of Qld Statutory Declarations or other forms produced by the Queensland government – eg, Drivers Licence renewals;
• Oaths Act 1900 (NSW) for the making of NSW Statutory Declarations or other forms produced by the NSW Government including drivers licence renewals forms.

 

Statutory Declarations for South Australia

Australian Consular Officers cannot witness Statutory Declarations for South Australia. If you require a witness of signature for a Statutory Declaration for South Australia, you should seek alternative authorised officers in your country of residence. Please refer to the Statutory Declaration form for South Australia for further information, including a list of authorised witnesses. For more information please visit: https://www.sa.gov.au/

 

For Land Transfer Documents / Selling or Buying Land or Property in Australia

If you require a verification of identity (VOI) for an Australian property transaction you must attend the mission with the following required items:

• a prepared Client Authorization or mortgage and Certification

• original identification document

• the Subscriber or mortgagee’s written instructions

• the instructions from your legal representative in Australia must also be provided.

The Australian consular officer will provide you with a Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) Certificate of Identity confirming they have witnessed and certified your documents in accordance with the instructions from your legal representative. Where instructions from your legal representative are not provided, the services will be declined.

Full details are available on Smartraveller

 

For all Education Documents

Due to the increased risk of fraud, the following procedures must be followed in order for an education document to be authenticated by an Australian diplomatic/consular mission:

• Only education documents issued by an Australian education institution can be authenticated. Authentication of education documents issued by non-Australian institutions must be pursued through authorities in the country in question.
• The Australian diplomatic/consular mission must be able to verify the identity and status of the Australian education institution before proceeding with the authentication of the document.
• All Australian education documents must be certified by the central Student Administration office of the issuing institution as a 'true and accurate record' before the document can be authenticated. In the event that the relevant institution does not provide this service, the document must be notarised by an Australian Notary Public.
• Only after this certification or notarization has been received, may the Australian diplomatic/consular mission authenticate a tertiary education document.

 

Notices

Notarial service fees to increase from 1 January 2017

Following a recent review by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, notarial services fees will increase from 1 January 2017.

The new fee schedule takes into account the annual rate of inflation in Australia since the fees were last increased (July 2000) and the growing cost of delivering notarial services in an overseas environment.  The new fee schedule aligns with notarial service fees charged by commercial providers and are payable in accordance with the Consular Fees Act 1955. Overseas Consular Officers have no discretion in applying these fees.

Some documents may be witnessed for free by alternative local notarial service providers, such as notary public, police officer or other professionals.  We suggest clients discuss these alternatives with the person/organization requiring the document (such as the bank, solicitor or land transfer agency). Consular Officers cannot provide advice on whether a local alternative notarial service provider will be accepted by the person/organization requiring the document.

In Canada,  fees are payable in Canadian dollars only. Equivalent Canadian dollars fees will be posted on our website on the first working day of each month , and are subject to change based on exchange rates.

Full details are available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s website

 

Notarial Services Notice, effective 05 December, 2014:

A limited range of notarial services are performed by staff employed in Australian Consulates overseas. In accordance with Section 3 of the Consular Fees Act 1955, staff employed in the Australian Consulate in Vancouver can witness all Commonwealth forms and certify supporting documentation for Commonwealth purposes.

Australian states and territories often limit authority to perform these kind of acts to Australian Consular or Diplomatic officers who are ordinarily based in Australia. With the exception of Queensland documents, locally engaged staff at overseas locations are unable to witness signatures for most state and territory forms, including, but not limited to:

•  renewal or applications for Australian state driver’s licenses.

In accordance with the state legislation that regulates these forms, Australian citizens who require someone to witness the signing of these state issued documents are requested to either contact the state or territory government that issued the documents for further advice about who can witness, or arrange an appointment with an Australian Consular Officer or Australian Diplomatic Officer at one of the following locations:

• The Australian High Commission in Ottawa, or
• the Australian Consulate-General in Toronto.

 

Disclosure:

Personal information provided to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is protected by law, including the Privacy Act 1988. We may collect, use and disclose your personal information, including to overseas recipients where we reasonably believe it is necessary, to provide you with consular assistance. Important information about the privacy of your personal information is contained in our Consular Privacy Collection Statement, which you should read and understand. Copies of the Statement are available at http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/consular/privacy.html or by requesting a copy from the Department and/or The Australian High Commission, Ottawa.