Notary Public
K
atelin Whitley is a Notary Public and provides a comprehensive range of essential documentation services to individual and international businesses under her own official seal.
Notary public services are required when documents need to be recognised overseas and includes the legalisation, authentication, and Apostille of documents for use overseas.
At your appointment Katelin will:
- Discuss your requirements
- Help you understand the notarisation process and authentication and legalisation that may be required depending on the country in which the documents are required
- Explain the costs for your document notarisation and any fees payable to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Notarise your documents. This involves signing and sealing each page and preparing a special certificate called a Notary Public Certificate which is bound to your document.
What to bring to your appointment
- Please bring your formal identity documents, such as a current passport, driver licence, birth certificate, and marriage certificate (if you have changed your name due to marriage).
- To notarise your documents Katelin must be satisfied that you fully understand the document to be notarised and understand the document’s effect when sent abroad.
- Please note that if you require legal advice on the document to be notarised, this is a separate function and will need to be undertaken before notarisation.
Overseas Documents
Ensuring that a document is legal for overseas use depends on the requirements of each country and may involve:
- A one-step process involving simply notarising the document and sending it overseas;
- A two-step process where the country is a member of the Hague Convention. The document is notarised and is then sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to affix an Apostille stamp before the document is sent overseas;
- A three-step process where the country is not a member of the Hague Convention. The document is notarised and is then sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to legalise the document. Then the document is submitted to the receiving country’s consulate or embassy in Australia to complete the legalisation process. The document can then be sent overseas.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I need a document notarised?
You may need a document notarised when it needs to be recognised in another country, such as for international business transactions, property matters, education, or personal documents like powers of attorney. Notarisation can include the legalisation, authentication and Apostille of documents for use overseas.
What is an Apostille and when do I need one?
An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates a document for use in a country that is a member of the Hague Convention. If the receiving country isn't a member, a different three-step legalisation process applies instead, involving the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the receiving country's consulate or embassy in Australia.
What should I bring to my notary appointment?
Please bring your formal identity documents, such as a current passport, driver licence, birth certificate, and marriage certificate if you've changed your name due to marriage. Katelin will explain the notarisation process, any authentication or legalisation required for your destination country, and the applicable fees before proceeding.
Can Bestic Law notarise documents for use overseas?
Yes. Notary Public services are exactly this: helping individuals and businesses ensure their documents are properly recognised overseas. Katelin Whitley will notarise your documents by signing and sealing each page and preparing a Notary Public Certificate bound to your document, ready for use internationally.