By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.
Example: the situation
Harish and Lakshmi's son, Aarav, was born in Blacktown and has an Indian passport that expired last year. They've read that both parents sign Form I, but the VFS checklist also lists copies of passports and other documents, and they aren't sure which of those need a notary.
Most parents renewing a child's Indian passport know that Form I must be signed before a notary in New South Wales. What surprises them is the rest of the application. The checklist often asks for supporting documents as well, and some of those may need a notary too. Let's discuss this in further detail.
Which documents does the VFS checklist ask for with your child's Form I?
The checklist for your child's renewal sets the list, and it's the checklist you should rely on. Form I itself is only needed once the passport has been expired for more than a month. VFS Global lodges the application for the Indian High Commission and Consulates, and the current checklists are on its passport services page (updated July 2026). Download the checklist that matches your application. Check it again just before your appointment in case it has changed.
It helps to think of the application as two sets of papers: Form I itself, which both parents sign, and the supporting documents that go with it. Either set may include something that needs a notary.
Which supporting documents might need notarising?
In our experience, for applicants in New South Wales, any VFS form or supporting document that must be witnessed or certified generally needs an Australian notary public. For a child's renewal, that commonly includes some of these:
- Copies of each parent's passport. Our notary certifies each copy against the original.
- A copy of your child's passport, the one being renewed.
- Your child's Australian birth certificate, if the checklist asks for a certified copy. You keep the original, and the notarised copy goes into the application.
- Any other document the checklist marks as needing to be attested.
We can only notarise a copy when we see the original, so bring originals of everything you want copied.
Do any of your child's renewal documents need an apostille?
Normally, no. These documents are lodged with VFS in Australia rather than sent to an official recipient in India, so notarisation is usually all they need. If the checklist ever says otherwise, follow the checklist.
What to bring to your appointment
- Form I, completed and unsigned, and both parents to sign it.
- Each parent's passport and your child's passport, all originals.
- Your child's original birth certificate, if the checklist needs a copy.
- The checklist, with the documents that need a notary marked.
What next for your child's renewal?
Example: the solution
Harish and Lakshmi marked up the checklist and brought it with the passports, Aarav's birth certificate and the unsigned form. Both signed Form I in front of our notary, who also notarised the passport copies and a copy of the birth certificate. They took everything home that afternoon and lodged Aarav's renewal with VFS the following week.
Get a quote for your child's renewal documents, or ask us on WhatsApp.
About Us
This blog is maintained by Phang Legal, a boutique law firm with offices in Parramatta and Rouse Hill. We help clients from across Sydney and beyond with personal, professional and timely Legal Services, Notary Services and Apostille Services.
As a leading provider of notary services in Sydney, we have 1k+ Google Reviews (4.9) (updated July 2026) with many clients happy to share their experience in using our services.
Phang Legal — Parramatta6/83 George Street
Level 3, 87 Marsden Street (from 1 March 2026)
Parramatta NSW 2150
Phang Legal — Rouse Hill
214/80 Main Street
Rouse Hill NSW 2155
Call 02 9687 8885 | WhatsApp | Request quote
About the author
Ern Phang — Solicitor & Notary Public
This article was written by Ern Phang, a director of Phang Legal, a solicitor since 1998 and a notary public since 2005.
Ern has been a member of the Society of Notaries of NSW since 2005, a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries since 2013, and a member of the Law Society of New South Wales since 1998.
Ern regularly writes about his experiences as a notary public and the practical issues his clients face when sending documents from Australia to India and other countries all over the world.
Using information in this article
This article provides general information. Requirements, forms, fees and service arrangements may have changed since its original publication. Check the receiving organisation’s current requirements and obtain advice relevant to your circumstances.
