By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.
Example: the situation
Raj lives in Sydney. His brother in Pune is selling a property the family owns, and their lawyer in Pune emails Raj a power of attorney to sign. The email asks for a photograph on the document and an apostille. Raj isn't sure what to bring to the notary.
If you're sending a signed document to India, you must usually sign it in front of a notary public in Australia. With a little preparation, your appointment can go ahead in one visit, without having to come back because something is missing. Here's how to prepare.
What does your recipient in India require?
Your recipient in India must tell you what they require. It's not up to us. For most of our clients, their recipient is a lawyer, bank or government office in India, and their instructions usually cover:
- Who prepares the document. A document for use in India, such as a power of attorney, should be prepared by your lawyer in India or by the organisation that will receive it. We witness your signature and prepare the notary certificate, but we don't draft the Indian document or advise on Indian law.
- Whether you need an apostille. More on the apostille below.
- How the document must be signed. For example, whether every page must be signed or initialled.
Can you get Indian stamp paper in Australia?
No. Indian stamp paper isn't sold in Australia. Your recipient must confirm whether a document printed on ordinary A4 paper is acceptable, and how any stamp duty will be dealt with when it arrives in India.
Do you need witnesses, photographs, copies of passports, or thumb impressions for documents going to India?
If your document needs additional witnesses, they must attend the appointment with you and bring their own photo identification. We can, but usually don't supply witnesses (it costs extra).
Some recipients also want a notarised copy of your passport sent with the document. If yours does, tell us when you book.
Some documents also need your photograph and thumb impression. Section 32A of India's Registration Act 1908 requires photographs and fingerprints for certain documents presented for registration, including property transfers. Your recipient will tell you whether it applies to your document. If it does, bring the photographs with you, and you'll place your thumb impression on the document in front of our notary.
Your photograph and thumbprint on the document is usually included as part of our normal notary services and notary certification, but the s32A form or a separate notary certificate is an additional cost.
Will your document need an apostille for India?
If it's going to a court, a registration office or another government body in India, expect to be asked for one. The apostille is the certificate that lets an Australian notarised document be officially recognised in India, as both countries are signatories to the Apostille Convention. Private recipients, such as family members, often don't ask for it.
Some recipients who don't know about the Convention ask for the document to be attested by the Indian High Commission or Consulate. That's a separate process, which we'll come back to in a later article.
Tell us when you book if you need an apostille. We'll notarise your document first and then obtain the apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
India Power of Attorney: Signing, Notarisation and Sending Process
What to bring to your appointment
- Your current photo identification. Our notary must verify your identity before witnessing your signature.
- The original document, unsigned. You must sign it in front of our notary, not before you arrive.
- Your recipient's instructions. For example, an email from your lawyer, bank or the office in India receiving your document.
- Photographs, if your recipient wants them on the document.
We can photocopy documents in black and white on A4 in our office. Bring your own colour copy if colour is required, and our notary will check it against the original.
What next?
Example: the solution
Raj printed the power of attorney on A4 paper, left it unsigned and booked an appointment. He brought his passport, the printed document, a photograph and the lawyer's email. He signed in front of our notary, who notarised the power of attorney, and we arranged the apostille before Raj collected the document.
Ready to book? Request a quote for your documents going to India, or reach 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.
