By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.
Example: the situation
Lalitha's lawyer in India asks for her documents to be 'notary attested and consularised'. She has no idea whether that means one step or three.
The terms people use for notarisation can be confusing. Let's discuss what they mean and what to ask your lawyer.
People often ask us about having their documents 'notarised' or 'attested' by a notary public or by the Indian Consulate, but what does that even mean?
In most cases, they don't know because that's just what their lawyer in India has asked and in this article, we discuss the meanings and give you tips on what you should be asking your lawyer in India to understand the exact requirement.
Notary. Notarised. Notarisation. Notary attested.
Many people use this word as both a noun and as a verb. But the simple fact is that a notary public is a position, title or a role - but it's not a verb. The verb is notarise, which means this is something that the notary public does. For example, the notary public notarises a document. But even the term 'notarisation' can include many different things.- A notary public witnessing you sign a document.
- A notary public certifying a copy of a document.
- A notary public verifying the authenticity or information contained within a document.
- A notary public providing a notary certificate confirming a certain fact.
What about attested?
Occasionally, you may also hear the word 'attest' or 'attested' - but what does this mean? The word 'attest' specifically means that it something is declared to be true or is the evidence of truth. At the heart of what a notary public does is to provide confirmation of facts, whether that's to confirm someone's identity and to witness that they are the person signing a document, or it's to confirm that a document is a certified copy of an original document. Again, the word 'attest' or 'attested' is used in many different context but alone doesn't provide certainty as to what's specifically required.
And consularise?
Is 'consularise' an actual word/verb? Many clients ask for documents to be consularised which presumably means they want it to be stamped by the consulate. In Australia, the consular services for the Indian Government has been outsourced to VFS. In many cases, before VFS will stamp your document, it will need to be notarised by a notary public and sometimes also stamped with an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
As both India and Australia are members of the Apostille Convention (see more here), then documents from Australia stamped with an apostille will be recognised in India. However, often despite this official position, some people in India will still want the document to be stamped by VFS before it will be accepted in India.
So what should you ask for?
As you can see, some of these terms aren't actually real words - and that makes it confusing when clients ask for help.
A good idea is to think that when you need notary public services, you need to clearly state whether it involves a person (ie, identifying someone, witnessing their signature, taking an oath or affirmation) or it involves the contents of the document and not specifically the person (ie, certifying a copy, verifying the information).
The difference between the two kinds of service will determine what steps need to happen in order to notarise or attest the documents.
What next?
To obtain a quote on our notary public services for India, please visit Request a notary quote.Example: the solution
Lalitha asked her lawyer exactly what each step involved. Our notary public witnessed her signature and notarised the document, and she then followed her lawyer's instructions on the Consulate step.
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.
