By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.
Example: the situation
Swati and her husband are applying to VFS for a new Indian passport for their son. Form I must be signed in front of a justice of the peace or a notary public, and they can't find a justice of the peace available before their VFS appointment.
Form I can be witnessed by a justice of the peace or a notary public. Let's discuss your options.
VFS links and resources — Updated July 2026. Links in this article have been updated to the resources listed in our July 2026 VFS update and the VFS India website for Australia. Use the relevant VFS checklist for current requirements. This note concerns links and resources; the rest of this article has not been comprehensively reviewed.
Justice of the Peace or a Notary Public for Form I
If you're applying for a new Indian Passport from VFS for your child, one of the documents you must provide is a declaration known as FORM I. This document must be declared and signed by the child's parents in front of a justice of the peace or a notary public.
Using a justice of the peace is a free service - however, have you had problems in locating a justice of the peace?
If you can't find a justice of the peace, you can always use the services of a notary public. The difference between a justice of the peace for the purpose of FORM I is that while the justice of the peace is a free service, the notary public is not a free service.
If you need to apply for a new Indian Passport from VFS for your child, you can sign FORM I in front of a notary public if you cannot find a justice of the peace.
What next?
Example: the solution
Swati and her husband booked with our notary public instead. They both signed Form I in front of our notary public, who witnessed their signatures and notarised it, and they lodged it with VFS on time.
To obtain a quote on our notary public services for India, please visit
Request a notary quote.
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 — Parramatta
6/83 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.
