By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.
Example: the situation
Anjali heard that VFS changed its forms in August 2020 and assumes the IDLV changed too. Her licence and passport show different names, and she doesn't want to prepare the wrong documents.
Not every VFS change affected the IDLV. Let's check what the checklist actually requires.
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.
As many of you may have found out, VFS has changed a few of their forms as of 31 August 2020 and these changes impose a greater obligation (and cost) on people attempting to do various things like apply for or renew passports and other consular services. Despite this, the Indian Drivers Licence Checklist (IDLV Checklist) is still the same as it has been since 30 April 2020.
If your name on your Indian Drivers Licence and your Indian Passport are different, in order to obtain the Indian Drivers Licence Verification you must satisfy the IDLV Checklist requirements under the following options:
Option 1:
Have a Public Notary in Australia confirms that both names [name on License and on the Passport] clearly stated in full on the affidavit belong to one and the same person.
- This document must then be apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Office [DFAT] in Australia.
- Once the apostille stamp is completed, the India Driver License Verification Application form may be submitted at an Indian passport and visa services centre along with a copy of this apostilled document.
- The License Verification Certificate will only be issued in the name as it appears on the License.
Option 2:
Have an affidavit made from the court in India, confirming that both names [Name on License and on the Passport] clearly stated in full on the affidavit belong to one and the same person.
- Have this notarised in India.
- Notarised affidavit can be signed ONLY by the applicant or father / mother of applicant. In case affidavit is signed by Father / Mother of applicant, a copy of passport / Pan Card of signatory needs to be provided.
- The Original Affidavit must then be attested by the Consulate/ High Commission. This service is to be done first as a miscellaneous service at Indian Passport and Visa Services Centre. (https://services.vfsglobal.com/aus/en/ind/consular-services)
- Once the affidavit attestation is completed, the Indian Driver’s License verification application form may be submitted at an Indian Passport and Visa Services Centre along with a copy of this affidavit.
- The License Verification Certificate will only be issued in the name as it appears on the License.
How are we doing things different now?
Despite the IDLV checklist being unchanged, it appears that VFS has taken a new approach to reviewing all documents and applications - including the applications for the Indian Driver Licence Verification. Accordingly, we have added an extra 'affidavit' to our existing notary certificate package with certified copies of the Indian Passport and Indian Driver Licence.
What can we do for you?
As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we've assisted many people within the Indian community with converting their Indian Drivers Licence to a NSW Drivers Licence through the IDLV process. We do this by providing a notary certificate confirming that they are the one and the same person in both their licence and their passport despite the name difference. Our notary certificate satisfies OPTION 1 of the IDLV Checklist.
While OPTION 2 requires a 'notarised affidavit signed by the applicant', OPTION 1 requires 'confirmation by the public notary' and the notary certificate that we provide would not be signed by the applicant (ie, it's not a self-declaration or a self-certification by the applicant, rather than confirmation by us that the applicant is the one and the same person).
Our notary certificate can also be stamped with an apostille by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) which is also a requirement for OPTION 1 of the IDLV Checklist. A 'notarised affidavit', presumably done in India, in accordance with OPTION 2 cannot be stamped with an apostille by DFAT.
What next?
To obtain a quote on our notary public services for India, please visit Request a notary quote.Example: the solution
Anjali checked the IDLV checklist and chose Option 1. Our notary public confirmed in her affidavit that both names, set out in full, belong to her, and we arranged the apostille with DFAT.
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.
