We don't make the rules
Many people have asked us about (complained to us about) VFS requirements for their various Indian consular services, including having documents notarised or stamped with an apostille.
Sorry, we don't make the rules. If you have any issues, concerns or complaints about the different requirements that VFS impose on their various Indian consular services, you really need to contact VFS - they make the rules, their own rules.
The bottom line is, if you want VFS to do something for you, then you need to follow their rules and satisfy their requirements. That's it - it's quite simple.
The VFS requirements are contained in their various checklists. If you need to attest a special power of attorney or general power of attorney, there's a specific checklist for that. If you need Indian Drivers Licence Verification, there's a specific checklist for that. If you need to issue a passport or you have damaged your passport and need a replacement, there are specific forms and checklists for them too.
No matter what you require from VFS in the form of Indian consular services, there's a corresponding checklist stating the requirements that you must satisfy in order to receive those services.
IF the checklist says you need to have your documents attested by a notary public, then that's what we do. IF the checklist says you need to have your documents stamped with an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, then that's something we can arrange for you as well.
But if you're not happy with the VFS requirements for whatever Indian consular services you require, there's nothing that we can do about it. We don't make the rules.
We just provide the service
As much as we can't change the system or re-write the rules to suit your preferences, we understand your predicament and try to help you where we can - especially when it comes to notarising documents or arranging for the apostille. Instead of complaining about the requirements, maybe the more constructive approach would be to find out what's required and then trying to satisfy those requirements. If you need help, then call us.
We provide notary public services. In most cases, this means we can witness you sign documents or we can certify copies of documents for submission to VFS. If you also need an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which is required by some consular services, then we can arrange all of that for you as well.
If you're frustrated about the process, we understand - but while we can't change the process, we can look after it for you so that you don't have to be bothered by it. That's the service that we provide.
Indian Drivers Licence Verification
For example, if you've been reading through our blog or read other articles that we've posted over the years, you'll see that we're very familiar with the process known as the Indian Drivers Licence Verification, especially when your name on your Indian Drivers Licence is different to the name that appears on your Indian Passport. In those cases, the IDLV Checklist offers you two options to verify your name/identity and one of those options is to have a notary public confirm that you are the one and the same person and to have that document stamped with an apostille. How VFS interprets that requirement has changed since we started assisting clients with satisfying the requirements in the checklist - and we've also had to change our service offering (not our pricing). To help you satisfy this requirement not only do we provide you with a notary certificate that verifies that you are the one and the same person, but we also prepare an affidavit which you would need to sign at the same time and we provide certified copies of your respective identification documents. Even if you want to try to argue that the requirements set out in the IDLV Checklist don't require all of these documents, it's better to be safe than sorry. It doesn't cost extra to include the additional documents and so we include them to avoid any reason that VFS would or could reject your application because of something that we have or haven't done in terms of the notary public service.
Sounds simple? It is when you take a step back and try to work within the system rather than against it.
So what about the apostille? Do you really need it? Yes and yes. The IDLV Checklist is very clear that you need to have your documents stamped with an apostille. The apostille is only available from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The apostille is confirmation that your documents have been properly notarised by a notary public. That's it.
It doesn't matter how much you want to complain about or resist the requirement (or the cost, time and hassle) of obtaining an apostille, it's a requirement and if you don't satisfy this requirement then VFS will reject your application.
We try to make this process as simple as possible for you and will look after the apostille process for you. We arrange to have your documents stamped with an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and returned to our office for you to collect. If you don't want this service or you don't want to pay for this service, you can always make your own arrangements. It's actually very simple. But if you want our help, that's why we're here - to help. We can look after that whole process for you from the notary certificate, the notarised affidavit, certified copies of your identification documents, and the apostille.
What next?
To obtain a quote on our notary public services for India, please visit https://www.notary-parramatta.com.au/notary-fees/.
Acknowledgements
This blog is supported and maintained by Phang Legal. Phang Legal is a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney. With offices conveniently located in Parramatta, Phang Legal supports and services the Indian community across Sydney with readily available and easily accessible notary public services at highly competitive rates.
For more information regarding notary public services for documents going to India, view our notary publications at https://www.notary-parramatta.com.au/jurisdiction/india-notary/.
Frequently asked questions regarding our notary public services can also be found at https://www.notary-parramatta.com.au/faqs/.
For Hindi to English translation services by NAATI accredited translators, see https://hindi-naati-translation.blogspot.com.au/.
Ern Phang
Notary Public
Ern Phang is the solicitor director of Phang Legal and a notary public. Ern regularly writes about his experiences as a notary public, including the kinds of problems and solutions that his clients face when sending documents to India.
IMPORTANT: the information in this article is correct at the time of publication, however the law constantly changes. This means you should always refer to the most recent articles because we try to update this blog on a regular basis with the most current information.
