Have you changed your signature?
If you've changed your signature (especially on your passport), VFS may require you to submit a statutory declaration confirming that your signature has changed - especially when you must renew your passport.
What's a statutory declaration?
A statutory declaration is a written statement that you declare is true.
Who can witness a statutory declaration?
In New South Wales, a statutory declaration can be witnessed by a justice of the peace, a lawyer or a notary public.
When does your statutory declaration need to be notarised?
Usually, if you're signing a statutory declaration in Australia but you're sending it to another country (ie, India), then that statutory declaration should be notarised.
If you live in New South Wales and you're submitting documents to VFS, you generally must have those documents attested by a notary public. The requirement for each document differs depending on what it's used for according to the relevant VFS checklist. If you're not sure, it's best to refer to the VFS checklist for the documents required for your application.
If the VFS checklist states that your statutory declaration relating to your change in signature must be attested by a notary public, this means it must be notarised.
To have your statutory declaration notarised, you must sign and declare that the contents of your declaration are true in the presence of a notary public. The notary public will verify your identity (usually according to your passport), witness you sign the declaration, and then notarise your declaration by signing and sealing it with their notary seal.
What can we do for you?
As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we help many clients with attesting documents that they must submit to VFS. If you have changed your signature, then you'll need our help to attest your statutory declaration before submitting it to VFS.
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.
Frequently asked questions regarding our notary public services can also be found at https://www.notary-parramatta.com.au/faqs/.
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.
