By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.
Example: the situation
Harjit has grown a beard since his passport photograph was taken, and VFS has asked for Form J. A justice of the peace at his local shopping centre offers to witness it.
If you live in NSW, Form J for VFS must be signed in front of a notary public. Let's discuss why.
If you live in New South Wales (and you intend to lodge Form J with the VFS office in Sydney), then you cannot sign Form J in front of a justice of the peace. As a NSW resident, Form J must be attested by a notary public. This means you must sign Form J in front of a notary public who will verify your identity and witness your signature.
Form J is required when you have changed your appearance. Sometimes you may have aged (ie, matured) especially if your previous passport photograph was taken when you were a child. Sometimes it's because you previously wore a turban but no longer wear a turban (or you previously didn't but now you do). For some, it's because they've changed their hairstyle or facial hair. Whatever the case may be, if you think you might look different now from what you do (or did before) in your passport photograph, then you may need to submit Form J with whatever other documents you intended to file with VFS.
As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we help many clients with notarising Form J. If you also need help, you must make an appointment, bring your completed Form J with your photograph, and you must sign it in front of our notary public. Our notary public will verify your identity according to your photo identity (ie, passport or driver licence) and witness you sign Form J.
Example: the solution
Harjit made an appointment and brought Form J unsigned with his passport. Our notary public verified his identity, witnessed his signature and notarised Form J for VFS.
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.
