Can't contact DFAT or VFS?

We're a notary public service. We're not the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). We're not VFS. We're not the Indian Consulate.

As a notary public service, we can help you attest and notarise your documents, and we can also arrange for the apostille from DFAT. We don't issue the apostille - DFAT is the only authority that can issue the apostille in Australia.

If you can't contact DFAT, or if you can't contact VFS or the Indian Consulate, there's no point in contacting us to complain. We can't help you to contact them and we can only help you by arranging for the apostille from DFAT.

For some reason, we receive many calls from people asking us questions about DFAT or VFS. Sometimes they ask us to provide them with the contact phone number for DFAT or VFS. If you really want to contact DFAT or VFS, then you would have called the wrong number if you called us.

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.

Power of Attorney for India - Notarisation and Apostille

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Smita wants her cousin to manage her rental property in Pune. She's thinking of asking an Australian lawyer to write the power of attorney, as that seems easier.

A power of attorney for India is best prepared by a lawyer in India. Let's discuss notarisation and the apostille.

You need a power of attorney if you want to appoint someone in India to act on your behalf.

If you're signing the power of attorney in Australia, then your signature should be witnessed by a notary public. The notary public can then notarise your power of attorney. As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we help many clients with notarising their power of attorney so that it can be used in India.

Who writes your power of attorney?

Preferably, your lawyer in India will prepare the power of attorney for you, and they can advise you whether you require a general power of attorney or a special power of attorney. They can also advise you whether your power of attorney must be printed on stamped paper, green foolscap paper, or whether it can be printed on normal A4 paper. Usually, if your power of attorney is not printed on stamped paper, then you'll need to pay the stamp duty within 3 months after your power of attorney arrives in India.

In short, you really shouldn't write the power of attorney yourself or even ask a lawyer in Australia to write it for you. Your power of attorney must be valid in India according to the laws in India (and the laws and processes/procedures can vary between states).

Does your power of attorney need a fingerprint or a photo?

Your lawyer can also advise you whether your power of attorney must contain other specific things such as references to your identification document, your photo or a photo of your attorney, or whether it requires thumbprints. Sometimes the power of attorney is also accompanied by another document called 'Photographs and Finger Prints as per section 32A of the Registration Act 1908' which contains places for photographs and fingerprints.

Does your power of attorney need an apostille?

Technically, because Australia and India are both members of the Apostille Convention, documents signed in Australia but used in India should also be stamped with an apostille. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the issuing authority for the apostille in Australia. After your power of attorney has been notarised, it can then be stamped with an apostille. We help many clients with arranging for their notarised power of attorney to be stamped with an apostille from DFAT.

Does your power of attorney need Indian Consulate attestation?

Sometimes, you may also need to have your power of attorney attested by the Indian Consulate. In Australia, VFS Global provides these services on behalf of the Indian Consulate. According to VFS Global, if you are not an Indian Citizen, then your power of attorney must be stamped with an apostille before it can be attested by VFS Global on behalf of the Indian Consulate. If you're not sure about what's required for VFS Global, please check their website for more information and for the specific checklist of documents and other requirements before you send your power of attorney to them for attestation.

Example: the solution

Smita's lawyer in India prepared the power of attorney and confirmed the paper to print it on. She signed it in front of our notary public, who notarised it, and we arranged the apostille her lawyer asked for.

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.

Statutory Declaration for Change of Signature

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Neeraj's signature in his passport no longer matches how he signs today. He's renewing his passport through VFS and lives in NSW, so a justice of the peace won't do.

A statutory declaration going to VFS from NSW generally needs a notary public. Let's discuss why.

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.

Example: the solution

Neeraj checked the VFS checklist and prepared his statutory declaration. He signed it in front of our notary public, who notarised it for his passport renewal.

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.

Do you really need to notarise a visa label page?

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

The VFS checklist asks Rina for an attested copy of her passport's visa label page. Her Australian visa was granted electronically, so there's no label in her passport.

Without a visa label, the evidence of your visa is VEVO or your Visa Grant Notice. Let's discuss which to notarise.

One of the requirements of various VFS checklists is the attestation of a passport (usually the front and back pages, and the visa label page).

If you're currently in Australia on an Australian visa, it's likely that your passport doesn't have an Australian visa label. That's because all Australian visas are now granted electronically. In the past, the Australian visa appeared as a label stuck to one of the pages of the passport, but that practice ended many years ago and now all Australian visas are granted electronically and can be verified online through the Visa Entitlement Verification Online system (VEVO).

Unlike the Visa Grant Notice, being the original email that you received when you were granted your visa, the VEVO is the current record and confirmation that your visa is valid. The Visa Grant Notice is only evidence that you were granted a visa at that time it was granted but it doesn't confirm that your visa is current.

Notarisation

Notarising either the VEVO or the Visa Grant Notice is a simple and straightforward process.

• For the Visa Grant Notice, you must forward the original email from the Australian Government to us. We will then verify the Visa Grant Notice according to the current VEVO record before we notarise the Visa Grant Notice.
• For the VEVO, you must share the VEVO with us through the VEVO portal. You can then choose if you want us to notarise it on the basis that we received it directly from the Australian Government  (the less expensive approach) or if you also require us to verify it with VEVO (a more expensive approach - similar to verifying and notarising the Visa Grant Notice).

If you've updated or renewed your passport since obtaining a visa, you may also need to prove that your current visa is valid and attached to your current passport (and not just your previous passport). Checking/updating your visa details through VEVO before approaching us will likely save time and money.

What next?

Example: the solution

Rina brought her passport and her VEVO details to her appointment. Our notary public verified her current visa through VEVO and notarised the record with her passport copy.

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.

Attesting a copy of your passport of Indian Police Clearance Certificate

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Daniel lived in India for three years for work and now needs an Indian police clearance certificate for an Australian application. He's a British citizen living in NSW, and VFS asks for an attested copy of his passport.

If you're not an Indian citizen, your PCC application needs an attested passport copy. Let's discuss how to get one.

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.

Are you applying for the Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) from India?

If you are NOT an Indian citizen, one of the requirements for submitting your PCC application to VFS is an attested copy of your passport. If you live in New South Wales, then your passport must be attested by a notary public.

How do you apply for the PCC from India?

The best place to start would be the VFS website and the application checklist. You can find that form here (the VFS often updates from time to time so always refer to the website for the latest forms and checklists):

Download the PCC checklist (PDF)

Why do you need a PCC from India?

Generally, you would need a PCC from India if you previously lived in India and you need to provide support for a background check (ie, you are applying for a visa to another country, or you are applying for employment that requires a background check or criminal history check).

How do you attest a copy of your passport?

Application for the PCC must be submitted through VFS. VFS is responsible for processing applications on behalf of the Indian Consulate in Australia. If you live in New South Wales, then any documents that should be attested before being submitted to VFS generally must be attested by a notary public.

To attest a copy of your passport, you must provide us with your original passport. You can either arrange for it to be delivered to our office or you can make an appointment to bring it in person. We will be able to attest a copy of your passport at the time of your appointment and return your original passport with the attested/notarised copy at the same time. The process really does not take more than 10-15 minutes.

Can we attest a copy of your Indian passport?

Yes, we can attest a copy of your Indian passport on the basis that it is an international document and it is recognised in Australia as your primary form of identification.

You may need to check VFS requirements for the application if they will accept an attested/notarised copy of your Indian passport as the standard application checklist states that you must provide your original passport.

What next?

Example: the solution

Daniel downloaded the PCC checklist and brought his original British passport to our office. Our notary public attested and notarised a copy, and he submitted it to VFS with his application.

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.

Statutory Declaration for Change of Signature

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Ishaan signs differently now than when his last Indian passport was issued. He lives in NSW, and VFS needs a statutory declaration confirming the change.

A change of signature declaration is simple if you start from the right template. Let's go through it.

Have you changed your signature since your last Indian passport was issued? You'll need to submit a statutory declaration to VFS confirming that you have changed your signature but that you're still the one and the same person. If you live in NSW, you'll also need to have that statutory declaration notarised.

Statutory Declaration for Change of Signature templates

Not sure where to get the statutory declaration? Don't worry, we've got you covered. Check out our following templates in Word format. They're so easy to use.

• Statutory Declaration for Change of Signature (Oaths Act, Schedule Eight)
• Statutory Declaration for Change of Signature (Oaths Act, Schedule Nine)

Both versions are essentially the same - just slightly different wording, but both will do the job so choose the one you prefer.

Instructions

To complete these statutory declarations, all you need to do is download the template to your computer and open it with Microsoft Word (other applications may not properly recognise the necessary field codes), enter your full name (as it appears in your passport), your current residential address, and your Indian passport number. That's it!

Once you print the document, the rest will self populate (if you're using Microsoft Word properly). All you need to do after that is make an appointment with our office to have your signature witnessed and your statutory declaration notarised. It's quite simple.

As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we assist many clients with notarising their documents to submit to VFS. If you take a moment to look through this website, you'll see we're also blogging about it fairly regularly - and that's because we're helping people every day (just need to make the time to write about it here, that's all).

What next?

Example: the solution

Ishaan downloaded our Word template and filled in his full name as it appears in his passport. He signed the declaration in front of our notary public, who notarised it for his VFS application.

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.

Declaring that you're the one and the same person

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Balwinder wore a turban in his old passport photograph but no longer does. His brother has a different problem: the name on his Indian drivers licence doesn't match his passport.

Form J and the IDLV both prove you're the one and the same person, in different ways. Let's discuss each.

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.

How do you prove that you're the one and the same person?

There are various reasons why you need to be able to prove that you're the one and the same person, especially when it comes to dealing with VFS. In this article, we address the two main requests that we receive from clients - namely, Form J and the IDLV process.

Form J - Statutory Declaration for Change of Appearance

For some people, they've changed their appearance and therefore VFS requires them to file Form J. For example, if you've grown/cut your hair, if you previously wore a turban, if you were a child but now are an adult, or you've had an accident or surgery that changes your appearance.

Previously, Form J could be signed in front of a justice of the peace however, after recent changes (in 2020) that's no longer the case. Even though the form hasn't changed and it still refers to a justice of the peace, if you live in New South Wales, you must declare and sign this form in front of a notary public. The notary public must notarise your form before you can submit it to VFS. If you're not sure about what to do with the form or how it should be signed, please visit the VFS website or contact them for more information.

We assist many clients by taking their declaration (that they have changed their appearance), witnessing them sign the form and notarising the form. Unfortunately (as of August 2021) we've had to suspend this service due to the current restrictions and stay-at-home orders from the NSW Government, but as soon as these restrictions have been lifted we intend to resume these services.

IDLV - Indian Drivers Licence Verification

If you want to convert your Indian drivers licence to a NSW drivers licence and you want to have your past driving history recognised here (so that you don't have to start again with a learners licence), you may need to follow the IDLV process from VFS.

If your name on your passport and your Indian drivers licence aren't identical, your application must also include an affidavit declaring that you're the one and the same person which needs to be signed in front of a notary public and include an apostille stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Again, this is a process that we assist many clients with because there's always been a requirement for notarisation.

If you need help with this process, then as part of our IDLV service offering, we prepare:

• the IDLV affidavit in which you declare that you're the one and the same person
• a notary certificate in which we declare that you appear to be the one and the same person, and
• certified and notarised copies of your Indian passport and Indian drivers licence.

After your documents have been notarised and bound together, we then arrange for the apostille stamp from DFAT. As Australia and India are both members of the Apostille Convention, the apostille stamp is the formal recognition between both countries that the document has been properly notarised and will be accepted by the other without any additional authentication or legalisation.

Again, unfortunately, due to the current restrictions and stay-at-home orders from the NSW Government, we've also had to suspend these services until these restrictions have been lifted. If you're intending to submit the IDLV application to VFS, there are other things that you'll still need to do and prepare for before we can assist you. so please review the checklist first.

What next?

Example: the solution

Balwinder signed Form J in front of our notary public, who notarised it for his passport application with VFS. His brother went through the IDLV, and our notary public notarised his certificate confirming both names belong to him.

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.

Attesting and notarising copies of Passports for Police Clearance Certificates

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Kartik is applying for a police clearance certificate, and his appearance has changed since his passport photo was taken. The checklist asks for Form J and a notarised copy of his passport.

A police clearance certificate application can need several notarised documents. Let's go through them.

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.

Applying for Police Clearance Certificates?

Applying for police clearance certificates requires a number of attested/notarised documents. For example:

• If your appearance has changed, you must submit Form J which has been notarised after you have signed it in front of a notary public. Form J is available for download from the VFS website (Download Form J (PDF)). Witnessing you sign Form J means you must make an appointment to attend our office in person and sign the form in our presence. We then confirm that you are the person who signed the form and we witness your signature and notarise the form.
• If you are a foreign national, you must submit a notarised copy of your passport. You must arrange for your original passport to be presented to us. We will make a copy and notarise that copy certifying that it is a true and correct copy of the original passport.
• We also understand that some Indian nationals who do not wish to submit their original Indian passport can also submit a notarised copy of their Indian passport instead of the original.

We provide low cost fixed fee services to attest and notarise a copy of your passport. Check out our recent Google Reviews to see what others have to say about us. https://g.page/phanglegal?share

For more information about applying for the police clearance certificate from VFS, please visit their website and the relevant checklist found on their website (Download the PCC checklist (PDF))

What next?

Example: the solution

Kartik downloaded Form J and brought it unsigned with his original passport. He signed Form J in front of our notary public, who notarised it and a copy of his passport for his application.

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.

UPDATE - Affidavit for the Indian Drivers Licence Verification

By Ern Phang, Solicitor & Notary Public
Director of Phang Legal. Solicitor since 1998 and notary public since 2005.

Example: the situation

Parul needs a notarised affidavit for her IDLV because her names differ. She's happy to visit DFAT herself if it saves money, but her husband would rather we handle everything.

We offer two options for the IDLV affidavit, depending on who obtains the apostille. Let's look at both.

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.

What is the IDLV process?

If your name in your Indian drivers licence and your Indian passport is different, you will have problems when you want to convert your licence to an Australian licence and have your previous driving experience recognised in Australia. In addition to any other requirement in the IDLV Checklist, you must also have an affidavit signed by a public notary verifying that you are the one and the same person.

As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we help many clients with the IDLV process and offer 2 option for our services.

• We prepare the notary certificate and the affidavit to verify that you are the one and the same person. You would then need to apply for your own apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) before submitting your application with the notary certificate, affidavit and the apostille with the rest of the IDLV Checklist requirements to VFS.
• We prepare the notary certificate and the affidavit to verify that you are the one and the same person, AND we also obtain the apostille from DFAT so that you do not have to look after that part of the process yourself. You would still need to submit your application with the notary certificate, affidavit and the apostille with the rest of the IDLV Checklist requirements to VFS.

Aside from the notary certificate which provides our verification that you are the one and the same person, the affidavit that we prepare is also your declaration that the person referred to in your Indian passport and the person referred to in your Indian drivers licence is the one and the same person.

How should you write your IDLV affidavit?

Some clients choose to write their own IDLV affidavit. If you also intend to write your own IDLV affidavit, you must include all of the relevant information required by VFS. You can follow these few suggestions.

For example, your affidavit should contain the following information:

• Your name.
• The name that appears on your Indian passport. You can include your passport number.
• The name that appears on your Indian drivers licence. You can include your drivers licence number.
• A statement that you are the one and the same person.
• A statement that you declare/swear or affirm the contents of your affidavit.

After you have prepared your own affidavit, you must sign it in front of a public notary and have it notarised before you can apply for the apostille from DFAT.

What next?

Example: the solution

Parul chose the first option: our notary public prepared and notarised her certificate and affidavit, and she obtained the apostille from DFAT herself. Her husband chose the second, and we arranged his apostille for him.

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.