Why is identification important for notarised documents going to India?

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

Example: the situation

Mahesh signs his documents as M. Sharma, but his passport shows his full name, Mahesh Kumar Sharma. His bank in India knows him by the shorter version.

The name we record comes from your identification, so it pays to check it matches what India expects. Let's discuss why.

The necessity of identification

As a notary public, one of our main functions is to identify the person signing a document (ie, we witness them signing). 

By witnessing them sign, we certify that they are who they say they are and that they have signed the document in front of us. To do this we must first identify them according to their identification documents.

Identification documents include:

• Passport (Australian and/or foreign)
• Australian drivers licence or photograph identity card

For Indian clients, sometimes identification documents may also include:

• PAN card
• Indian Drivers Licence
• OCI

In all cases, we will compare the photograph in the identification documents with the person who appears before us to sign the document to ensure that they are the one and the same person. When we sign the document to confirm that we witnessed that person sign the document, we also write the person's name as it appears in the identification documents. Sometimes the name can be different and so it is really important that whoever is dealing with the document in India is aware of the name written in the identification documents to avoid any issues when the documents are sent back to India.

Example: the solution

Mahesh brought his passport, and our notary public recorded his name exactly as it appears there. He told his bank in India about the full name in advance, so it accepted the notarised document without questions.

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.

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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.