Don't wait! Verify your Indian Drivers Licence today

There are many reasons why people do not convert their Indian drivers licence to an Australian drivers licence. Perhaps they are here temporarily or not intending to remain in Australia and so they do not see the need to convert, others may be waiting for their visa approvals, some could be waiting to become an Australian citizen, while many people just think that the process is too difficult and so postpone / procrastinate on following it through.

Whatever the reason, it has been our experience that delaying the process can create other complications and so we highly recommend converting (or at least starting the process) sooner than later.

As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we assist many people to convert their Indian drivers licence to an Australian drivers licence through our Indian Drivers Licence Verification process. If your name on your Indian drivers licence and your Indian passport, you will need to undertake this process in order to convert your licence. However, be aware that the process is not a simple process or a straight forward process, meaning you must allow for processing times, expect delays and account for these possibilities and contingencies when applying to convert your licence. For more information regarding the process, please visit the VFS website and review the IDLV checklist.

Problems caused by delay

Here are some problems that people face because they delayed converting their licence.

• VFS changes. This has happened before, and it will happen again. Processes and requirements change due to changes in the law or policy and the IDLV process through VFS is no different. At this stage, we do not know what future changes may be, but we know what the process is now. Accordingly, if you want (and especially if you need) to convert your Indian drivers licence to an Australian drivers licence then you may benefit from doing it now rather than wait for the uncertainty of the future. Of course you might get lucky in that VFS makes the process easier in the future, but that would be the chance you take. However, even if the process is easier, it is unlikely that the cost/fees would be cheaper - as most things, this will only increase over time.
• Citizenship. Many people do not (by choice or because they forget) convert their licence, but they adopt Australian citizenship. The IDLV checklist clearly relates to verifying the identity of the Indian drivers licence holder with the Indian passport holder. As far as we are aware, VFS will not assist you with the IDLV process if you are an Australian citizen and will not provide a verification between an Indian drivers licence and an Australian passport. Accordingly, if your name on your Indian drivers licence and your Indian passport are different, you must complete this process through VFS before you become an Australian citizen.
• RTO changes. Part of the IDLV process requires a letter from the relevant RTO in India to confirm the Indian drivers licence details. The IDLV checklist states that the name on letter from the RTO and the Indian drivers licence must be identical. Due to various changes or upgrades to systems and processes in India, occasionally we have been told by clients that the name in the letter from their RTO in India no longer matches the name on their Indian drivers licence (for whatever reason). This will create complications for VFS. The scope of our notary public services is limited to verifying that you are the one and the same person on your Indian drivers licence and your Indian passport. Unfortunately, we cannot help you with any changes to your details on the RTO letter.
• Licence or passport expiry. Too many times we have been asked to verify the identity of the Indian drivers licence holder and the Indian passport holder are the one and the same person because either their drivers licence or their passport was about to expire. At this point, people are rushing with unrealistic deadlines. Be aware that the process can take weeks - not hours.
• RTO letter expiry. The IDLV process requires that the letter from the relevant RTO in India is less than 6 months old. Again, we are often approached a day or two (or even on the day) that the 6 months expire to complete the verification process. If it is not possible, we will tell you. As much as we want to assist, waiting to the last minute will only create yourself more complications and problems - meaning you will potentially need to re-start the process.
• Appointments with VFS. We also receive requests from people who are rushing to an appointment with VFS - but why? If you have an appointment with VFS which requires documents to be notarised, and your appointment is at 12pm - it is unlikely that we are able to 'squeeze you in' at 11am, and it is impossible to do this if you also need to have your documents stamped with an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Remember, this process can take weeks. It will not happen at the last minute. Again, if it is not possible, we will tell you.
• Change of name. Some people change their name (ie, if they marry, if they want to shorten or simplify, or if they Anglicise or adopt an English name). If they formally change their name on their Indian passport (which then differs from the name on their Indian drivers licence) before they convert their licence, they then must go through the IDLV process. Perhaps it would have been cheaper and easier to have converted their licence before they change their name.

Although these are just some examples, there can be many reasons why delaying could cause more complications - unnecessary complications - to the IDLV process, and those complications could also have been easily avoided by attempting this process sooner than later. Sometimes the consequence is additional delay, or additional cost, but sometimes it could potentially prevent you from converting your licence meaning to obtain an Australian drivers licence through the 'normal' process (ie, starting from the start with no recognition of prior driving history or licence). Regardless of the reason behind these circumstances, a little forward planning could have and potentially would have avoided any issues.

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.

What do I need to bring to get FORM V notarised?

If you have lost or damaged your Indian Passport, or if it has been stolen, you will need to complete and submit FORM V to VFS to have a new passport issued to you.

As a leading provider of notary public services, many clients approach us for assistance because FORM V must be notarised - it cannot be signed by a justice of the peace.

Accordingly, to have FORM V notarised, you must attend our office and prove your identity in order to have your signature witnessed. This means, if your passport has been lost, stolen or damaged beyond recognition, you must have some other form of photograph identification that is normally acceptable in Australia (for example, an Australian drivers licence or photocard issued by the RTA/RMS). Other forms of non-Australian photograph identification will not be accepted.

Unfortunately, we have had to turn away many people without being able to assist because they did not have the required identification documents to prove their identity. If you do not have your passport or any the form of Australian photograph identification, you should contact VFS for clarification on your options.

Summary of Requirements

1. Appointment. Make an appointment to have your documents notarised. You should also request a quote for the notary public service. Please call 02 9687 8885 between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
2. Form V. Complete the information required on the form before your appointment. Do not sign it until asked. We cannot assist you with completing the information on the form.
3. Photograph ID. Bring your passport, or if your passport is lost, stolen or damaged beyond recognition, you must bring another form of Australian identification (ie, Australian drivers licence or photocard).

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.

Do I really need to have my document signed by VFS/Consulate?

Following our previous article about our clients having their documents rejected by VFS, our clients often ask us whether their documents must be signed by VFS.

VFS provides consular services on behalf of the Indian Consulate to Indian citizens in Australia. For example, if you need assistance with applying for visas, change of personal details (appearance, name or address), renewing your passport, applying for Overseas Citizenship of India, converting your Indian drivers licence, registering or issuing a birth certificate or marriage certificate, or renouncing your Indian citizenship.

If you have been asked to have your documents countersigned by the Indian Consulate, then the process you must follow involves:

Notarise your documents

As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we are regularly asked to notarise documents such as special powers of attorney or general powers of attorney, affidavits and other sworn documents, authorisation letters or copies of public documents.

Stamp your notarised documents with an apostille

An apostille is a type of stamp issued in accordance with the international convention known as the 'Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents'. Countries that are signatories to the convention will recognise documents stamped with an apostille without any further involvement by their foreign office (called legalisation) - which makes the process adopted by VFS/Indian Consulate as a little unusual.

Stamp your documents at VFS

Technically, as India is a signatory to the convention, documents that have been stamped with an apostille by DFAT should be recognised in India without requiring legalisation through the Indian Consulate or VFS. Despite this, if you have been asked to have your documents countersigned by the Indian Consulate, then you must submit your documents to VFS - and depending on the type of document, VFS may require your documents to be stamped with an apostille before they will stamp your documents.

Sending notarised documents without apostille or VFS/Consulate stamps

The clear majority of our clients only need to have their documents notarised. They do not need to have their documents stamped with an apostille and they do not need to have their documents stamped by VFS or the Indian Consulate. It seems that having their documents notarised and stamped by a notary public is sufficient. Obviously, this would be the quickest and least expensive process to return your documents to India as it bypasses DFAT and VFS processing times and fees.

To obtain a quote on our notary public services for India, please visit http://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 http://www.notary-parramatta.com.au/jurisdiction/india-notary/.

Frequently asked questions regarding our notary public services can also be found at http://www.notary-parramatta.com.au/faqs/.

For Hindi to English translation services by NAATI accredited translators, see http://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.

VFS has rejected your notarised document?

Recently, some of our clients have encountered problems when submitting their notarised documents to VFS.

Unfortunately, you'll need to make your own enquiries with VFS as to what their requirements are when processing your documents regardless of whether those documents are notarised or not, and (as experience and history and taught us) be aware that their requirements can change without warning. Another challenge that you'll face is that documents prepared for you in India (even if they're prepared by your lawyer) and are formatted in a certain way could be rejected by VFS for no other reason than "not enough room" - which is the latest issue that our clients have faced.

This is the unfortunate reality of dealing with VFS. Our clients have had their documents rejected by VFS because after all the signing, witnessing and stamping has been done there is limited space at the end of the document for VFS to attach their stamp or seal. But is this reasonable? Should VFS reject the document simply because there is limited room on the page?

While we, and every other notary, official or consular office face exactly the same challenge on a daily basis, we do not simply reject documents or refuse to help our clients because there is "not enough room" at the bottom of the page. Instead, we address the issue by either 'squeezing' our stamps, seal and signature into the available space at the bottom or in the margins or we attach a separate certificate to the document.

If you've had to have your documents notarised or stamped with an apostille by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, you'll know that a notary certificate can be attached to the document or if you bind your documents then the apostille will be attached to the notary certificate or as a separate bound certificate. Maybe you'll be charged an additional fee for the binding or separate document, but at least your document won't be rejected.

Despite our clients' protests and complaints, VFS has refused to process their documents forcing them to 're-do' (ie, sign, notarise and stamp with an apostille) their documents and incur additional costs! We think it's a questionable attitude and approach especially when VFS (on behalf of the Consulate General of India) is primarily responsible for providing service to and assisting Indian nationals in Australia, but in reality it seems to make 'things more difficult' whether it's due to the bureaucratic model or by choice or design. We're also unsure whether this is an official requirement or a new requirement as it's never been raised previously, or whether it's going to be an ongoing issue. Perhaps it could be just the official who happened to process the documents.

Fortunately, not every document needs to be countersigned by VFS or the Consulate, which means if it can be avoided - then probably you should. However, if it's required, then even before considering what you need to be doing, you should ask whoever you're sending the document to whether VFS or Consulate stamps are required. Unfortunately, if you need to have your document stamped by VFS/Consulate, we're unable to control or determine what they will or won't do. This means we're also unable to guarantee whether your documents will be accepted or not - and that's the reason for this article. When it comes to our notary public services in this regard, our fees for services apply regardless and so you should make your enquiries with VFS before booking an appointment with our office.

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.

Help by a Notary Public - Signing an Affidavit for India

If you have received an affidavit to submit to a government office or court in India (or to submit to VFS in Australia), it is likely that you will need to sign that affidavit in front of a notary public if you live in Australia.

If the affidavit has been prepared by your lawyer in India, your lawyer should have provided you with instructions as to how the affidavit should be signed and sworn. You should also clarify any other formalities such as:

• Does the affidavit need to be printed on bonded paper of stamped paper? If it does, you will need to have the affidavit prepared in India because you cannot buy bonded paper or stamped paper from Australia.
• Does the affidavit need to include your photograph? If so, you need to bring your own photograph and we will put a notary seal over your photograph once it has been attached to the affidavit.
• Does the affidavit need to include your finger prints or thumb prints? If so, we can assist you in terms of witnessing you placing your prints on the affidavit.
• Does the affidavit need to be signed in front of witnesses in addition to the notary public? If so, you will need to arrange for your own witnesses as we cannot guarantee or provide witnesses.
• Does the affidavit need to be countersigned by the Indian Consulate or follow any other process? If so, there is a process after having the affidavit notarised that may involve the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and VFS.

Following these instructions is important otherwise your affidavit may be rejected and you would need to do it again. Aside from a cost, you need to be aware that the delay caused by not 'doing it right' in the first place may result in more complications depending on the purpose and the deadline for your affidavit.

It is also important to remember that the government office or court in India may not recognise the signature by a justice of the peace, and so the process that you will need to follow is to have your affidavit notarised by a notary public.

If you need to submit your affidavit to the Indian Consulate, you should check the requirements listed on the VFS website and they process all documents on behalf of the Consulate. You may also need to have your affidavit stamped with an apostille from DFAT. DFAT will not recognise the signature of a Justice of the Peace which means IF you need to have your affidavit stamped with an apostille, then you must have your affidavit notarised.

As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we provide assistance to many clients who need to send affidavits to India. If that includes you, then please contact us to see how we can assist you.

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.

Know the process - Indian Driver's Licence Verification

If you have found this article because you are looking for ways to convert your Indian Drivers Licence to a NSW Drivers Licence, please visit the VFS website for their most up to date checklist for the Indian Drivers Licence Verification (IDLV).

The checklist provides you with clear instructions as to what you need to submit to VFS. Only VFS can verify your driving history in India for you to qualify for the equivalent drivers licence in NSW.

The checklist also provides you with guidance if your name on your Indian Passport and your Indian Drivers Licence are different. Variations such as missing names or replacing specific names with initials, suffixes like 'ben' and 'bhai', or 'son of/wife of/daughter of' and others maybe common place and widely accepted in India, but in Australia naming conventions are applied strictly meaning that if different names appear on different documents then those documents relate to different people. In Australia, as an Indian national your primary form of identification would be your Indian passport and so the name that would also appear on your drivers licence would be the same that appears on your passport. If that name is different to the name that appears on your Indian Drivers Licence, then the IDLV process around obtaining a notary certificate and an apostille is relevant to you.

As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we receive many requests for assistance in providing the IDLV, however our role is largely limited to providing a notary certificate to verify that you are the one and the same person and to certify copies of your Indian Drivers Licence and your Indian Passport and helping you to arrange for the apostille.

If you are not familiar with the VFS checklist, then you will not be aware of or understand this requirement or the need for our notary public services. Accordingly, familiarise yourself with the checklist and the IDLV process before contacting our office - at least this way, when we discuss the process with you, you will have a better understanding of what is required and why it is required.

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.

Form V - Lost or Damaged Indian Passport

Have you recently lost your your passport? Or your passport was stolen? Or perhaps your passport has been damaged?

An invalid travel document may create serious problems and inconvenience for you if and when you need to travel. To avoid those issues and hassles, you should apply for a NEW passport as soon as practically possible - but before doing that you need to submit an application to VFS.

The application for a NEW (or replacement) passport requires you to complete Form V, which includes a declaration as to what happened to your passport, and submit that application to VFS. However, before you can submit the application to VFS, you must sign and declare the contents of your declaration before a notary public.

As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we are commonly asked to help Indian nationals who have their passports lost, stolen or damaged by witnessing, signing and sealing Form V. Our low cost fixed fees and prompt services avoid any hassles or delays when you are on a limited budget and timeframe. It is our pleasure to accomodate urgent requests for assistance whenever we can.

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.

Indian Drivers Licence Verification - Affidavit or Certificate?

If you are an Indian citizen and have an Indian Passport, you have an Indian Drivers Licence, and you want to 'convert' your licence to an Australian Drivers Licence but your name on your Indian Passport and Indian Drivers Licence are different. We see that there are two options when it comes to satisfying the requirements of the Indian Drivers Licence Verification process.

Affidavit

The application requires you to submit an affidavit signed in front of a notary public to verify that you are the 'one and the same person' featured in your Indian Drivers Licence and your Indian Passport. An 'affidavit' is a document which you swear/declare to be true and correct. This is an important document which must be witnessed by a person who is qualified and authorised to witness and take declarations and oaths (ie, Justice of the Peace, Solicitor, or Notary Public). In the case of the affidavit that must be submitted to VFS for the purposes of the Indian Drivers Licence Verification, then the witness must be a notary public - you cannot have your documents witnessed by any solicitor or lawyer or by a justice of the peace. The reason that your affidavit must be witnessed by a notary public is that your affidavit must also be stamped with an apostille by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Before stamping documents with an apostille, DFAT must verify that those documents have been properly notarised (ie, signed and sealed by a notary public). DFAT will not recognise or issue an apostille on documents that have been signed by a justice of the peace or any other solicitor or lawyer.

Many people do not know how to prepare an affidavit or they do not know what to write in their affidavit. Unfortunately, we do not provide assistance in preparing or writing an affidavit, however we can provide a certificate instead - and our certificate has been accepted by VFS for the purposes of approving the Indian Drivers Licence Verification.

Certificate

If you need help in applying for your Indian Drivers Licence Verification from VFS, and you do not know how to prepare or write an affidavit, we can assist you by preparing a certificate which basically satisfies the exact same purpose as the affidavit. Our certificate - being a certificate that we have used for many years with proven results - will certify that you are the one and the same person featured in your Indian Drivers Licence and your Indian Passport. The main difference between the affidavit and the certificate is generally the affidavit is your own declaration that you are the one and the same person, while the certificate is our certification that you are the one and the same person.

The important aspect of the certificate is that you must be able to satisfy us that you are the one and the same person before we can issue it. This means your photograph on both documents must look like you, your name must have some similarities (or you have some other proof of the connection) and your birthdate must be the same. Some clients ask us to refer to their father's name, which is stated on the back page of the Indian Passport and often appears on the drivers licence, however this has little relevance for us as we do not consider this to be proof of the their father's name.

Please be aware that we may not be able to provide a certificate in situations where your photograph is not clear (often due to age or condition of the licence) or there has been significant change to your appearance, where your birth dates are inconsistent (for whatever reason - it happens), or where there is an unexplainable disconnect between the names appearing on your passport and the name appearing on your drivers licence. Generally, the connection between the names relate to initials, abbreviations, missing middle names or family names - which in our experience has been explained by the fact that the licences are issued according to Year 10 mark sheets, but that passports are issued on full legal names. Further since we are only comparing you with your Indian Drivers Licence and your Indian Passport, we are also unable to provide any certification regarding your father's name in cases where your father's name may be spelt differently on each document. In the past, VFS have raised an issue where there has been a discrepancy and our only suggestion in this situation is that you would need your father (or whoever's name has been spelt differently) to provide evidence that they are the one and the same person - however this is not something that you can do on their behalf.

Apostille

Whether you elect to prepare and write your own affidavit or you need our assistance with issuing a certificate, the affidavit or certificate must be stamped with an apostille by DFAT. You can either do this yourself, or we can arrange it for you - entirely up to you. We allow the option simply because we understand the value of our services is primarily in notarising the document but not necessarily obtaining the apostille from DFAT, which you can do yourself. This means we only provide what you want and allow you to save if it is a most cost effective option for you to do parts of the process yourself. Entirely up to you.

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.

Affidavit for a Passport in lieu of Lost/Damaged Passport

How annoying and frustrating is it to lose your passport or have your passport damaged so that it's no longer valid? If you're an Indian national in Australia, then the process to have your passport replaced is fairly straight forward if you know what to do, and if not, at least you know where to look to find the relevant information.

If you're an Indian national, then applying for a replacement passport when you've lost or damaged your current passport is done through VFS Global - like many other consular services. A quick review of their website will explain the process and the checklist will help you compile the documents necessary to have a 'hopefully' easy/simple application experience. As you work through the process and the checklist, you'll find that a variety of documents and forms need to be attested by a justice of the peace, however once you get to Form V, you'll find that this form must be signed in front of a notary public and notarised. That's where we come in.

Form V is the Affidavit for a Passport in lieu of Lost/Damaged Passport. Our many notary clients who require assistance with this form simply complete the form (but not sign it), make an appointment with our office (between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday) by calling 02 9687 8885, and then at the time of their appointment sign it in front of our notary public. As a leading provider of notary public services to clients across Sydney, we're experienced with notarising this form and are able to quickly and easily witness and notarise the form in such a way that it's accepted by VFS as part of your application. For most clients, they're in and out of our office in less than 15 minutes - it's that simple and hassle free.

We pride ourselves on being readily available especially on short notice, so if you've got any questions as to what's needed for you to have your Form V notarised, then you need to call our office and speak to our notary public.

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.

Indian Drivers Licence Verification Flow Chart

To help you better understand what we do and the general process around our notary public services for Indian Drivers Licence Verification, we have prepared a simple flow chart. While it starts with various questions that we ask (or you could ask yourself), our involvement starts when we prepare the notary certificate verifying that you are the one and the same person. Those parts of the process in the flow chart are in RED.

If you need assistance with your Indian Drivers Licence verification. Please look through the flowchart, check that you satisfy all the requirements and call us on 02 9687 8885 to make an appointment.

(if you have trouble viewing the flowchart because of the size of your screen, you can use the enlarge and reduce buttons on the left corner to adjust the size to fit).

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

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.

Will you prepare my General Power of Attorney or my Special Power of Attorney for me?

The General Power of Attorney and the Special Power of Attorney are some of the most common documents that we are asked to notarised for use in India. In addition to the relatively large percentage of people of Indian origin living in Western Sydney, the reality is that a large proportion of the hardworking migrant population send money 'back home' to invest in property for themselves or their parents. Respect! (Being from a migrant family having migrated to Australia young in the late 1970s, I can relate to this.)

Our goal is to help our clients do what they need to do and in most cases, they wish to appoint someone in India to handle their property transaction or related banking and lending activities on their behalf. The most appropriate document to achieve this goal is called a 'power of attorney'.

The power of attorney is a formal legal document that appoints someone else to do things on your behalf. The nature and scope of their authority is entirely up to you. You can appoint and authorise them to represent you on all things, or you could limit that appointment and authorisation to a few things - obviously depending on the nature of what you want them to do and your relationship and level of trust with the person that you appoint as your attorney (the person receiving the power). There are general legal principles around the rights and obligations of donor (the person giving the power) and the attorney, however this largely relies on the content of the document - the power of attorney.

Knowing what is included in the power of attorney is important because it determines the attorney's powers and responsibilities. The main types of power of attorney documents that we notarise for clients sending them to India are the General Power of Attorney and the Special Power of Attorney. Each type of power of attorney would be used for a different purpose and appropriate for different situations. In most cases, you will need to obtain advice from whoever requires the authority to be given to determine which power of attorney is appropriate.

Sometimes clients will ask whether we can prepare a power of attorney for use in India. The simple answer is 'no'. The power of attorney should be prepared according to the laws of India and in a way that is appropriate to the purpose of the power of attorney. As we are not qualifies lawyers for India or practice in Indian law, we are unable to assist with this - however, we have provided on this and various other websites a copy of the power of attorney templates that many of our clients have used in the past. While we cannot guarantee that these templates are appropriate to your situation or assist you with completing any blank spaces with the relevant information regarding your situation, our experience has been that sometimes the legal requirements in India can be unclear, depending on who you are dealing with - but sometimes they can be extremely strict and pedantic.

The best advice that we can provide is be clear on what documents will need to be signed, if and how they need to be notarised by a notary public, whether they need to be countersigned by the Indian Consulate/VFS (which may also mean they need to be stamped with an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and whether you must follow any other formal requirement before returning the document to India. If the person receiving the power of attorney is strict in their requirements, be aware that sometimes they may even require the document to be printed on 'foolscap green paper' or stamped paper or bonded paper - all of which are various legal requirements that exist in India as part of their normal protocol in preparing legal documents, however these requirements or the materials do not generally exist in Australia and are difficult if not impossible to source.

Edit 2017 (see updated video)


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.

Do I always need to have my document stamped by the Indian Consulate or VFS?

Legalisation with the Indian Consulate or VFS - is it required?

Documents that are created or signed in Australia but sent to India generally need to be notarised. This is a widely accepted and recognised process. Whether those documents then need to be counter-signed by the Indian Consulate or VFS is not so clear. This article discusses some issues that you may need to consider before sending your documents to India.

What documents need to be notarised?

Generally, documents that are signed in Australia but sent to India need to be notarised involving the notary public witnessing your signature. Also if you are sending copies of original documents, those copies may need to be certified as being true copies of the original documents.

Common documents that we are asked to witness and notarise include:

• the general power of attorney or special power of attorney
• affidavits and declarations used in legal proceedings (such as divorces under the Hindu Marriage Act or court cases regarding estates and property)
• education sponsorship letters and undertakings
• immigration sponsorships and letters of invitation
• contract or other agreements used for personal and business purposes.

Common documents that we are asked to certify and notarise include:

• education documents (ie, degrees, qualifications and transcripts)
• employment confirmation and payslips
• birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates
• forms of identification including passports, drivers licence or utility and rates notices.

Why notarise documents for India?

The notarial acts of a notary public are widely accepted around the world. Unlike a justice of the peace, whose appointment is generally only recognised in Australia, a notary public will be accepted in other countries - including India.

Accordingly, if you are in Australia but you are intending to do something in India, then it is likely that you would need the services of a notary public to assist you with witnessing your signature or certify your documents in a way that it will be accepted in India. Sometimes this may also require an authentication or apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

If you do not follow this process, your documents may not be accepted in India.

What is the role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade?

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) website:

The department’s role is to advance Australia’s national interest. This involves working to strengthen Australia’s security and enhance Australia’s prosperity. The department provides foreign, trade and development policy advice to the government. We work with other government agencies to ensure that Australia’s pursuit of its global, regional and bilateral interests is coordinated effectively.

With respect to notary public services, DFAT will confirm on behalf of the Australian Government whether a document has been notarised by a person who is a notary public according to their records. This endorsement by the Australian Government is what gives an Australian notary public 'formal' recognition by foreign governments in other countries. DFAT provides this endorsement in 2 ways - authentication or an apostille.

What is authentication or an apostille?

At its most formal level, in order for Australian documents (ie, government document) or documents that have been notarised by a notary public in Australia to be recognised in other countries, you must either have your document authenticated or stamped with an apostille.

Authentication involves DFAT confirming that the document is either an original Australian Government document or that it has been notarised by a notary public in Australia (this also requires the notary public who has notarised your document to be registered with DFAT). Once the document has been authenticated by DFAT you can take it to the foreign consulate or embassy of the intended destination country for legalisation, which involves that foreign office confirming that the document has been authenticated by DFAT on behalf of the Australian Government. With authentication and legalisation, once your document arrives in the intended destination country and has been stamped by their own government (ie, legalisation) it is basically as though that document had been signed in that country or will be legally recognised by that country.

An apostille stamp simplifies the authentication and legalisation process for certain countries that are signatories to an international convention known as Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. Under this convention, also known as the Apostille Convention, member countries will recognise the apostille stamp from other member countries without needing to go through the authentication and legalisation process. In Australia, DFAT will issue the apostille on original Australian Government documents or documents that have been notarised by a notary public in Australia - in the same way that they do with documents that need to be authenticated, except with an apostille, those documents do not need to be legalised by the foreign office of the intended destination country if that intended destination country is a member of (ie, signatory to) the Apostille Convention.

Is India a signatory to the Apostille Convention?

Yes, India is a signatory to the Apostille Convention. It became a member in 2004 and documents stamped with an apostille came into full legal effect in 2005. Technically, this means that if you need to send a document that you sign in Australia, like a general power of attorney, to India it must first be witnessed by a notary public and notarised, and then stamped with an apostille by DFAT - all of these services are available through our office if you need assistance.

In practice? Well, it seems the process is a little different from the technical normality followed by other member countries of the Apostille Convention. In those countries, once your document has been stamped with an apostille you can send it to those countries and it would be accepted without a problem. On the other hand, with India it seems from our experience that many people who request documents to be sent to them from Australia still want to have the documents countersigned by the Indian Consulate, which is performed through the outsource agent, VFS, and VFS still require those documents to be stamped with an apostille.

So even though the purpose of the apostille, and the reason why countries like India become members of the Apostille Convention, is to avoid the relative complexities of authentication and legalisation in favour of a more simple process, the demand in India for documents to be stamped by the local foreign office (ie, the Indian Consulate) means there really is no benefit - especially for you, the person who needs to manage the process for whatever document you are sending to India. The processing office's requirement (ie, VFS requirement) for documents to be stamped with an apostille really is no different to the authentication and legalisation process except that obtaining an apostille stamp from DFAT is more expensive than the authentication. So in fact, not only is there no benefit, but now it is more expensive. For those of you familiar with the bureaucracy and red tape especially through the government and legal system in India, then this will be of no surprise to you.

What should I do now?

Still not clear? We appreciate that this process can be both confusing and overwhelming regardless of whether you have done it before or you are going through it for the first time. You will probably also find that people working in this area (ie, lawyers, VFS officers, Consulate officials and even public notaries) may not know what is required - and that presents itself as a real problem. Unfortunately, uncertainty and inconsistency can mean unnecessary delays and additional cost.

Our experience is that as long as your document will be accepted for its intended purposes then that's the 'right' process. To this end, you will need to see direction from whoever has asked you to have your document notarised and they should be able to provide you with advice as to what 'they require' and at the end of the day, the majority of our clients simply require some read stamps and a red seal to satisfy their recipient.

Whatever the case may be, the first step in your journey will generally be having your document notarised and that is our service to you.

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.

Sad and Shocking News - Our Condolences to Prabha Kumar's Family

Murdered in Parramatta Park

Ms Prabha Arun Kumar, a 41-year-old IT worker from India, was found stabbed to death at Parramatta Park about 9.30pm on Saturday night (7 March 2015). News report indicate that her husband was in India and on the phone with her at the time of the attack. He heard her scream. Mr Kumar has since returned to Sydney to identify his wife's body. Police are still investigating.

Any news of violent crime, especially murder, will always raise concerns about personal safety. It's traumatic. With my office in Parramatta (although in a different part of Parramatta) this incident is particularly relevant to me, my staff and to many of my clients who live around this local area - many of them naturally part of the Indian community. While this isn't being reported as being a racially motivated attack, I imagine that this is no comfort to the Indian residents of Parramatta, Westmead, Harris Park or surrounding suburbs.

The killer has not been identified or caught. I urge anyone who may know anything (even if they think nothing of it) about the attack on Ms Kumar or notices any suspicious or criminal behaviour to report it to the police immediately. Be vigilant and stay safe.

On behalf of myself and all the staff at Phang Legal, our condolences go out to Ms Kumar's family and friends - especially her husband and their young daughter.

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.