Sydney notary public services in Parramatta. Attesting and notarising documents for India or in support of applications to VFS/Indian Consulate/High Commission. Apostille services available.
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):
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?
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
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.
Attaching your passport size photograph to Photographs and Fingerprints as per
Section 32A of Registration Act 1908
If you've signed documents for India, like the power of attorney, you'll
be familiar with this form. It requires you to provide your fingerprint (left
thumb), your name and permanent postal address, and a passport-sized
photograph of yourself.
Here's an interesting case. Recently, one of our clients was asked to re-sign
their Photographs and Fingerprints form because it was rejected. Our client's form was
rejected because our client had provided a black and white photograph of
themselves according to the instructions in the form that specifically state that a
"black & white" photograph was required.
Their lawyer directed them to re-sign their form with a colour
photograph!
Should you use a colour photograph or black and white photograph?
So what does this mean for clients who must sign and submit this form with
their fingerprint and photograph? Honestly, it's unclear to us whether a
colour photograph or a black and white photograph is required. The form states
black and white, but in practice the majority of our clients use colour
photographs (as this is generally the only readily available format) and for
the few clients who have used a black and white photograph, it was only in
this one case where their form was rejected.
If you're not sure whether you should be using a colour photograph or a black
and white photograph, it's best to ask your lawyer in India for advice and
direction.
What next?
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
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.
Despite changes to government regulations around wearing face masks, we still encourage all of our clients to continue wearing masks while in our office.
Our team will continue wearing masks for your safety and peace of mind.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
😷😷😷
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
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.
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.
Overseas Citizen of India applications
When people call us and say "I want notary for OCI..." it doesn't
actually explain what they require.
Applying to be an Overseas Citizen of India requires you to submit various
documents to VFS in support of your application, however, what documents you must submit depends on you and whoever else you may be applying for (ie, spouse and
children etc). To simply state that you need notary services does not provide
enough information for us to confirm whether we can assist you or what would be the cost for those services.
If you're not sure what documents you must submit in support of your OCI
application or you're not sure what documents must be notarised, then you
should visit the VFS website for more information.
What services can we provide in support of the OCI application?
We can notarise certified copies of Australian government documents. If you need to provide certified copies of Australian or international
documents (ie, passports, Australian birth certificates, Australian marriage
certificates, Australian change of name certificates), then we can assist with
certifying and notarising copies of those documents. If any of those documents
must also be stamped with an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, we can also assist with that process.
We cannot notarise copies of documents issued by governments of other countries. Although the VFS checklist indicates that there are some documents, like birth
certificates or marriage certificates issued from India, which must also be notarised, this requirement
cannot be satisfied by our office on the basis that they are foreign documents
and not Australian or international documents. Documents issued from India
should really be either attested by VFS (which it refuses to - not sure why)
or by a notary public in India, but not by a notary public in Australia.
Potentially since this is a requirement from VFS, which does not consider the
legal jurisdiction of notarisation in Australia, then there may be some
notaries who are still providing this service even though legally they are not
supposed to.
Interestingly, as VFS highlights in their checklist, if a document was not issued in
Australia (or in India) but some other country, then that document must be
attested by the embassy/consulate or foreign office of that country. However,
despite acknowledging the limitations of what notaries in Australia can or
should be doing with other foreign documents, the reality is that the same
applies to documents issued from India (ie, they cannot be notarised in
Australia and should be attested by the embassy/consulate or foreign office of
India, being VFS).
What next?
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
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.
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.
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?
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
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.
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.
Who requires FORM J?
Have you been asked by VFS to submit FORM J because your appearance has
changed?
FORM J is a form to submit to VFS (on behalf of the Indian Consulate) to have
your Indian passport issued to you while living in Australia. If you have
changed your appearance ('considerably changed' as determined by VFS) then you
must also submit FORM J which is a statutory declaration stating that you have
changed your appearance.
If you're not sure what you need, perhaps review their checklist available on
their website
There can be various circumstances when you would have to submit FORM J when
renewing your Indian passport. The example provided by VFS includes if you
previously wore a turban but have stopped wearing a turban (or vice-versa).
We have also seen instances when people have had to submit FORM J after they
have cut their hair or shaved their beard. Also, if a previous passport was
issued when you were a child but you have since matured and your look has
changed, then you may also need to submit FORM J when renewing your passport.
What does FORM J contain?
The central element of FORM J is your photograph. You must include your
current photograph and paste it into FORM J. The rest of FORM J is essentially
a statutory declaration in which you declare that the photograph reflects your
new appearance - assuming it is different from what it was before.
Where can I download FORM J?
FORM J is available from the VFS website. Currently, it can be found at:
However, VFS often update their website from time to time (without including
redirections) so if the above link doesn't work, then you'll just need to
search it for the correct form (and checklist).
How can we help with FORM J?
If you live in New South Wales, then you must sign FORM J in front of a notary
public. If you live in other states, presumably VFS will accept it being
signed in front of a justice of the peace or other equally
qualified/authorised witness.
As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we assist many
clients who must submit their FORM J to VFS to confirm their change of
appearance.
What next?
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
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.
It's a very simple request. Many services like ours have been closed over the Christmas and New Year period. This is really the only time that we take a break (aside from the lockdown/restrictions). Naturally, when we reopen our services are in high demand meaning that we're not able to answer every phone call or make an appointment for everyone immediately, especially as some of our team are still on holiday.
What do we do when we're fully booked?
Everyone can make an appointment. It's quite simple, but there are limited appointments available each and every day. Once those appointments are taken, we are fully booked. If you call us after we are fully booked, we will tell you so. At times, we may be able to "squeeze you in between appointments", especially when some appointments are faster than the allocated time, but it's not something that we can promise and we cannot say how long you might have to wait.
If someone else has an appointment, then they will take priority over you. When there's a chance to see you after an appointment has finished early and before the next appointment arrives, then we'll squeeze you in and see you if we can. It's really quite simple.
Too many times people have demanded an appointment when there are none available, or when we squeeze them in, they demand that we see them before other people who have already made an existing appointment. Isn't that like pushing in or cutting in a line?
At the end of the day, we'll make sure we see all of our clients, whether they have appointments or not, but isn't it fair to those who have made an appointment that we see them first before we see anyone who just decides to walk-in or those we're able to squeeze in?
Be considerate
Aside from patience, it does require consideration. Be considerate to everyone else. Yes, you might have an urgent request, but everyone else has an urgent request too. The reality of this work is most of it is time-sensitive in one way or another, but it doesn't mean that anyone should be favoured over anyone else.
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
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.
Happy new year! We will be reopening for appointments on 10 January 2022.
If you need assistance with notarising your documents, please call us on 02 9687 8885 (from 930am onwards) to make an appointment. There will be limited appointments on Monday, but there will be more availability for the rest of the week as we return to our normal appointment schedule.
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
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.
On 1 January 2022, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has
increased the apostille fee from $85 in 2021 to $87 for 2022.
The fee increase for DFAT apostille and authentications according to CPI is
nothing unusual. It happens every year on 1 January.
What does this fee increase for our services?
Despite the apostille fee increase, until further notice, our fee to arrange
the apostille from DFAT (including the increased apostille fee) on documents
intended for India (or for VFS) remains unchanged.
Our office is currently closed for the Christmas and New Year period until 10
January 2022.
What next?
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
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.
Ok, so that's 2021.
Thursday, 23 December 2021 will be our last day for notary public services
for this year.
It's been another challenging year due to the pandemic, and so we'd like to
thank all of you - our community - for supporting us during this time. For
those who patiently waited while our office was closed to the public due to
government restrictions, again thank you for your understanding and patience.
Our office will reopen for notary public services on 10 January 2022.
If you wish to make an appointment for notary public services on that day or
afterwards, please visit our website and lodge a request. We'll be monitoring
our emails and website enquiries during the Christmas and New Year break, but
please expect delays in receiving a response.
We wish all of you a safe and enjoyable summer.
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
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.
We'll be suspending our DFAT apostille services from Friday, 10 December 2021 due to the expected office closures over the Christmas and New Year period. Any document received after this date that requires an apostille probably won't be ready for collection until mid-January 2022.
If you need to have your document notarised and stamped with an apostille, please take into account our office closure as well as DFAT office closure times and act quickly.
When do I need to have my document stamped with an apostille?
As Australia and India are both members of the Apostille Convention, all documents that are signed in Australia for use in India should be notarised and stamped with an apostille before they can be legally recognised in India. If you've also been asked to have your document attested by the Indian Consulate (through VFS) you may also need to have your notarised document stamped with an apostille, especially if you're not an Indian citizen.
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
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.
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.
When your name on your Indian passport and your Indian drivers licence is
different (even if it's just abbreviations or initials), in addition to
submitting all the necessary documents under Section A in the
IDLV checklist, you must also satisfy the requirements of Section B.
What IDLV services do we provide?
As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we help clients
with Section B, Option 1 being the notary public services and arranging for
the apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
This service includes the following:
We prepare the notary certificate verifying that you are the one and the
same person.
We prepare the IDLV affidavit in which you declare that you are the one and
the same person.
We make certified copies of your Indian passport.
We make certified copies of your Indian drivers licence.
We arrange for the apostille from DFAT.
In the end, all you need to do is prepare your own documents from Section A
and submit those with the notarised documents that we provide to you (to
satisfy Section B) to VFS for processing.
Some clients choose to arrange for their own apostille, which means then we
provide all other requirements for Section B, Option 1 except the apostille.
Why do you need the Indian Drivers Licence Verification?
If you have migrated to Australia (or you are living in Australia for more
than 3 months) and you want to drive, you must have a valid Australian drivers
licence. You can only drive with your Indian drivers licence in Australia
temporarily.
To obtain an Australian drivers licence, you can apply without converting,
which means you would have to follow the various processes of the licence (ie,
from sitting for the knowledge test, qualifying for your learners licence
through to a probationary licence) before you can qualify for a full drivers
licence. However, if you want to potentially bypass those licensing
requirements because you already have the pre-requisite driving experience in
India, then you can apply to 'convert' your Indian drivers licence to an
Australian drivers licence. Part of the conversion process is to have your
Indian drivers licence verified - this is the Indian Drivers Licence
Verification or IDLV process that VFS provides to Indian citizens living in
Australia.
You can find all of the necessary information about the IDLV process from the
VFS website or by downloading the IDLV checklist. Completing the IDLV process will then allow you to convert your Indian
licence to an Australian licence.
The IDLV process can be straightforward if your name on your Indian passport
and your Indian drivers licence is the same. All you need to do is complete
the requirements under Section A and submit them to VFS for processing.
However, if your name is different, that's when things get a little more
complicated. In addition to completing the requirements under Section A, you
must also provide documents specified under Section B. That's where we can
help!
Why do people choose our IDLV service?
Very simple. People use our IDLV service for peace of mind.
For most things legal or related to law, you can actually do it yourself if
you made the effort and you took the time. You can write all of your own
documents, you can always represent or advocate for yourself, you can do your
own research and give yourself advice/inform yourself of what you need to
know. When it comes to the Indian Drivers Licence Verification process, the
only thing you really need us to do for you is the notarisation. You need us
to witness your signature and attest/notarise your document. Aside from that,
you can do everything else yourself.
But do you really want to? One of the reasons you're probably reading this
article is to understand the process and what you need to do, especially to do
it right. That's one of the biggest challenges if you've never done it before.
Is it worth guessing or fumbling your way through the process? People engage
professionals to assist them with what they need to do because professionals
know what they're doing (or should know what they're doing).
We've been providing notary public services for a long time - nearly 20 years.
In the years that we've been assisting the Indian community with the IDLV
service, we've continuously developed our forms and formats to satisfy the
IDLV checklist from VFS. The way that we prepare and notarise the IDLV notary
certificate, IDLV affidavit, and other associated documents has been accepted
by VFS without issue or problems. That's the peace of mind you get when you
choose our IDLV service.
Can you make your own IDLV statutory declaration?
If our IDLV services are beyond your budget, or you prefer to write your own
IDLV statutory declaration (and prepare your own accompanying documents), we
can still provide the notary public service to take your declaration, witness
you sign the IDLV statutory declaration and notarise that statutory
declaration (or certify your accompanying passport).
If you wish to 'save a little cost' by preparing your own document, you can
just follow instructions from VFS and prepare your own document based on their
specific template - and that's ok with us too. We're here to serve and can
still assist you even if you don't need our IDLV service.
In fact, if you incorrectly submit your IDLV application to VFS, they'll
generally provide you with a template NSW statutory declaration for you to
complete and have it notarised. They'll also provide you with various
instructions as to what they need you to submit with your application, which
sometimes includes the apostille as well.
If you write your own IDLV statutory declaration then we just provide the
notary public service to take your declaration and witness you sign the IDLV
statutory declaration. We can notarise, but then we wouldn't check or comment
on the contents of your declaration.
Can you apply for your own apostille?
Yes, of course, you can apply for your own apostille.
In Australia, DFAT is the issuing authority for the apostille and the
apostille can only be issued by DFAT. If you wanted to, you can always make
your own arrangements directly with DFAT to have your documents stamped with
an apostille. That applies whether your documents are documents that you
created yourself or whether they're the documents that we created as part of
the IDLV service (less the apostille) for you.
In Sydney, DFAT issues the apostille through the Sydney Passports Office at
Level 7, 26 Lee Street, Sydney (near Central Station). You should call or
visit their online booking service to make an appointment if you intend to
apply for your own apostille.
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
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.
Does your document need to be stamped with an apostille?
Both Australia and India are members of the Apostille Convention. This means
that documents from Australia should be stamped with an apostille before they
can be accepted in India. Of course, not everyone follows this requirement
either because they don't know or because they'll accept some other form of
stamp (ie, notary stamp or consulate stamp etc). But if whoever you're dealing
with in India understands
If you're signing documents in Australia that need to be used in India or if
you're sending Australian documents to India, the chances are that you're
going to need to have your documents notarised (at least) and sometimes
stamped with an apostille, and sometimes also attested by the Indian Consulate
(ie, VFS).
$150
including apostille fee (as at 1 November 2021)
We charge $150 for each apostille (current as at 1 November 2021). This
includes arranging for the apostille with DFAT as well as the apostille fee
charged by DFAT.
There are some important limitations on the documents that we can arrange the
stamp for the apostille. For example, we will not arrange for an apostille on
a document that has been notarised by another notary public.
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
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 copies of passports is a common request, but why?
Don't lose your passport!
Your passport is an important document. While it's not irreplaceable,
to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged passport is a real hassle - an
unnecessary burden if it can be avoided. There are going to be many times when
you'll have to prove your identity and perhaps rely on your passport as
evidence. In those cases, unless you absolutely have to, you shouldn't really
be sending your original passport anywhere or to anyone. Not only can it be
lost in the mail, but once your passport is out of your possession and
control, then who knows what could happen to it. Instead of sending your
original passport, perhaps you should consider sending a copy only.
Sending copies of your passport overseas
Depending on who needs to see your passport, the copies that you send to them
may need to be attested by a justice of the peace or by a notary public. If
you're sending a copy of your passport overseas, then it should be attested
and notarised by a notary public rather than just attested by a justice of the
peace.
VFS applications
If you need to send your original passport, or an attested copy of your
passport, to VFS in support of any applications you may be submitting to them,
we recommend sending an attested copy of your passport rather than your
original passport. For people living in New South Wales, this also means your
passport copy must be attested by a notary public while anyone else living in
any other state can have their passport copy attested by a justice of the
peace.
Primary identification document in Australia
If you don't have any other form of photograph personal identification in
Australia other than your passport, you should probably carry a copy of your
passport (preferably an attested copy) instead of your original passport.
There have been many cases where we've had to help people who have lost their
passport or had it stolen or damaged because they were carrying their passport
around with them every day. You should keep your passport securely and if you
don't apply for another form of identification (ie, like a NSW drivers licence
or photocard) then consider only carrying an attested copy. Since you'll be
using it only in Australia as your primary identification, you don't have to
have it attested by a notary public and can rely on an attestation from a
justice of the peace.
Our notary public services
As a leading provider of notary public services in Sydney, we help the
community by attesting copies of passports all day every day.
(Just remember we charge for copy of each passport - please do not expect
that you can have as many copies of the passport as you like for the same
price.)
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
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.
Your Service NSW app can now show your vaccination proof.
Please update your app and link it to your COVID-19 vaccination digital certificate available through your Medicare Express app. By sharing the digital certificate with your Service NSW app, you can now prove that you're fully vaccinated at the same time that you check-in, without the hassle of switching through apps or producing additional certificates/information.
For us, we've found that this has made the check-in process so much easier and streamlined.
Since 11 October 2021, proof of vaccination has been a condition of entry as we're only allowed to see/serve people in the office with face-to-face appointments if they've been fully vaccinated. For the last week, people have been showing us all forms of vaccination proofs and honestly, it's been a nightmare! Each form of proof shows different information in different formats. However, combining this into one app and sharing the information so that everything is available at a glance has made things so much easier.
If you update your Service NSW app and you share your COVID-19 vaccination digital certificate, then it will make things so much for us and it will be easier for you too. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.
Appointments in the office
Face-to-face appointments in the office are necessary for certain notary public services. Generally, this relates to witnessing signatures or verifying identity. For example, if you have a general power of attorney or a special power of attorney that must be attested, then this usually means you must come to our office and you must sign in front of us. When we witness your signature, we can then sign as your witness and then notarise your power of attorney. All of this requires you to be physically present in our office and sign in our presence. Under the current government restrictions, this then means you must be fully vaccinated as well.
Not all notary public services require face-to-face appointments in the office. If you need to have copies of Australian documents attested or certified, you don't need to come to the office in person and you can arrange for your original documents to be mailed to us or dropped off at our office. Most people still make appointments to come to our office with their original documents (as this is generally faster), but if you do this, then you must be fully vaccinated - even for pickup.
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
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.
From Monday, 11 October 2021 in accordance with easing restrictions across
Sydney, our office will reopen to take face-to-face appointments with people
who are fully vaccinated or who have a medical exemption.
To prove that you are fully vaccinated, you must be able to show:
COVID-19 digital certificate - in your Express Plus Medicare app.
COVID-19 digital certificate - in your Medicare
online account through myGov.
COVID-19 digital certificate - in your Android Wallet, or iOS Wallet.
Printed copy of your COVID-19 digital certificate.
Immunisation history statement - shown digitally.
Printed copy of your immunisation history statement.
To prove that you have a medical exemption, you must be able to show:
COVID-19 medical clearance notice - digitally or as a printed copy
COVID-19 medical exemption form - printed copy must be signed by a doctor
Immunisation history statement - medical exemption
Individuals failing to comply with this requirement can face fines up to $1,000, and businesses can face fines up to $5,000.
Unless there is a change in the government restrictions, it will be a condition of entry for face-to-face appointments, including notary public services, that you are able to prove that you are fully vaccinated.
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
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.
It was announced earlier today that New South Wales has achieved its first milestone of 70% double vaccinations! This means restrictions will be eased for business, especially in relation to those people who have been fully vaccinated. This includes us!
From Monday, 11 October 2021, we will be reopening for business and available to take appointments from people who are fully vaccinated (or medically exempt). Our revised policies and procedures are being implemented and so if you need to have your documents notarised, please call ahead to make an appointment.
What next?
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
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.
