Authorities to record and authenticate legal documents intended for use overseas.
NOTARY PUBLIC: A notary public is a senior legal practitioner authorised to record and authenticate legal instruments intended for use overseas. A notarial act prepared and completed by a notary public is a certification of authenticity.
LEGAL INSTRUMENTS FOR USE OVERSEAS: Legal instruments or documents executed in Australia but intended for use overseas typically require notary’s attestation or certification. These documents include affidavits, declarations, deeds, powers of attorney, proxies and authorities, business and corporate documents, will and estate documents, trust documents, instruments relating to intellectual property rights, instruments relating to real property rights, and approved therapeutic goods or veterinary products manufacturer verifications.
CERTIFICATES OF LAW: These documents, drawn up by notaries, deal with or explain Australian legal concepts and principles. They may be relied upon by the courts and tribunals internationally.
NOTARIAL CERTIFICATES: These certificates, prepared by notaries, record their interventions and evidence the authentication of the legal instruments. The notarial certificates are endorsed on or appended to the legal instruments intended to be produced overseas.
APOSTILLES & AUTHENTICATIONS: Notarised legal documents intended for use overseas usually need to first be authenticated and affixed with an apostille issued by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
LEGALISATIONS: Notarised legal documents authenticated by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade may require further legalisation by consular officers representing the destination country in Australia, in order to be recognised there. The procedures and requirements for legalisation vary from country to country. These are set by the embassies or consulates of the destination countries.