Apostille
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We attend DFAT daily for clients - no DFAT appointment required. We attend DFAT the same day we receive your document and all required information before 10am.
Your Apostilled document will be express posted to you free of charge anywhere in Australia as soon as it is completed by DFAT.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the only body in Australia that is authorised to issue Apostilles. DFAT issues Apostilles through the passport offices in each capital city in Australia.
The current DFAT processing time for an Apostille is up to 3 business days.
DFAT can Apostille:
- original Australian government issued documents that have an official signature or seal
- documents translated by a NAATI certified translator that meet certain requirements
- documents that have been properly notarised by an Australian Notary Public
Australian Government issued documents with an official seal or signature include:
- Academic Degrees (University or TAFE)
- AFP National Police Certificate
- ASIC Certificate of Registration of a Company
- Birth Certificate
- Certificate of Residency issued by the Australian Tax Office (ATO)
- Change of Name Certificate
- Citizenship Certificate
- Court Document
- Citizenship Certificate
- Death Certificate
- Divorce Order
- Marriage Certificate (excluding ceremonial certificate)
- Passport
- Relationship Certificate
- Single Status or Record of No Result Certificate
Academic documents must be verified with the issuing university or TAFE institution before DFAT will issue an Apostille.
Verification can be completed via My eQuals or by email to the institution.
An Apostille is a specific type of certification issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) certifying that a document is either an original Australian government document or a document that has been notarised by a Notary Public. An Apostille confirms the authenticity of the document's signature, seal, or stamp and the authority of the person or organisation that issued it. DFAT is the only body in Australia that can issue an Apostille.
An Apostille will only be recognised in a country that is a signatory to the Apostille Convention (Hague Apostille Convention). The Apostille Convention simplifies the process of authenticating documents for international use. Under this Convention, participating countries agree to recognise an Apostille as a valid certification for documents issued by authorities within the same country. Refer to our List of Countries Accepting an Apostille.
If the intended destination country is not a signatory to the Apostille Convention, then you may need to have your document "authenticated" by DFAT.
It depends on whether the document was originally issued electronically or in hard-copy.
Electronically
If the original document was issued electronically, then simply upload the PDF in the booking form and forward the original email from the issuer with the document attached or linked.
Hard-Copy
If the document was issued in hard-copy, simply send the original document to Swift Authentication using our free express post label.
We can have your document Apostilled by DFAT for you. We attend DFAT daily for clients and offer a fully managed service - no appointment required.
Book online instantly by following this link to our booking platform. The platform will guide you through the process and provide a summary of the service and price prior to payment.
We can have your document Authenticated by DFAT for you. We attend DFAT daily for clients and offer a fully managed service - no appointment required.
Book online instantly by following this link to our booking platform. The platform will guide you through the process and provide a summary of the service and price prior to payment.