You can find comprehensive information about the different notarial and legal services provided by Australian Embassies overseas on the Smartraveller website. We only provide services in relation to Australian documents, or foreign documents to be used in Australia.
We accept applications for apostille, authentication, and certified copy by mail or in person at a pre-booked appointment at the Embassy. If you send your application by mail, please post the original document by registered mail and include a cover letter providing your full name, address, eircode, and contact number.
Witnessing of signatures, Certificate of No Impediment applications, oaths, affidavits, and land transfer documents can only be lodged in person at a pre-booked appointment at the Embassy.
Please read the section for the specific notarial service you require below, as well as the Notarial Fees and Payment Methods section. If you have any further questions, please contact us at +353 1 664 5300 or email us at [email protected].
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Disclaimer: It is your responsibility to ensure that you present all necessary documents required for the notarial service to the Embassy in the correct form and provide the correct instructions for the notarial service you require. If you are unsure of the requirements for the notarial service you require, you should seek independent legal advice. Neither the Australian Government nor the Australian Embassy in Ireland guarantees the legal effectiveness of the notarised document or the accuracy of its content. Fees paid for notarial services are non-refundable. |
We offer in-person notarial service by appointment only from Monday to Friday between 2pm and 4pm.
All visitors must present current photo ID (e.g. passport, driving licence), undertake a security screening, and walk through the metal detector. Please advise the security guard if you have had a pacemaker implanted.
If your appointment involves bank/land transfer documents relating to Western Australia OR an affidavit/oath/affirmation, please book your appointment by calling us at +353 1 664 5300 as we will need to ensure a Diplomatic Officer is available on the day.
For all other appointments, please book online using the link below.
Please see the section below for information about fees and accepted payment methods.
Non-refundable fees apply for all notarial and document legalisation services.
You will also be charged a fee of €10.00 to return your document to you by registered mail. Alternatively, you may include a self-addressed registered envelope with your application.
You also need to complete a payment authorisation form for the Embassy take payment.
We accept payment by credit or debit card only. We do not accept American Express.
Notarial fees are taken in Australian Dollars and increase on 1 January every year. Fees for 2025 are as follows:
|
Notarial Act |
AUD fee |
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Administering an oath or receiving a declaration or affirmation |
$88 |
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Effecting/attempting to affect service of a document and issuing a certificate, affidavit, or service of a document |
$88 |
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Witnessing a signature or seal on a form or declaration |
$88 |
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Preparing a declaration or other document |
$88 |
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Verifying and certifying a copy of a document or part of a document |
$88 |
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Signing a document or affixing a seal to a document or other article |
$88 |
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Preparation and issue of an Apostille certificate |
$102 |
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Preparation and issue of an Authentication certificate |
$102 |
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Preparation and issue of a Certificate of No Impediment of Marriage |
$177 |
Consular fees are reviewed monthly and may be adjusted due to variations in exchange rate to the Australian dollar.
An affidavit is a written statement that allows the person making it (the deponent) to present evidence in court or other legal proceedings. The deponent must take an oath (religious) or make an affirmation (non-religious) that the contents of the affidavit are true and correct. It is an offence to swear or affirm to false information. The Embassy's role is to witness the affidavit and administer the oath/affirmation.
The precise form of an affidavit is dictated by the Commonwealth, state, or territory legislation under which the affidavit is made or the proceedings in which the evidence contained in it is to be relied on.
An affidavit which has been drawn up incorrectly may not be effective.
It is your responsibility to provide the document in the correct form and any additional witnessing/administering instructions. We take no responsibility for the correctness of the form of an affidavit. If you are unclear about the form, please seek professional legal advice.
Please read the Book an Appointment section above and call +353 1 664 5300 to book an appointment at a date/time when a Diplomatic Officer is available. Consular Officers cannot assist with an affidavit.
We can issue an Apostille on Australian Government documents to be accepted in a country which is a signatory of the Apostille Convention (1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalisation of Foreign Public Documents). Documents being sent to countries which are not signatories of the Convention may be issued with an Authentication. See list of members and non-members of the Apostille Convention.
The standard certificate or report must hold a verifiable signature/seal.
Documents that cannot be apostilled or authenticated:
- Photocopies of original documents unless they have been notarised as a ‘true copy’ by an Australian Public Notary within Australia.
- Laminated or damaged documents. You must obtain a replacement from the issuing authority.
- Commemorative certificates are not government documents.
We accept applications for apostille and authentication by mail. Please post the original document by registered mail and include a cover letter providing your full name, address, eircode, and contact number.
Certifying copies of original documents is one of our most frequently requested notarial services. In order for us certify the documents you require, please read the application form/instructions carefully to learn who can act as the certifying officer and confirm whether it is a Consular Officer (authorised under the Consular Fees Act 1955) or an Australian Diplomatic Officer (authorised under the Oaths Act 1900).
We accept certified copy applications by mail. Please post the original document by registered mail and include a cover letter providing your full name, address, eircode, and contact number and noting whether you need assistance from a Consular Officer or Diplomatic Officer.
We can witness signatures on many official Australian documents, for use in Australia. We do not witness signatures on overseas documents.
Always ask the receiving authority or a lawyer who can witness for you.
Be aware that you may not need DFAT to witness your signature. In many cases, you can find someone else locally to witness it for you.
Embassy Consular or Diplomatic Officers are authorised to witness signatures under the Oaths Act 1900, Consular Fees Act 1955, or Statutory Declarations Act of 1959. If these professions are not specifically listed as authorised officers to witness signatures for the relevant document, you should contact the office which will be receiving your documents and confirm that you are overseas and do not have access to the same range of authorised officers as in Australia.
Documents we can witness:
- Property transfers for buying/selling property in Australia
- Statutory declarations for use in Australia
- DFAT forms including Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage applications
- Notices of intended marriage
- Most federal government forms, some state government forms, and some private sector forms - ask the form's issuing authority if they accept consular officials as authorised witnesses
You must book an appointment to have your witness signature (see section above).
Please see Smartraveller for information on getting married overseas, how to prove you are free to marry, getting your marriage recognised in Australia, and becoming an Australian citizen through marriage. The Attorney General's Department also provides information and application forms for getting married in Australia or overseas.
You should ask your marriage celebrant and the local municipality office what document requirements apply to you as they vary.
Single Status Certificate
If you’re getting married outside of Australia, you may need a single status certificate as proof of your relationship status. A single status certificate is an official document proving you are single. If you have lived in several countries, you may have to provide certificates from more countries.
The certificate is issued by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM) in the applicant's home state or territory in Australia. You can apply online directly from your state or territory's registry. It is only available to Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents.
Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI)
The certificate does not state that a person is single, but only that - provided you have made a truthful statement on the application - there are no laws prohibiting an Australian national marrying in the country where you want to marry. We conduct no verifying checks in relation to issuing the certificate and this is clearly stated on the certificate as well.
Both parties to the marriage must fill in their details on the application for the Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage. The person lodging the application must have their signature witnessed by an authorised witness in Australia or a Consular Officer at the Embassy.
If either person has been married previously, original divorce or death certificates must be submitted before a certificate will be issued.
Notice of Intended Marriage
If you are getting married in Australia, you may be required to submit a Notice of Intended Marriage form to the marriage celebrant. A Consular Officer can witness your signatures on the form but you must book an appointment. See the section on booking appointments above.
The Embassy can only witness property transaction documents which relate to property being bought/sold in Australia.
We cannot provide legal advice or any information on documents required. You should request confirmation on documents required from the requesting authority.
At the time of your appointment, you must provide the instructions from your legal representative in Australia - in addition to the original documents you need witnessed or certified. Your conveyancer/solicitor can email us the instructions directly, or you can print out the instructions and bring them with you if you have already received them.
If you have bank/land transfer documents relating to Western Australia, please read the Book an Appointment section above and call +353 1 664 5300 to book an appointment at a date and time when a Diplomatic Officer is available.
For all other property transactions, please read the Book an Appointment section above and use our online booking system to arrange for a Consular Officer to witness the signature.
Taxation issues: Australian Tax Office
Birth, death and marriage certificates: Births, deaths and marriages registries
National Police Checks: Australian Federal Police
Information on benefits, payments and services for former residents: Department of Human Services
Australian Federal Election: Australian Electoral Commission
Tourist Refund Scheme: Department of Immigration and Border Protection
Australian Citizenship information: Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection