Appointment checklist · Gawler
Five things that get it done in one visit.
Nearly every notary appointment that needs a second visit needs it for one of the same few reasons: a document signed at home, an ID that does not match the name, or instructions from overseas that nobody brought. Here is the list, and the one thing not to do.
Bring these
The checklist.
Print it or screenshot it. If you send us the document and the overseas instructions the day before, we check them against DFAT's and the destination's requirements so the appointment itself is short.
- The original document that needs notarising. Do not sign it beforehand unless we have told you to; most documents must be signed in front of the Notary.
- Current government-issued photo identification: your passport, or your Australian driver's licence. Bring both if you have them.
- Any email, checklist or written instructions from the overseas authority that asked for the document. They often specify the exact wording of the certificate.
- The correct spelling of every name that appears, and the country the document is going to. Both go on the notarial certificate.
- Any supporting originals the document refers to: a company extract if you are signing for a company, a marriage certificate if a name has changed.
If a person signing does not read English confidently, tell us when you book. We arrange an interpreter or explain what the certificate needs to say about it.
Why each one matters
The certificate can only say what the Notary saw.
A notarial certificate is a first-hand account. It records that a named person, identified by a specified document, signed in the Notary's presence on a given day, or that a copy was compared against an original the Notary held. Every item on the checklist exists because the certificate has to be true to the word and the receiving authority will read it that way.
The instructions from the overseas authority matter more than most people expect. A German bank, an Indian sub-registrar and an Italian consulate each have their own wording, and some supply the exact certificate they want. Bringing their email lets us match it rather than guess, which is the difference between the document being accepted and coming back.
Names and destination go on the certificate too. A transposed middle name or a passport number typed from memory can void the whole thing at the far end. Check the spelling against the ID you are bringing, and tell us the country, so the DFAT step (apostille or authentication) is set up correctly from the start.
Common questions
Before you come in.
Because the Notary is certifying that they watched you sign. A document signed at home cannot be witnessed after the fact, and most overseas authorities reject a certificate that does not say the signature was made in the Notary's presence. If you have already signed, bring a clean copy or we print a fresh one.
For witnessing a signature, we need the document you will sign, which is usually a print of what the overseas authority sent you. For an attested copy, we must see the original: the actual passport, degree or certificate. A photocopy of a photocopy cannot be attested.
Current government-issued photo identification: an Australian or foreign passport, or an Australian driver's licence. The name on the ID must match the name on the document; if it does not, bring the certificate that explains the change (marriage, deed poll).
Yes, but the Notary must be satisfied that they are authorised. Bring a current ASIC company extract and, where relevant, the resolution or constitution that gives that person signing authority. We can obtain the extract for you if you tell us when booking.
Tell us how many when you book and send them through in advance. Multiple documents in one appointment are common, especially for overseas property and citizenship matters, and the fixed fee accounts for the number of documents and signers.
Most appointments take 15 to 30 minutes. Longer if there are several documents, several signers, an interpreter, or DFAT paperwork to prepare on the spot.
We'll call you back the same business day.
Tell us briefly what's happening. Steven will call you back for a free 15-minute conversation, the same business day. No obligation, no pressure to engage us afterwards.
For certain matters, new national rules mean we verify your identity before we start acting. What to expect →
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