Klook.com

How to Get Your Documents Certified in Australia

How to Get Your Documents Certified in Australia
A couple of months ago, I was processing the renewal of my apartment lease in Manila. If you have experience in leasing a property in the Philippines, chances are you know how old-school things are. 
Hence, my lease contact needs to be notarized to make it valid (and for the safety of both parties).

It is one of my few issues recently, and I’m glad that I sort that out smoothly. Luckily, my lessor (who happens to be a certified old-school, but I’m not complaining!), and due to COVID restrictions, agreed to do it the fastest and practical way of the contract renewal. 

The problem is, he wants my signature to be certified including my documents (the lease contract).

What should I do?


In the Philippines, the only authorized persons that could certify your legal documents are lawyers and justices. And that means it is expensive that costs both time and money. 

Personally, I’m not worried about the money, what I worried more about the cost of time. 


sample contract of lease
Part of my lease contract that I presented to the Justice Personnel, who is authorized to certify my legal document locally here in Warragul, Victoria.

But here in Australia, things are different.


A 'certified copy' of an original document is a copy that has been verified as being a true copy of an original document such as a:
* birth certificate
* driver’s license
* passport

And/or in my case, my signature on the document (contract of lease in the Philippines).

Please note that copies of documents cannot currently be certified remotely. This must occur in-person.

This is done by a person who is authorized to certify copies of original documents.





How to have copies of original documents certified 


Different organizations may have their own requirements for certifying a copy. Check first before you follow this process. For more information, visit https://www.justice.vic.gov.au/certifiedcopies



Learn who is an authorized certifier?


authorized certifier in Australia
See the full list of occupations authorized to certify copies of original documents.

1.A person currently licensed or registered to practice in Australia as one of the following occupations:
        * Architect
        * Chiropractor
        * Conveyancer
        * Dentist
        * Financial adviser or financial planner
        * Legal practitioner
        * Medical practitioner
        * Midwife
        * Migration agent
        * Nurse
        * Occupational therapist
        * Optometrist
        * Patent attorney
        * Pharmacist
        * Physiotherapist
        * Psychologist
* Trade marks attorney
        * Veterinary surgeon

2.    An accountant who meets at least one of the following criteria:
        * Fellow of the National Tax Accountants’ Association
        * Member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
        * Member of the Association of Taxation and Management Accountants
        * Member of CPA Australia
        * Member of the Institute of Public Accountants

3. Agent of the Australian Postal Corporation who is in charge of an office supplying postal services to the public
4.Australian Public Service employee engaged on an ongoing basis with 5 or more years of continuous service who is not otherwise authorized
5.Australian Consular Officer or Australian Diplomatic Officer
6.Bailiff
7.Bank officer with 5 or more continuous years of service
8.Building society officer with 5 or more years of continuous service
9.Chief executive officer of a Commonwealth court
10.Clerk of a court
11.Commissioner for Affidavits
12.Commissioner for Declarations
13.Credit union officer with 5 or more years of continuous service
14.Employee of a Commonwealth authority engaged on a permanent basis with 5 or more years of continuous service who is not otherwise authorized
15.Employee of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission who is authorized in writing by the Secretary of DFAT to collect fees under s 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955, if at a place outside Australia and in the course of the employee’s duties at that place
16.Employee of the Commonwealth who is authorized in writing by the Secretary of DFAT to collect fees under s 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955, if at a place outside Australia and in the course of the employee’s duties at that place.

17.An engineer who meets at least one of the following criteria:
        * A member of Engineers Australia, other than a student
        * A Registered Professional Engineer of Professionals Australia
        * Registered as an engineer under a law of the Commonwealth or a State or Territory
        * Registered on the National Engineering Register by Engineers Australia

18.Finance company officer with 5 or more years of continuous service

19.Holder of a Commonwealth statutory office not otherwise specified
        * For example, Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies

20.IBAC Officers
21.Judge
22.Justice of the Peace
23.Local government Councillor
24.Magistrate
25.Registered marriage celebrant
26.Master of a court

27.Member of the Australian Defence Force who meets at least one of the following criteria:
        * An officer
        * A non-commissioned officer with 5 or more years of continuous service
        * A warrant officer

28.Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
29.Member of the Governance Institute of Australia Ltd
30.Member of the Parliament of a State
31.Member of a Territory legislature
32.Member of a local government authority
33.Registered minister of religion
34.Notary public, including a notary public exercising functions at a place outside either the Commonwealth or the external Territories of the Commonwealth
35.Permanent employee of the Australian Postal Corporation with 5 or more years continuous service who is employed in an office providing postal services to the public

36.Permanent employee with 5 or more years of continuous service who is not otherwise specified, if employed at one of the following:
       * State
       * Territory
       * State authority
       * Territory authority
       * Local government authority

37.Police officer
38.Police reservist
39.Protective service officer (PSO)
40.Registrar, or Deputy Registrar, of a court
41.A school principal
42.Senior executive employee of a Commonwealth authority
43.Senior executive employee of a State or Territory
44.Senior Executive Service employee of the Commonwealth
45.Sheriff
46.Sheriff’s officer
47.State Trustees officer or employee with a classification level of 2 or above
48.Teacher employed on a permanent full-time or part-time basis at a school or tertiary education institution
49.Transport Accident Commission officer or employee with a classification of level 2 or above
50.VicRoads officer or employee with a classification of level 2 or above
51.Victorian Inspectorate Officer

52.A Victorian Public Service employee with a prescribed classification level of 2 or above
        * For example, a project officer employed as a VPS4 or an administrative assistant employed as a VPS2

53.Victorian WorkCover Authority officer or employee with a classification of band 2 or above
54.Any authorized affidavit taker, including:
 * A judicial officer
        For example, a judge or magistrate
        * An associate to a judicial officer
        * An honorary justice
        * The prothonotary or a deputy prothonotary of the Supreme Court
        * The registrar of probates or an assistant registrar of probates
        * The registrar or a deputy registrar of the County Court
        * The principal registrar, a registrar, or a deputy registrar of the Magistrates’ Court
        * The principal registrar, a registrar, or a deputy registrar of the Children’s Court
        * The principal registrar, a registrar, or a deputy registrar of VCAT
        * The principal registrar or a registrar of the Coroners Court
        * A member of VCAT
        * A member or former member of either House of the Parliament of Victoria
        * A member or former member of either House of the Parliament of the Commonwealth
        * A public notary
        * A senior officer of a Victorian municipal Council who meets one of the following criteria:
                    - Chief Executive Officer
                    - A member of Council staff with management responsibilities and reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer
                    - Any other member of Council staff earning a salary of at least $124,000 (or a higher threshold, if specified by the Minister under s 97B of the Local Government Act 1989 (External link))
        * A fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (Victoria)
        * A person acting judicially
                   - For example, an arbitrator or any person or body with authority to hear, receive and examine evidence
        * Any other officer or person empowered, authorized, or permitted by or under any Act or rules of a court or rules of a tribunal to administer affidavits


Melbourne CBD

In my case, I visited our local police station here in Warragul Victoria, and presented my documents to the Justice of Peace, along with my proof of identification (my Passport). After asking a few questions about the nature and reason for needing the documents to be certified, he signed and sealed my documents. 

Remember that you have to visit the certifier in-person and can’t do the certifying of documents remotely.




Certifying a document in another language

A document in a language other than English can be certified. The certifier must be of the opinion that the copy is identical to the original document.

These guidelines are similar to all the states of Australia. 


How much is the fee?

Normally, there is no fee for certifying documents especially for those simple documents such as the contract of lease. However, it is a polite way to give donations instead and it is much appreciated. In other instances such as corporate documents, you need to pay for the certifier’s professional fees.


COVID Restriction:

It is a wise and smart way to call the certifier office first, check their availability, and book an appointment for you to comply with the current COVID restrictions in your area.


Share this:

16 comments :

  1. Australia I’m coming for you!!!!! Thanks for this really helpful guide. Im considering Australia to be one of the countries i might migrate to, but let’s see haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is awesome! Plus gay marriage is PERFECTLY LEGAL in Australia! Woot! Woot!

      Delete
  2. its good to have people help you ano? especially if you are unfamiliar.. grateful to kind hearted people always. nakakatuwa din na merong flexibility since we are in a pandemic and it is really hard to move around especially to work with important documents

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww thank you! I thought of sharing this experience and how to live IRL here in Australia as a resident and not in a tourist mode. I am surprised that it was so easy here and flexible.

      Delete
  3. I wish the process of certifying documents here in the Philippines is as easy and flexible as that in Australia. I wonder how long it takes for that to happen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's true! I can't believe that it is much easier and simplified here.

      Delete
  4. Grabe hassle kapag wala ka talagang backup na kakilala sa mga ganyang pag-process ng documents. Hehe and wow!!! Australia is one of my dream countries to visit! Hmm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with you. Living as an expat here in Australia has many challenges too.

      Delete
  5. I might not have a plan to migrate there but would surely share this to a friend planning to. 😊 I think in any government related applications or transactions it would really take a long time to process. 😁

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. Even when I'm still in Manila and dealing with Australian clients, we signed the documents very smoothly and fuss-free... tumatagal lang kapag yung PH-counter part na.

      Delete
  6. This is really helpful. This will be saved for reference later. Australia is on my list to live.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can always consider this as a place to visit or your No.2 home :)

      Delete
  7. I’m glad you had that sorted out! I hate having to process legal documents haha it eats up time and effort. And wow, that’s nice to know that it’s free there! Dito sa Philippines, wala yatang libre magpa certify ng documents 😅

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree! Kahit diyan sa mga notarial offices (or like dun sa Makati in front of the post office, tabi ng bangketa) we pay Php100 to 500pesos.

      Delete
  8. This article is so helpful. I'll save this for future references and just incase someone I know needs it

    ReplyDelete

DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any partner brands/company(s), beauty & lifestyle brands, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities, unless specified.
 
Copyright © For Urban Women - Awarded Top 100 Urban Blog / Fashion, Lifestyle and Travel. Designed by OddThemes