Notarial Services and Official Documents

Notarial and documentation services provided by the Embassy

The Embassy’s Consular and Passport Section is able to provide notarial services such as witnessing signatures, legalising Australian public documents, certifying copies, and swearing oaths or affirmations for affidavits. You can find more information about these services on the Smartraveller website.

Notarial services are available on Wednesdays from 09.00-12.00 hrs by appointment only.

Some notarial services can only be provided by Australian Diplomatic Officers, who have limited appointments available.

Please carefully determine which notarial service you require and book accordingly.

Applications for an Apostille or Authentication are by mail only.

Make an appointment for your interview through the button below:

By booking an appointment you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy**

The Embassy’s requirements for provision of each of these services can be found below:

Apostille stamps and authentication of public documents

It is your responsibility to check whether the relevant authority requires an Apostille stamp or another form of authentication. Most municipalities in the Netherlands will request an apostille on a birth certificate as part of the BSN/RNI registration process.
Apostilles can only be applied to original public documents with an official signature or seal issued by Australian government departments.
Applications for an apostille or authentication can only be submitted by post.
The provision of an apostille can be undertaken within 48 hours of the Embassy receiving the original document and payment of the appropriate fee.
If you wish for your document to be returned by post, you will also need to advise the Embassy of your return address, email address, telephone number and include payment for return postage costs within your total payment.

Witnessing of signatures

In order for Embassy officer to witness your signature please read the forms carefully and verify who can be witnessing officer and book accordingly. Embassy Consular or Diplomatic officers are authorised under the Oaths Act 1900, Consular Fees Act 1955 or Statutory Declarations Act of 1959.
If these professions are not listed as authorised officers to witness your signature, you may want to 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.
It is your responsibility to check whether the relevant authority accepts Australian Diplomatic Officers or Australian Consular Officers as an authorised witness for an affidavit, statutory declaration or other official document.
Witnessing of signatures must be undertaken by the applicant in person at the Embassy. Make an appointment through the button above.
The applicant must bring the original and unsigned document on which they wish to have their signature witnessed, and a valid photo ID.
Witnessing of a signature can be undertaken on attendance and payment of the appropriate fee.

Issuing a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI)

Applications for a Certificate of No Impediment must be made by the Australian applicant in person at the Embassy. Make an appointment through the button above.
The Australian applicant must bring a completed but unsigned application form, valid photo ID; and - where relevant – evidence of divorce from or death of previous spouse/s.
CNI can only be used for marriages or visa applications within the Netherlands. If you will be married outside the Netherlands please contact the Australian Embassy or Consulate in that country for the CNI process.
The provision of a Certificate of No Impediment can be undertaken within 48 hours of receiving the application form and payment of the appropriate fee.

Affidavits (Affirmations or Oaths)

At the Embassy, only an Australian Diplomatic Officer can assist with the affidavit. It must be done in person, so you must book the appropriate appointment.
An affidavit is a written statement that allows the person making it (the 'deponent') to present evidence in court or other legal proceedings. The person making the affidavit must take an oath (religious), or make an affirmation (non-religious), that the contents of the affidavit are true and correct. Generally, it is an offence to swear or affirm to false information. The officer'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 that has not been drawn up correctly 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 that the document should take, please seek professional legal advice.

Making certified copies

Certifying copies of original documents is one of the most regular notarial services provided. In order for us to certify the documents you require, please read the application form/instructions carefully to learn who can act as the certifying officer and book accordingly.
Consular officer (authorised under the Consular Fees Act 1955)
Australian Diplomatic officer (authorised under the Oaths Act 1900) - Oaths and Affidavits can only be done by Diplomatic officers.
Certified copies can be provided either in person (make an appointment through the button above) or by post.
You must provide the original document and payment of the appropriate fee.
Please note that creation of a certified copy is not the same as an authentication. When certifying a copy, the Embassy will not attest to the validity of the document in question or any signature or seal attached to it. You should check with the relevant authority whether you require additional authentication.

Selling or buying property in Australia

When engaging in a property transaction in Australia, there are some elements, which you must be aware of and they are outlined in detail on the Smartraveller website: http://smartraveller.gov.au/services/legalising-documents/pages/overseas.aspx#selling-or-buying-land-or-property-in-australia

Consular staff at the Embassy can assist you. At the time of the interview, you must provide the instructions from your legal representative in Australia - in addition to the original documents you need witnessed or certified.
Your conveyancer can email us those instructions directly, or you can print out the instructions and bring them with you if you have already received them.

Providing notarial services by mail:

If the notarial service does not require you to appear in person (e.g. certified copies, apostille, authentications), you can send the original documents to the Embassy by registered mail or normal mail. We recommend you to use some form of trackable delivery service.

Please include a cover letter, where you write your residential address, your contact details (email address and telephone number) and what service you need done. We will return your original documents to you along with notarised ones.

You must transfer the corresponding notarial fees to our Embassy account, including return postage costs if you wish to have it returned via registered mail. Make sure you write a message in the description box, so we are able to identify your payment. Overview of our postal address, bank details and (notarial and postage) fees please see below.

Services not provided by the Embassy

There are a number of Australian official documents which the Embassy does not issue. Please see below for further information.

Visas

The Australian Embassy in the Netherlands does not issue visas and is not able to provide advice related to their use or issuance. For more information please consult the Visas, Migration and Citizenship page or the Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.

Citizenship Certificates

Information about citizenship applications and enquiries can be found on the Visa, Migration and Citizenship page. For citizenship by descent you can follow this link for a short overview.

Certificates of Births, Deaths and Marriages

Australian citizens in need of a Birth Certificate, Death Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or No Record of Marriage Certificate (also called a Single Status Certificate) must obtain these from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the relevant State or Territory of Australia.
Contact details for the Registries can be found on the website of the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages in the relevant State or Territory of Australia. The fees applicable for these certificates are the responsibility of the relevant Registry.
ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA

Drivers' licences

If you need to extend, renew, replace or reissue your Australian drivers’ licence, please contact the Road Traffic Authority of the State or Territory which originally issued it. You can find the contact details for Australian Road Traffic Authorities on the following websites:
ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA
If you need information about driving in the Netherlands on your Australian licence, or about acquiring a Dutch drivers’ licence, please consult the Living in the Netherlands section.

International Driving Permits

Holders of Australian State and Territory Drivers’ Licences may be required, during a licence check, to produce an International Driving Permit (IDP) in addition to their licence. To obtain an IDP, please contact the relevant authority in your State or Territory. You can find details of these authorities on the Smartraveller website.

National Police Checks

Australian citizens or (former) residents requiring an Australian police check should contact the Australian Federal Police for a National Police Check.
If you require information relating to a specific State or Territory, you can find the relevant contact details on the Police Services page of the Australian Government website.

Provision of information concerning Australian citizens

As a result of Australian privacy legislation, the Australian Embassy is unable to provide any personal information relating to Australian citizens either in the Netherlands or in Australia. The Embassy is also unable to verify identity information contained in passport scans or copies.
Please also note that Australia, unlike the Netherlands, does not operate a central registry of citizen’s personal details and addresses. It is therefore not possible for the Embassy to acquire, provide, or verify such information.

Prices and payment details

Fees for the Embassy’s notarial services are set in Australia in accordance with the Consular Fees Act 1955, and are subject to change in line with the relevant exchange rates. For services rendered at the Embassy, fees are payable in Euros and can only be made with a credit or debit card or Dutch "pin" card . When submitting documents via post payment can be made by bank transfer to the Australian Embassy. Bank account information is provided below.

Fees in the Netherlands are in Euros and are as set out below.

Consular and Notarial Fees from 1 April 2024:

Administering an oath of receiving a declaration or affirmation, with or without witness of signature	€52
Marking an exhibit to an affidavit or declaration in writing	€52
Witnessing a signature or the seal or the signature and seal of an authority or person	€52
Uniting documents and affixing a seal to the fastening	€52
Certifying a copy of a document or part of a document	€52
Applying for an Apostille Stamp	€60
Signing and affixing a seal	€52
Signing a document, or affixing a seal to a document or other article	€52
Effecting or attempting to effect service of a document and issuing a certificate or affidavit of service or attempted service	€52
Witnessing the execution of a will	€52
Issuing a Certificate of No Impediment	€104
Postage for the return of official documents provided to the Embassy for any service listed above	€9.80

Please ensure that documents relating to the notarial services you require from the Australian Government/Embassy/Consulate, are presented in the correct form and that you provide the correct instructions for the notarial service you require. If you are unsure of the legislative requirements relating to the notarial service you require, you should seek independent legal advice. Please note that neither the Australian Government nor the Australian Embassy/High Commission/Consulate in Post/Country guarantees the legal effectiveness of the notarised document or the accuracy of its content. Fees paid for notarial services are non-refundable.

Please note that payments made by bank transfer must be received before the services will be completed and your documents returned to you. This may require you to make the transfer before applying for the service or travelling to the Embassy.

In all bank transfers to the Embassy please include the applicant’s full name and details of the services required.

Embassy Bank Details
IBAN	NL56 INGB 0671 7100 44
Bank	ING
SWIFT/BIC	INGBNL2A
In the name of	Australian Embassy

Contact information and opening hours

If you have any questions relating to the Embassy’s notarial or document related services, you can contact the Consular and Passport Services team on 070 310 8200.

If you would like to submit an application for a notarial service by post, please address it to:

Consular and Passport Services
Australian Embassy
Carnegielaan 4
2517 KH, The Hague
Netherlands

If you would prefer to visit the Embassy in person, please note that notarial services opening hours are from Wednesdays from 0900 to 1200. Some notarial services can only be provided by Australian Diplomatic Officers, who have limited appointments available. Please carefully determine which notarial service you require and book accordingly.

Make an appointment for your interview through the button below:

By booking an appointment you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy**

**Privacy Policy

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) uses third-party software (Setmore) to manage the Embassy’s appointments. Your personal information (including your name and contact details) will be collected by DFAT via Setmore to book your appointment and for related purposes. By proceeding with this booking, you are consenting to the collection of this information by Setmore on DFAT’s behalf for these purposes. If this information is not collected, DFAT’s ability to arrange your appointment will be limited. Your personal information will be handled by Setmore in accordance with Setmore’s Privacy Policy, and by DFAT in accordance with DFAT’s Privacy Policy.