Mail-in notarial services | Australia in the USA

Notarial services provided by mail include:

certified copies of documents only (note: the certifying of photographs and identity require you to attend the Embassy or your nearest Consulate-General in person);
Apostilles and Authentications; and
Exchange Visitor (J-1) Program ‘No Objection’ statements.

Due to high demand and the limited availability of in-person appointments, we ask that these services be completed by mail wherever possible.

Information about each of these services can be found below.

Please read this information in full before mailing in your documents or contacting us with questions. We also recommend that you read our Notarial Services - Frequently asked questions (FAQs) page.

Certified Copies of documents

To obtain a certified copy(ies), mail your original document(s) to the Embassy (details below) along with

a completed Notarial Service Request form, providing detailed instructions on the service(s) you require, your daytime contact details, and a return delivery address; and
a completed Credit Card Authorisation form, providing payment details and indicating whether you would like us to arrange for the return of your documents via FedEx (cost USD $15).

If you choose not to have us arrange for the return of your documents, you will also need to include a prepaid self-addressed FedEx label or USPS envelope (note: we do not accept UPS labels).

Your documents MUST be original, complete and unaltered, and CANNOT be framed, laminated or block-mounted.

Incomplete packets and packets that don’t comply with these instructions cannot be accepted and will be returned immediately, along with a letter explaining the reason(s) why and what you will need to do before resubmitting your documents.

Where to mail your documents

All mail should be addressed to

Consular Affairs - Notarial services
Embassy of Australia
1601 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington DC 20036

When sending your documents to us, we recommend using a service that allows you to track their whereabouts and delivery. The Embassy cannot assist with locating undelivered or lost documents.

For security reasons, hand-delivering your documents to the Embassy is NOT possible.

Fees and Payment

Fees vary each month, depending on fluctuations in the exchange rate. Current fees can be found on our Notarial services page.

In the United States, fees are payable by Visa, Mastercard or Discover Card in US dollars only - payments by cash and cheque are not accepted.

Processing time

Processing times vary, but we make every effort to process your application within 7-10 business days of receipt by our office.

Taking the time to ensure that your packet is complete and correct before mailing it to us, providing us with contact details at which you can be easily be reached, and promptly responding to any requests for clarification or further information, will help ensure the quickest possible turnaround.

Apostilles and Authentication Certificates

To have your document(s) Apostilled or Authenticated, mail your document(s) to the Embassy (details below) along with

a completed Notarial Service Request form, providing detailed instructions on the service you require, daytime contact details and a return delivery address; and
a completed Credit Card Authorisation form, providing payment details and indicating whether you would like us to arrange for the return of your documents via FedEx (cost USD $15).

If you choose not to have us arrange for the return of your documents, you will also need to include a prepaid self-addressed FedEx label or USPS envelope (note: we cannot accept UPS labels).

Your documents MUST be

originals issued by an Australian government agency or official;
originals issued by an Australian educational institution (with additional verification - see below); or
copies notarised by an Australian Notary Public.

They MUST also be complete and unaltered, and CANNOT be framed, laminated or block-mounted.

We CANNOT Apostille or Authenticate electronically-issued Australian public documents by mail or Australian private documents, unless they have already been notarised by an Australian Notary Public. We CANNOT Apostille or Authenticate foreign documents (public or private), even if they have already been notarised by an Australian Notary Public.

Additional verification

Some documents require additional verification before we can Apostille or Authenticate them. This includes educational documents and translated documents.

Further information can be found on our Notarial Services - Frequently asked questions (FAQs) page and Smartraveller's Documents we can legalise page.

Application / Binding

Apostille and Authentication certificates, including stamps and signatures, are applied directly to or bound to the ORIGINAL document you submit.

If you don't want your original document marked, you will need to supply us with a copy that has already been notarised by an Australian Notary Public.