Notarial Services

 

Notarial Services

Notarial services are legal acts which allow written records to be used for official or legal purposes. They are only available for Australian documents and foreign documents intended for use in Australia.

The full list of services we provide can be found in the fee schedule below, but includes:

• issuing Apostilles and Authentication certificates;
• witnessing signatures;
• certifying photos and copies of original documents;
• administering affidavits;
• issuing Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI)

Notarial services are by appointment only. Click here to book:  

Legalising documents

Some foreign authorities may request a document to be issued with an Apostille or an Authentication certificate before it will be accepted by that foreign country. This is referred to as ‘legalisation’.

We can legalise most original Australian public documents. We can also legalise private documents, once they are notarised by an Australian Notary Public.

Note: If intended for use in Kuwait, you must authenticate your document(s) by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Australia and the Australian Embassy in Kuwait before Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs can accept them. Australian National Police Checks also need to be authenticated by the Kuwaiti Embassy in Canberra.

Educational Documents

• We can legalise original Australian educational documents.

Additional steps and/or verification of your document(s) may be required, depending on the type of institution and whether it is public or private.

Further information can be found on Smartraveller's Documents we can legalise page. 

• We cannot legalise foreign education documents, even if notarised by an Australian Notary Public.

For assistance, contact the embassy or consulate of the issuing country in Kuwait.

 

Witnessing signatures

We can witness signatures on Australian documents overseas, including, but not limited to:

• statutory declarations;
• applications to renew Australian driver’s licences; and
• documents relating to the sale or transfer of property in Australia.

We CANNOT witness signatures on overseas documents. 

Do not sign your document(s) before attending your appointment. We need to witness you sign. 

We also need to confirm your identity by sighting valid government-issued ID that bears both your photograph and signature. This can be in the form of your Australian/foreign passport or driver’s licence, or a combination of identity documents.

 

Certifying photographs, identity and copies of original documents

Photographs: Some organisations may ask you to have a photograph certified (e.g. to assist in the renewal of your Australian driver's licence).

We can certify photographs for use in Australia ONLY.

Verifying Identity: Some organisations may ask you to have your identity certified or verified (e.g. when buying or selling property in Australia or opening a bank account), often in combination with another service(s).

We can verify your identity using the DFAT Identity Certificate ONLY.

True copies of original documents: We can photocopy your original document and certify it as a true copy. Documents must be Australian, or for use in Australia.

 

Notarial Fees

Fees apply and are charged per act. Fees for notarial services increase on 1 January every year.

In Kuwait, fees are payable by debit and credit cards in Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) only. Fees may vary each month, depending on fluctuations in the exchange rate.

The following fees apply from 1 October 2024:

Notarial act	Fee
	AUD	KWD
Administering an oath or receiving a declaration or affirmation	85	17
Witnessing a signature or seal on a form or declaration	85	17
Preparing a declaration or other document	85	17
Verifying and certifying a copy of a document or part of a document	85	17
Signing a document, or affixing a seal to a document or other article	85	17
Witnessing the execution of a will	85	17
Preparation and issue of an Authentication certificate	98	20
Preparation and issue of an Apostille certificate	98	20
Preparation and issue of a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI)	171	35

 

Notarial Services Disclaimer

Please ensure that documents relating to the notarial services you require from the Australian Embassy 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 in Kuwait guarantees the legal effectiveness of the notarised document or the accuracy of its content.