In Australia, settling into a new country can mean dealing with a lot of official paperwork. For example, even renting a home or opening a bank account may require certified documents. A notary public can help make these papers official and accepted by banks or landlords. Many people from the Indian subcontinent – including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – have made new homes here.
Migration from these countries started in the late 1960s with skilled professionals such as doctors, teachers and engineers. Today about 500,000 Australians trace their heritage to the Indian subcontinent. Many of them live in New South Wales, especially in Western Sydney suburbs like Wentworthville.
As this South Asian community grows, so does the need for services that help with legal and official paperwork. A Notary Public can assist by certifying and witnessing important documents.
What is a Notary Public?
A Notary Public is a specially appointed public officer who helps people with important legal documents. Notaries are often lawyers or officials given authority by a court. They have the power to witness people signing documents, administer oaths (sworn statements), and certify papers to make them official.
In Australia, notaries are approved by state courts and usually serve for life, which means their signature and seal are trusted worldwide. A notary public checks your identity and makes sure you understand the document before you sign. They will sign the document and attach an official stamp or seal to certify it. Australian notaries can also certify documents for use overseas. In short, a Notary Public makes sure that your documents are genuine, legal and accepted by authorities both here and abroad.
Services Offered by a Notary Public
Notaries provide many services for legal documents and identity. In summary, a notary can do the following:
- Witnessing signatures on affidavits, contracts and other legal papers (after verifying your identity). For example, if you have a written agreement that must be signed in front of an official, the notary will watch and sign as a witness.
- Administering oaths and statutory declarations for official statements. This means they can handle formal promises or statements sworn on oath, like affidavits required by courts.
- Certifying true copies of original documents (for example, passports, birth certificates or academic certificates). A notary can compare a copy to your original and mark the copy as a true certified copy, which many agencies accept.
- Preparing and certifying legal documents such as powers of attorney, wills, and other forms. If you need to give someone authority (a power of attorney), make a will, or sign other important legal forms, a notary can certify these documents for you.
- Notarising documents for international use, making them valid in other countries. For example, if you send documents to India or another country, a notarised document is more likely to be accepted by foreign authorities.
Why Notary Services Matter
Notarial services are legal acts that allow a written document to be used for official purposes. In simple terms, a notarised document is trusted by governments, courts, schools and other official bodies. This trust is very important for our community. For example, many visa or residency applications in Australia require notarised documents. Without notarisation, your application could be delayed or rejected. Notaries make sure your papers will be accepted by the right authorities.
Notary services also help protect people. A notary must verify the signer’s identity, which helps prevent fraud. If a document is notarised, a court later knows that the notary saw the real person sign it. For banks or companies, seeing a notary’s stamp means they can accept a certified copy instead of asking for the original.
- Immigration and Visas: Many visa or residency applications require certified copies of passports, birth certificates and other documents. For example, a family visa often needs a certified marriage certificate and ID documents. A notary can certify these copies to meet immigration rules, speeding up your application.
- Education and Employment: Schools, universities and employers often need notarised transcripts, diplomas or work certificates. For example, if you want to study overseas you may need a certified copy of your degree. A notary public can make official certified copies of these papers so that educational and professional institutions will accept them.
- Legal and Business: Important legal papers such as property deeds, contracts or wills usually must be notarised to be valid. For example, when buying a home you may need a notarised sale contract. A notary public witnesses your signature and ensures these documents are correctly completed and legal.
- Personal Documents: Even personal records, like marriage certificates or powers of attorney for family, may need notarisation for use overseas. For example, if you plan to travel with children or arrange guardianship, you might need a notarised consent or guardianship document. Notaries help verify and certify these personal documents so they are accepted internationally.
Notary Public Services in Wentworthville
The Indian Support Center (ISC) offers trusted notary public services right here in Wentworthville. The ISC office is at 2 Lane Street (next to the Wentworthville Library), making it easy for local residents to visit. Our qualified notaries have experience with the legal documents commonly needed by the Indian and South Asian community. As ISC notes, our notaries “ensure the authenticity and legality” of documents like contracts and affidavits. In practice, this means our team can provide clear guidance on your paperwork in languages you understand, and help you fill out forms correctly.
Wentworthville has a large Indian and South Asian population, and many local families rely on our services. By choosing our notary services, you save time and money. You do not have to travel into the Sydney city centre where services might be more expensive. Instead, you can get your documents notarised conveniently in Wentworthville. ISC operates as a not-for-profit community centre, which means we can keep our fees low and focus on serving our community. Many of our clients appreciate getting help close to home from people who share their language and culture. These local services benefit the Indian community in Australia by offering help in a familiar setting.
Preparing for Notary Services
To use notary services, bring some important items with you. You will need to bring the original documents that need certification, plus clear photocopies of each. You must also bring a valid photo ID (such as your passport or Australian driver’s licence) so the notary can verify your identity. Without these, the notary cannot complete the work. In most cases, the notary will mark the copy as certified and attach their official seal to it, and may note the date and place of certification.
Notarisation usually takes only a few minutes once you have the papers ready. If you have many documents or pages, it may take a bit longer. At ISC, we try to assist people quickly. You can walk in, or make a booking if you prefer a guaranteed time slot. Appointments make sure a notary will be ready to see you on time.
Notaries normally charge a small fee per document or per page. Because ISC is a community organization, our fees are generally lower than those of private offices. We can also offer discounts or free services in special cases. We will always tell you the fee beforehand and provide a receipt. If you have very limited means, speak to us—we try to help where we can.
Your documents can be in any language. The notary will still compare the copy and the original even if the text is in another language. However, the notary only certifies that the copy matches the original; any translation is a separate matter. If you need an official translation, we can suggest translators.
Contact the Indian Support Center
For help with notary services in Wentworthville, contact the Indian Support Center today. You can call us at +61 480 110 453 or email for more information. Visit our office at 2 Lane Street, Wentworthville (near the library) during our opening hours (weekdays 10am–4pm and Saturday afternoons). Please bring your original documents and a clear copy of each so we can verify and certify them.
Our friendly staff speak English and many South Asian languages, and they can guide you through the notarisation process. At ISC, our goal is to make things easy for you. We are part of the Indian community in Australia and we speak your languages. Let us help make your documents official. Don’t struggle with confusing forms – contact us and we will guide you every step of the way.
For more information on notary services and community support, visit our website or follow us on social media. Trust ISC to be your partner in handling legal and immigration documents and to support the Indian community in Australia.