How to certify your documents

Copies of documents submitted to the Overseas Qualifications Unit must be fully certified as shown below, including the signature of the authorised person.

To get certified copies of your documents:

• print photocopies of the original documents,
• take the photocopies along with the original documents to an authorised person(s) for certification.

You must have your documents certified (verified/confirmed/proved) by someone with the legal authority to say they are true and correct. A complete list of authorised persons can be found at the bottom of the page.

All documents must also be translated into English.

You may be eligible for free translation services provided by the Australian Government’s Department of Social Services (DSS). This service is offered to people settling permanently in Australia – within the first two-years of settlement. You can apply online through their website.

If you are not eligible for free translation services, an accredited National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) translator can be used.

Authorised persons

• A Justice of the Peace or a Bail Justice
• A Notary Public
• A barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court
• A clerk to a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court [barristers' clerk]
• The Prothonotary or a Deputy Prothonotary of the Supreme Court
• The Registrar or Deputy Registrar of the County Court
• The Principal Registrar of the Magistrates' Court
• The Registrar or Deputy Registrar of the Magistrates' Court
• The Registrar of Probates or an Assistant Registrar of Probates
• The Associate to a Judge of the Supreme Court or of the County Court
• The Secretary of a Master of the Supreme Court or of the County Court
• A person registered as a Patent
• Attorney under Part XV of the Patents Act 1952 of the Commonwealth
• A member of the police force
• The sheriff or a deputy sheriff
• A member or a former member of either House of the Parliament of Victoria
• A member or a former member of either House of the Parliament of the Commonwealth
• A councillor of a municipality
• A senior officer of a Council as defined in the Local Government Act 1989
• A registered medical practitioner within the meaning of the Medical Practice Act 1994
• A dentist
• A veterinary practitioner
• A pharmacist
• A principal in the [government] teaching service
• The [branch] manager of a bank
• A member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia or the Australian Society of Accountants or the National Institute of Accountants
• The secretary of a building society
• A minister of religion authorised to celebrate marriages [not a civil celebrant]
• A person employed under Part 3 of the Public Sector Management and Employment Act 1998 with a classification that is prescribed as a classification for statutory declarations or who holds office in a statutory authority with such a classification
• A fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (Victoria).