Australian Embassy
Islamic Republic of Iran

Apostilles and Authentications

What is an Authentication and/or Apostille certificate?

Some foreign authorities require Australia to issue your document with an Apostille or an Authentication certificate. This is called ‘legalisation services.’

Legalisation describes the process where the Embassy verifies the signature, seal or stamp on an original Australian public document. When the Embassy confirms the signature and/or seal on your document matches our records, we will issue the Apostille or Authentication certificate.

Do I need an Authentication or an Apostille certificate?

The Apostille certificate and the Authentication certificate serve the same purpose. The country receiving the document decides which certificate they will accept. Each country has different requirements. The Embassy cannot advise clients of foreign requirements.  

What documents will the Embassy issue with an Apostille or Authentication certificate? The Embassy will issue original Australian public documents with an Authentication or Apostille. Australian public documents are issued by:

·         Australian government agencies or officials, or

·         Australian notary public lawyers.

The Apostille or Authentication certificate will verify the signature and/or seal of the officer, agency or notary public lawyer who has issued the document.

The Embassy will only accept original documents. The Embassy will not accept laminated, framed and damaged documents. You will need to arrange a replacement document.

Please take the time to read the below table. It describes what documents we can accept, and what additional steps you may need to take.

 Type of document

 Requirements and other information

 Government documents

 Australian birth   certificates, including   ceremonial certificates   and extracts

 Submit the original certificate issued by the state/territory Registry of Births Deaths and   Marriages.

 Australian marriage   certificates

 Submit the original certificate issued by the state/territory Registry of Births Deaths and   Marriages. We cannot accept the ceremonial certificate that you get on the day of   your marriage ceremony.

 Australian death   certificates

 Submit the original certificate issued by the state/territory Registry of Births Deaths and   Marriages.

 Court documents   (including Divorce   certificates)

 Submit the original documents issued by a state, territory or federal court. Click here for   information about electronic documents if your original court document is electronic.

 Police Criminal Record   Checks or Fingerprint   Reports

 Submit the original document issued by the Australian Federal Police or a state or   territory police force.

 Photocopies or certified   copies of documents.

 An Australian notary public lawyer needs to notarise your document. We cannot accept   certification from a Justice of the Peace, pharmacist, or police officer etc.

 Education Documents

 Primary and Secondary   School documents

 An authorised officer from the relevant Australian state or territory government   education body needs to sign the document before we legalise it. We cannot accept   documents signed by the school administration. Visit smartraveller for government   education contacts.

 TAFE and CIT documents

 We will accept your original documents.

 Australian University   documents

 You need to contact your University to verify your degree as a "true and accurate   record" before we can legalise it. This could be available via an online portal. Visit   smartraveller for information on how to verify University documents. Once verified, we   can accept your documents. This includes photocopies of University documents   notarised by an Australian notary public lawyer. The Authentication or Apostille will be   placed directly on your degree or academic transcript.

 Australian Private Schools   and Colleges

 An Australian notary public lawyer needs to notarise your document.

 Photocopies of Australian   education documents

 An Australian notary public lawyer needs to notarise photocopies of documents.

If the type of document you need legalised is not listed above, please visit smartraveller.gov.au for more information. 

Electronic Documents

If your original document is electronic, you must provide your document in its original electronic form. The Embassy can only issue an Authentication or Apostille certificate on a copy we have printed ourselves directly from the source. We will ask you to forward the email sent to you by the issuing authority or, if the original electronic document is accessible through a web portal, you will have to log on to this portal using your mobile device. 

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