Notarial Services

 

********

The Australian Embassy Manila continues to accept notarial services during the coronavirus pandemic.  We are open for notarial services at the Embassy only on Wednesdays (by appointment)  

Notarial services provided by the Australian Embassy Manila include authenticating and certifying documents, witnessing signatures, taking of statutory declarations, affidavits, oaths and affirmations, and other services.

Before requesting a notarial service, please make sure you know what service you require and confirm this with the organisation that requires your documents. We cannot provide advice on the notarial service you need.

Under the Consular Fees Act 1955, fees apply to notarial services. Fees are payable by Visa or Mastercard in Philippines currency only and may vary on a monthly basis, depending upon exchange rates. Cash payment is not accepted.

For full list of Consular Fees, please click this link - Consular fees (embassy.gov.au)

********

Visas and Citizenship Enquiries

• The Consular Section does not process Citizenship or Visa applications and is not able to respond to Australian visa or citizenship enquiries.
• For citizenship and visa enquiries please contact the Department of Home Affairs, or through your ImmiAccount.

• Further information can be found on our website.

About our services

All documents relating to the notarial services you require from the Australian Embassy Manila must be presented in the correct form and you must provide the correct instructions for the notarial service you require. Please note that we only service documents issued from Australian agencies/authorities or those intended for use in Australia. 

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 Manila guarantees the legal effectiveness of the notarised document or the accuracy of its content. Fees paid for notarial services are non-refundable.

Visiting our office

• You must have an appointment to visit our office.  If you are unable to attend your interview appointment, please cancel your appointment online or notify us by sending an email to [email protected]
• If you have a fever, cough or any COVID-19 symptoms, please reschedule your appointment.  Please do not attend our office if you are ill or if you have had recent exposure to someone who is ill.
• Please do not bring friends or family members to your appointment.  
• Please arrive as close to your appointment time as possible.  Our Security will not allow you to enter the building prior to your appointment time. 
• You must wear a mask.  We will ask you to remove your mask briefly to confirm your identity.
• You may be asked to wash or sanitise your hands before commencing your interview.
• Restrooms will not be available for use at the Embassy.  You will have to go to the restroom before your appointment.  There are restrooms on the third level of Tower 2 where eating establishments are also located.

For enquiries, please email [email protected]

 

Frequently Asked Questions

• What services are available?
  1. Certified Copies and Witnessing of Signatures. We only certify copies and witness signatures on Australian documents or those intended for use in Australia. Please note that in the Philippines, a Philippine Notary Public may certify copies of your documents and witness your signature/s. Please refer to the instructions from your lawyer or receiving authority in Australia on the acceptability of having your documents notarised by a Philippine notary public, noting that the cost may be lower than the fee we require. If a Philippine notary public is confirmed to be sufficient, you do not need to make an appointment with us. Documents that may be certified as true copies and whose signatures may witnessed by a Philippine notary public include those that are required to support an application for Australian citizenship or visa. If you wish to proceed with certifying your document as a true copy at the Australian Embassy and you only have an electronic version of your document, please forward the email with the attached document from the issuing authority to our email address, as we will have to be the one to print the document from our office equipment before certifying it as a true copy. 
  2. Authentication and Apostilles. We only authenticate or apostille original Australian public documents (eg, issued by Australian government agency or official) such as birth, death, and marriage certificates. Please email a copy of your document to [email protected] so we may search our database for the seal and/or signatory on your document. We will inform you if we do not find the signatory and/or seal on your document, and will advise that you may either: a) send the original document to Australia for an Australian notary public to notarise your document before presenting it to us for authentication/apostille; or b) inquire from your receiving authority if a certified true copy of your document will suffice. If the latter is acceptable, we may certify your original document as a true copy. If you only have an electonic copy of your document, please forward the email from the issuing authority to our email address as we will have to be the one to print the document from our office equipment before certifying it as a true copy or issuing an apostille/authentication. Electronic documents may also be authenticated if you share access with us from the issuing authority's verified portal and we are able to print the document in our office through the verified portal. Your access to a Divorce Order issued by an Australian court cannot be shared with us. You have to access the Australian court portal here at the embassy and print it using our office equipment. For education documents, you need to send us the verification email from the institution or request them to directly email us to provide verification of your education document. You may also log on to your school's verification website and if a third party is allowed to view the verification, email it to us. You may also check My Equals onMy eQuals Australia to check if your document is available online share your access with us on [email protected] An Australian notary public may also verify your education document who must also complete the verification process. Their notarial certificate must include a statement confirming that the original record has been verified with the issuing institution. A statement by an Australian notary public that the document is a 'true copy'  does not satisfy this verification requirement. Once verification is confirmed, we will advise you if you need to send us the original documents.
  3. Selling or buying land or property in Australia? - You should check with your Australian representative what is required before seeking the services of the Australian Embassy. If you require verification of identity for a property transaction, you must attend the mission with a prepared Client Authorisation or mortgage and Certification, original identification documents and the Subscriber or mortgagee's written instructions. It is a requirement that the instructions from your legal representative in Australia be provided in addition to the documents you need witnessed or certified. Where instructions from your legal representative are not provided, the services will be declined. If the instructions state that a notary public is sufficient to service your requirement/s, you may seek the services of a Philippine notary public, noting that the cost may be lower than the fee we require. If a Philippine notary public is confirmed to be sufficient to service your requirement, you do not need to book an appointment with us. 
• When are you open?

The Australian Embassy Manila provide notarial services only on a Wednesday by appointment only. To book an appointment, please click the icon below. Please note that the number of appointments you book should be the same as the number of services you wish to transact, ie, for two apostilles, book two appointment slots.

• Is there a fee?

Yes, fees apply. For full list of Consular Fees, please click this link - Consular fees (embassy.gov.au)

• We accept payment in Philippine pesos (PhP)bank manager's cheque made payable to 'Australian Embassy Official' or direct bank deposit (details will be forwarded upon complete document submission) for mailed-in services. We do not accept personal cheques. Debit or credit cards are the modes of payment from applicants who have online appointments/submit their documents at the embassy. Fees are updated monthly.
• Strictly no cash payments

• Do I have to come in person?

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we ask that all notarial services that can be obtained through the mail are done via courier instead of in person.  The following services can be done by mail:

1. Authentications
2. Certifying copies of original documents
3. Apostilles

All other services must be done in person.  This includes witnessing signatures (e.g. for land transfers and driving licences), affidavits and wills.  Please make an appointment on the available date and time.

For mailed in requests, please provide a JRS prepaid pouch and send it to:

Consular Section/Notarials

Australian Embassy

Level 23 RCBC Plaza

Ayala Avenue, Makati

Philippines

This will allow us to return your document/s once the required service is undertaken.

• How do I apply for mail?

To obtain an authentication, certified copy or apostille through the mail, please provide the following:

1. your original documents
2. instructions on the service you require, including number of copies and which pages/documents are involved
3. the country for which the document is required
4. your email address and phone number in case we need to contact you
5. your delivery address
6. manager’s cheque for payment. Please ensure the manager’s cheque is made payable to “Australian Embassy Official”
7. A return prepaid pouch that we will use to send the documents back to your physical address

Documents that are mailed without instructions and/or the correct payment cannot be processed.  We recommend that you use a courier that allows you to track delivery of your documents. 

 

Please address all mail to:

Consular Section/Notarials

Australian Embassy Manila
Level 23 Tower II RCBC Plaza 6819 Ayala Avenue Makati City

 

********

Notarial 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 the Philippines guarantees the legal effectiveness of the notarised document or the accuracy of its content. Fees paid for notarial services are non-refundable.

********

PRIVACY POLICY

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) uses third-party software (Setmore) to manage the Australian Embassy's appointments. Your personal information (including your name and contact details) will be collected by DFAT via Setmore to book your appointment and for related purposes. By proceeding with this booking, you are consenting to the collection of this information by Setmore on DFAT’s behalf for these purposes. If this information is not collected, DFAT’s ability to arrange your appointment will be limited. Your personal information will be handled by Setmore in accordance with Setmore’s Privacy Policy, and by DFAT in accordance with DFAT’s Privacy Policy.

********

Consular Section Contact Details

Consular Section
Australian Embassy
Level 23  Tower 2, RCBC Plaza 6819 Ayala Avenue
Makati City 1200, Metro Manila, The Philippines

Telephone: +63 2 7757 8100
Facsimile: +63 2 7757 8344

Email: [email protected]

List of Embassy Holidays