In Victoria, a notary public is appointed by the Supreme Court to perform services primarily concerned with the authentication and certification of signatures, authority and capacity relating to documents for use overseas. A notary public is empowered to:
- witness signatures and verify identity, for example in the case of a power of attorney
- certify copies of original documents as being true and correct, for example a passport or driver’s licence, and
- verify certificates issued by recognised institutions, for example degree certificates and professional qualifications from tertiary or other educational institutions.
OUR NOTARIAL SERVICES
We notarise documents for private individuals and businesses involved in international trade, including powers of attorney, court documents, contracts, ship’s protests and company documents.
Our notary public, Ines Kallweit, is a senior solicitor with training in notarial practice, who has been appointed by the Supreme Court of Victoria to provide notarial services in Victoria. Ines is available to notarise documents in Melbourne and Ballarat.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of the types of documents that we can notarise:
- Powers of attorney
- Court documents, including affidavits and statutory declarations
- Copy documents, including passports, birth/death/marriage certificates, and certificates related to educational and other qualifications
- Various documents such as written statements, application forms, loan agreements and contracts
- Company documents including certificates of good standing, certificates of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association
- Certificates of law
- Trademark assignments
- Ship’s protest, and
- Trust and succession documents.
THE PROCESS
The notarisation process will depend on several factors, such as the type of document, the intended purpose and the country or jurisdiction for which it is required.
The first step is to contact us on (03) 9663 9877 or by email to notary@khq.com.au to discuss your particular requirements. We will review your request and may ask you to send us scans of the documents you need help with so that we can advise on the best course of action. We will then provide you with a quote for our services and schedule an appointment (if needed) at our office in Melbourne’s CBD or at your offices in Melbourne or Ballarat. Please note that our fees are payable at the time of your appointment.
At the appointment, we will ask you to complete our client registration form and will also conduct any necessary ID requirement checks. We can then notarise your documents whilst you wait. Appointments typically take between 15-30 minutes, depending on the number of documents required.
Depending on the requirements of the jurisdiction in question, it may also be necessary to obtain legalisation from a foreign consulate, or an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade. Generally speaking, the issuing authority with which you are dealing will advise you as to what’s required. However, we recommend that you specifically ask whether legalisation or an apostille is necessary.
If legalisation or an apostille is required, we will arrange this for you. You will need to leave your documents with us and we will notify you once those services have been completed. Note that DFAT and/or consular fees may apply, in addition to our fees. Obtaining an apostille or legalisation may take a few days or weeks (depending on the jurisdiction and other factors, such as seasonal demand), so it’s important to plan ahead if these services are required.
OUR NOTARY
Ines Kallweit is a public notary and principal solicitor, who specialises in the area of wills and estates. Ines has more than 20 years’ experience and has led the KHQ Lawyers Wills & Estates team since 2018. She is recognised in Doyles Guide as a preeminent practitioner in the field.
Alongside her legal qualifications, Ines has a master of teaching and regularly speaks for a number of professional development providers. Ines is fluent in both English and German.
You can read more about Ines’ experience and expertise here.
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions about our notarial services, please do not hesitate to contact us either by phone on (03) 9663 9877 or by email to notary@khq.com.au.
