Apostille and legalisation of documents in Australia

What is an apostille?

An apostille is a certificate attached to a document that authenticates the signature and seal of the official who signed or certified it. It is the internationally recognised method of legalisation under the Hague Apostille Convention (formally, the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents).

Australia is a signatory to the Hague Convention. Vietnam is also a signatory since 2012. This means that documents issued in Australia for use in Vietnam, and documents issued in Vietnam for use in Australia, can be authenticated through the apostille path — without needing full consular legalisation.

Apostilling Australian documents for use overseas

If you need an Australian document (birth certificate, police certificate, academic qualification, court record, etc.) authenticated for use in Vietnam or another Hague Convention country, the process is:

1. Obtain a certified copy of the original document from the issuing authority if the original is not available (state registry, court, university, etc.)
2. Submit to DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) for apostille — DFAT is the competent authority for apostilles in Australia
3. DFAT attaches the apostille certificate to the document, authenticating the signature of the Australian official

DFAT accepts applications by post or in person at its offices in Canberra and state capitals. Fees and processing times are published on the DFAT website. Processing is typically 3–10 business days by post; same-day or next-day service is available at offices for an additional fee.

Using Vietnamese documents in Australia

The process for bringing Vietnamese documents into the Australian legal system is more layered, even under the apostille convention, because translation into English is also required.

The typical chain for a Vietnamese-issued document to be accepted in Australia is:

1. Obtain the Vietnamese original — birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other civil documents are issued by the relevant People’s Committee
2. Have the document apostilled in Vietnam — the competent authority in Vietnam for apostilles is the Ministry of Justice (Bộ Tư pháp) for civil documents or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for some categories
3. Have the document translated into English by a NAATI-certified translator — a National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters accredited professional
4. The NAATI translator certifies their own translation — no further notarisation of the translation is typically required in Australia

Some Australian institutions (courts, certain state agencies, and visa applications) may require the translation to be notarised by an Australian Justice of the Peace (JP) or notary public in addition to the NAATI certification. Check the specific requirements of the requesting body.

When the full consular chain applies

For documents from countries that are not signatories to the Hague Convention, or for older Vietnamese documents predating Vietnam’s accession in 2012, the full consular legalisation chain applies:

1. Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation (hợp pháp hoá)
2. Australian Embassy or Consulate in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City authentication
3. NAATI translation and any further certification required in Australia

If you are unsure which path applies to your document, contact the DFAT Legalisation Office or the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice directly.

Documents commonly requiring apostille or legalisation

• Birth certificates (for citizenship, family visa, or school enrolment)
• Marriage and divorce certificates (for partner visa, name change, or legal proceedings)
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates (for skills assessment or employer verification)
• Police clearances from Vietnam (for visa applications)
• Powers of attorney and notarial deeds

Practical tips

• Allow 4–8 weeks for the full apostille or legalisation chain from Vietnam — individual steps can take time and postal transit adds delay.
• Request multiple certified copies of the original Vietnamese document before beginning — some steps in the chain consume the copy and you cannot easily get replacements from Australia.
• Use a NAATI-certified translator — uncertified translations are rejected by immigration, courts, and most government agencies in Australia.