Notaries are lawyers with a special qualification that allows their signature to be recognised internationally under the International Convention on the Legalisation of Documents.  In many cases, it will be necessary to use a notary to complete a transaction because this will be the only type of legal professional capable of delivering the required service.  A signature from an ordinary solicitor or justice of the peace will usually not be sufficient where a notary has been requested by an overseas authority.

The common types of documents which notaries are called upon to authenticate are powers of attorney, visa applications, purchases and sales of property, estate litigation documents and general commercial documentation.  In Australia, the most common countries which require notarisation of documents are China, Japan, India, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Thailand.  This is because there are substantial trade and investment relationships between Australia and these countries.

If you need documents legalised for use internationally please contact us, we are more than happy to assist.