Note:

Please note that notarial fees increased from 1 January 2025. These new fees will apply to any mailed in notarial services received by the Embassy in January 2025, irrespective of the date they were sent to us.

 

Notarial Services for Australians Overseas

The Australian Embassy in Stockholm provides a range of notarial services which can be requested in person or via post. Certain notarial services must be undertaken as an in-person appointment only.

 

Overview of Notarial Services

The Consular Fees Act 1955 (Cth) authorises consular staff overseas to perform notarial services for Australian documents and foreign documents for use in Australia. The full list of the services we provide can be found in the schedule of fees, but includes:

• certifying copies of documents, photographs and identity,

• witnessing signatures,

• issuing Apostilles and Authentication certificates,

• administering affidavits, and

• issuing Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI).

Some of these services are provided by post, others require you to book an in-person appointment with the Embassy. Read more under the respective section of each service below.

Please read this page in full before making an appointment, sending us your documents or contacting us with questions.

We also recommend that you read Smartraveller’s Notarial services overseas page.

See relevant fees here.

 

Notarials by post

The following notarial services can be provided by post and do not require you to appear in person:

• certified copies (of physical documents only)

  • Note: the certifying of electronic documents, photographs and identity declarations require you to book an in-person appointment with the Embassy.

• most Apostilles and Authentication certificates

  • Note: Apostilles and Authentications on electronically-issued Australian public documents must be completed in-person.

• Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI)

  • Note: Australian CNI's are not valid in Sweden. Please contact the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages of your home state in Australia. Please seek a Single Status Certificate or a Certificate of No Record. CNI is valid in Finland, Latvia and Estonia.

 

How to request a notarial service by post

To request a notarial service by post, you need to send us the following: 

• Original documents and, if you request a CNI, application form and attachments (see more under the respective section of each service below),

• A short cover letter briefly describing the service you need, your return address and contact information, and

• The completed Credit Card Authorisation Form, allowing us to take payment for the service (see relevant fees here).

Send by registered mail or courier to:

Australian Embassy
Box 824
SE-101 36 Stockholm
Sweden

We will return your original documents to you along with the notarised ones.

 

Notarials in person

Any notarial services not listed in the ‘Notarials by post’ section above require you to book an in-person appointment with us. This includes:

• Apostilles and Authentication certificates on electronically issued documents,

• Witnessing of signatures (e.g. on statutory declarations, driver’s licence renewal applications and Australian property transfers),

• Certification of photographs or identity, and

• Administering of affidavits, oaths, or affirmations relating to Australian documents or foreign documents to be used in Australia.

 

How to book an appointment

Please bring with you the relevant form(s) and original documents. You should be able to verify your identity by presenting a valid photo ID (passport, driver’s licence or photo ID-card). 

Fees for notarial or passport services lodged at the Australian Embassy in Stockholm must be paid for with a physical bank card (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX). Please ensure that your bank card is open for all online payments before arriving for your appointment. This can usually be done through your online banking portal. The Embassy does not accept payments via mobile payment solutions (such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or Swish).

In-person appointments for Notarial Services can be made online at:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notarial Services offered

Find more information on Smartraveller.

Check relevant fees here.

Use this link to find contact details for translation services in Sweden. Please note that the Embassy is not able to recommend or advise on approved translators.

 

Affidavits (Oaths and Affirmations) – in person only

An affidavit is a legally binding statement of fact used as evidence in court or other legal proceedings. The person making the affidavit must swear an oath (a religious statement) or make an affirmation (a non-religious statement) that the contents of the affidavit are true and correct. 

• It is your responsibility to provide the document in the correct form and any additional witnessing/administering instructions. We take no responsibility for the correctness of the form of an affidavit.

• At the Embassy, only a diplomatic officer can assist with the affidavit.

• You need to book an appointment. 

 

 

Apostilles and Authentications – by post or in person

An Apostille or Authentication certificate verifies the signature, stamp, or seal on the original document, or that of the Notary Public for documents that have been notarised.

• We can't advise you which certificate you need, so make sure you check with the receiving authority.

• We provide apostilles on documents issued by state/territory Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages; Court documents (including Divorce certificates); Police Checks; Education documents issued by an Australian accredited education institution; and other documents issued by Australian Government departments.

  • Note: we cannot issue an apostille on a document that has been tampered with, altered, or otherwise damaged.

 

Apostilles and Authentications on electronic documents – in person only

If the original document was issued electronically, we cannot issue the apostille or authentication by post – you must book an in-person appointment.

At the in-person appointment, you must be able to show us the source email (email sent by the issuing authority) and then forward it to us via email. Alternatively, if the original electronic document is accessible through a web portal, you must be able to log on to this portal using your mobile device and forward the document to us via email. Either of the two options must be done at the appointment in front of the notarial officer and can’t be done remotely. Instructions will be provided at your appointment.

 

 

Certifying true copies of documents, photographs and identity

Documents – by post or in person

We can certify true copies of original documents. We will photocopy your documents and apply the following certification: "This is a true copy of the document presented to me". These are DFAT-approved words and cannot change.

• The documents must be Australian or for use in Australia. We can't advise you which documents need to be certified so make sure you check that with receiving authority.

• You do not need to make photocopies of the documents yourself. We will photocopy your original documents and certify the copies.

• We can provide certified copies of physical documents via post or in-person.

 

Certifying electronic documents – in person only

We can print a copy of an electronic document and certify it as a true copy. If the original document was issued electronically, you must book an in-person appointment.

At the in-person appointment, you must be able to show us the source email (email sent by the issuing authority) and then forward it to us via email. Alternatively, if the original electronic document is accessible through a web portal, you must be able to log on to this portal using your mobile device and forward the document to us via email. Either of the two options must be done at the appointment in front of the notarial officer and can’t be done remotely. Instructions will be provided at your appointment.

 

Photographs – in person only

We can certify that photographs for use in Australia are “a true likeness of [your name]”. These are DFAT-approved words and cannot change.

• To have photographs certified, you must book an in-person appointment with us. The person in the photograph must be physically present and must present valid photo ID (e.g. passport, driver’s licence or photo ID-card).

 

Identity – in person only

We can certify your identity using the DFAT Identity Certificate. You must book an in-person appointment for this service.

• The DFAT Identity Certificate confirms the notarial officer’s name, position and authority to certify the identity documents presented to us.

• We are not able to complete any other verification of identity form and cannot advise whether the DFAT Identity Certificate will be accepted for your required purposes. Please confirm with the receiving authority in Australia that the DFAT Identity Certificate meets their requirements.

 

 

Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI) – by post or in person

If you're going overseas to get married, you may need a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI). You may also need to legalise the CNI so ask the receiving authority if you need an apostille or authentication certificate on your CNI.

The CNI is NOT recognised in Sweden. You can find other certificates here.

• Download and complete the application form for a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI).

• The signatures need to be witnessed by a local Notary Public.

• You also need to attach originals or certified copies of your passport and your partner’s ID + marriage/divorce papers (if applicable). A local Notary Public can create certified copies of the applicant's and partner’s passports and can often certify your supporting documents.

• Double-check with the receiving authority if the CNI also needs an apostille or authentication certificate and specify this in your request to us if applicable. This is an additional notarial service, meaning additional fees apply.

• Send all the documents along with the credit authorisation form and short cover letter by post to the Australian Embassy in Stockholm. See ‘Notarials by post’ above.

• Find more information on Smartraveller.

 

 

Witnessing signatures – in person only

We can witness signatures on Australian documents listing authorised consular employees/officers as authorised witnesses. If your document requires witnessing by a diplomatic officer (e.g. Tas/WA documents or statutory declarations), we ask that you please send us an email ([email protected]) specifying this when you book your appointment. It is your responsibility to know who is authorised to witness the document. If you are unsure, please contact the receiving authority to clarify.

Please note that if your document requires the witness to also provide a certification of identity, we can do so using the DFAT Identity Certificate only. We are not able to complete any other verification of identity form and cannot advise whether the DFAT Identity Certificate will be accepted for your required purposes. Please confirm with the receiving authority in Australia that the DFAT Identity Certificate meets their requirements. Any certifications needed will be treated as an additional notarial service, meaning additional fees apply.

Please bring the filled-out documents to your appointment, but do not sign them. You should also bring a valid photo ID (passport, driver’s licence or photo ID-card).

 

Australian property transfers

At the time of your appointment, you must provide instructions from your legal representative in Australia, in addition to the original documents you need witnessed or certified. Your conveyancer can email us those instructions directly, or you can print out the instructions and bring them with you if you have already received them.

• You need to book an appointment. 

• If the property documents do not list authorised consular employees/officers as authorised witnesses and require witnessing by a diplomatic officer, please notify us via email ([email protected]) when you make your appointment.

 

Statutory declaration

A statutory declaration is a statement of fact(s) that you declare to be true. It can be used as evidence. Please complete the statutory declaration (do not sign) and have it ready for an officer to witness your signature at the Australian Embassy.

• For a copy of a blank statutory declaration form, please visit this link.

• You need to book an appointment. 

• If the statutory declaration is for use in Tasmania or Western Australia and requires witnessing by a diplomatic officer, please notify us via email ([email protected]) when you make your appointment.

 

 

Useful links:

• Smartraveller: Notarial forms
• Smartraveller: Certificates of No Impediment (CNI) to Marriage
• Attorney-General’s Department: Download resources
• Notice of Intended Marriage: Marriage Celebrant
• Commonwealth Statutory Declarations

Single status certificate - State and Territory Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages:

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia