Turnaround Times

It is possible to obtain apostilles and authentications from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Melbourne by appointment or by post. Current turnaround times (as at July 2026) are:

  • Do-it-yourself options:
  • Appointments are booked out 6-7 weeks in advance
  • Applications by post take around 2 weeks
  • If I arrange it for you:
  • Standard turnaround for applications submitted through me: 1 week
  • Urgent applications submitted through me: 1 to 3 business days

Costs

The government fee charged by DFAT for apostilles and authentications is $105 per document (fee applicable from 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2026).

My charge for liaising with DFAT to obtain apostilles or authentications with standard turnaround is $130 for up to 5 documents and $10 for each additional document after the first 5.

My charge for liaising with DFAT to obtain apostilles or authentications with urgent turnaround is $280 for up to 5 documents and $10 for each additional document after the first 5.

What are Apostilles and Authentications?

Some documents, after certification or attestation by a notary, require legalisation before they can be used in another country. For some countries, an apostille provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is sufficient, whereas other countries require authentication both by DFAT and by the country’s embassy in Australia.

An apostille or an authentication is essentially a certification from DFAT that the document carries the genuine signature and seal of an Australian notary (or, in some cases, the genuine signature and seal of another recognised Australian official).

Examples of countries which require an apostille:

  • Most European countries
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Most former Soviet Union countries
  • Most South American countries
  • Mexico
  • USA
  • China

Examples of countries which require both authentication by DFAT and legalisation by the country’s embassy in Australia:

  • Egypt
  • Sri Lanka
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
  • UAE