Certifying Documents

Certifying documents is necessary at numerous points in our lives. Whenever you’re applying for anything of relative importance or official standing, you must provide certified copies of your identity or alike to see your application become successful. A certified copy of an original document (usually documents such as birth certificate, marriage certificate or any proof of identity document) is necessary to verify that the photocopy you will be handing in as part of your application is a true copy of the original document. It must be noted that having a document certified does not state that the original document is genuine and correct, it merely certifies that the photocopy provided is a true copy of the original document.

So the first step to having your documents certified is of course, making a photocopy of the document you wish to have certified. Obviously you’ll need to ensure that the photocopy is of a good enough standard for people to be able to distinguish what it is a copy of. The next step is to take the photocopy you wish to be certified and the original document to an authorised person for certification. If you’re wondering why you need the original document, it is pretty simple. They (the person who will certify the document) need to know what your photocopy is a copy of! You’ll also need to ensure that your documents have been translated into English if they are originally in a foreign language.

So who exactly is authorised to certify a copy of a document?

Any person who is recognised by the law of the country you live in (in our case Australia) can certify your documents. This can be but is not limited to;

• A Justice of the Peace / Bail Justice
• A barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court
• The Registrar or Deputy Registrar of the County Court
• A person registered as a Patent
• A member of the police force
• A member or former member of Parliament
• An attorney (under Part XV of the Patents Act 1952)

Your certified document should have something like this accompanying it once the authorised individual is happy that it is a true copy.

I certify that this a true copy of the document produced to me on 31/10/2018
Signed : GCostanza
Name: George Costanza
Qualification : Justice of the Peace

If you are certifying a multiple page document, the certifier must sign or initial each page and certify the final page (as above).

If you are unsure as to whether you need some documents certified or would like the process explained in more detail please do not hesitate to call us at Wollerman Shacklock on 9707 1155 or to email us at admin@wslegal.com.au

Sources: education.gov.au | homeaffairs.gov.au {1} | homeaffairs.gov.au {2} | liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au