Apostille or authentication? How to tell which you need
Both certificates are issued by DFAT. Which one you need depends on where the document is going — and on what the receiving authority asks for.
18 October 2026
If you've been asked to "legalise" an Australian document for use overseas, you'll usually need one of two certificates from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): an apostille or an authentication certificate.
The short answer
- If the destination country is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, you'll usually need an apostille. That single certificate is generally all that's required.
- If it isn't, you'll usually need an authentication certificate from DFAT, followed by legalisation at that country's embassy or consulate in Australia.
Both certificates verify the signature, seal or stamp on the document. Neither verifies what the document says.
Check the destination — carefully
The list of Convention countries changes. In recent years China (7 November 2023), Canada (11 January 2024), Bangladesh, Rwanda, Algeria and Vietnam have all joined, and Thailand's accession takes effect on 28 February 2027. Older guides and even some agency websites still describe these countries incorrectly.
Our country guide is built from the official HCCH status table and shows the current position for every country.
Then check what was actually requested
The receiving authority's instructions take priority. If you're told to get an apostille for a country that isn't a Convention party — or embassy legalisation for one that is — it's worth confirming before anything is lodged. DFAT itself can't tell you what an overseas authority will accept.
Don't forget eligibility
DFAT can legalise original Australian public documents where it holds the signatory's specimen signature — for example birth certificates issued by a state registry or AFP National Police Checks. Private documents (like powers of attorney) and copies must first be notarised by an Australian notary public.
The easiest way to be sure
Our guided request asks up to eight questions, checks your destination against the Convention status list, flags any mismatch, and shows your pathway and price — or sends anything uncertain to a free human review.
General information only — not legal advice. Requirements change and the receiving authority's instructions always take priority. Apostille Express is an independent service and is not affiliated with DFAT.