Completing the chain — embassy by embassy.
After DFAT authentication, many countries require their embassy or consulate in Australia to legalise the document. Requirements, fees and timeframes differ widely, so we confirm them for your matter and quote before anything is submitted.
Embassy & consular legalisation, explained.
Legalisation (sometimes called attestation) is a confirmation by a foreign embassy or consulate that the DFAT authentication on your document is genuine. Only the embassy or consulate can perform it.
Four steps. Each one visible to you.
Requirements
We check the embassy's current requirements, forms and fees for your document type.
Quote
You receive an itemised quote separating our fee from embassy fees.
Submit
We submit to the embassy or consulate, attend where appointments are required, and follow up.
Return
We collect and return your legalised document.
Quoted per service
Tell us about your document and we'll email a written quote, with our fee and any government or embassy charges on separate lines. Nothing is payable until you approve it.
Set by each embassy. UAE attestation typically adds 6–7 business days after DFAT authentication (estimate only).
Included
- Embassy requirement research
- Form preparation and submission
- Appointment coordination
- Collection and secure return
Not included
- Embassy or consulate fees (passed on at cost)
- Any in-country attestation after arrival (e.g. foreign ministry stamps)
Documents we see every week.
- UAE attestation
- Qatar, Kuwait and other Gulf states
- Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan
- Other non-Convention countries — ask us
Our role. Apostille Express is an independent, privately owned document assistance service. We are not the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), an embassy, a consulate or any government authority, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Apostilles and authentication certificates for Australian documents are issued only by DFAT. Embassy legalisation is performed only by the relevant embassy or consulate, and notarisation only by an Australian notary public. Government processing times and acceptance decisions are outside our control and are never guaranteed.