Brightstone Legal’s Australian Notary Public, in accordance with relevant laws, only certifies the authenticity of the signatures on notarised documents and verifies that the copies correspond to the originals. A Notary Public does not bear any legal responsibility for the content of the documents. 

The following guidelines should be noted:

1. Australian notarised documents are issued in one original copy. It is recommended to apply for an adequate number of copies at once.
2. Notarisation of power of attorney or declarations must be personally handled by the parties involved, who must present a valid passport and sign in front of Brightstone Legal’s Notary Public. For the notarisation of copies corresponding to the original documents, the original documents must be provided.
3. Power of attorney or declarations must be provided electronically (Word/PDF documents) and not handwritten.
4. The parties involved should inquire in advance with the intended recipient of the document about their specific requirements and request samples of the document format. If the document does not meet the recipient’s specific requirements and this results in the document being unusable or requiring re-payment of fees for processing, the responsibility lies with the applicant.
5. The parties involved are legally responsible for the truthfulness and legality of the rights and obligations mentioned in the power of attorney or declaration. Evidence and relevant documents proving their eligibility to handle the delegated matters must provide.
6. By signing (or affixing a thumbprint) on the document, the parties involved confirm that they have reviewed and acknowledged the content of the document, that the power of attorney or declaration represents their true intention, and that the document is fit for its intended use.
7. The parties involved should carefully review and confirm the content of the document before signing. Once signed, they will be solely responsible for any legal consequences arising from errors in the document (especially regarding personal information inaccuracies, incomplete or incorrect addresses, or typographical errors), including but not limited to re-applying for notarisation and bearing relevant costs.
8. If one of the parties involved has a spouse and wishes to delegate joint matters or dispose of joint property, a separate or joint powers of attorney must be provided. If the marital status is concealed, and a unilateral power of attorney is used to handle joint affairs or dispose of jointly owned property, the party involved will be solely responsible for any legal consequences and liabilities.
9. During the notarisation process, if the notary public finds that the parties involved are unaware of the document’s content, mentally incapable, or lack the ability to sign or act, the notarisation process will be suspended.

Regarding Brightstone Legal’s assistance in obtaining the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade apostille/authentication for notarised documents, the Department will recognize the qualifications of Brightstone Legal’s international notary public. The Notary Public will ensure a smooth apostille/authentication process throughout the Department.