Submitting a foreign-language document in Australia, or sending a Australian document abroad? Start with the direction: the translation, certification, and apostille rules are not the same.
Requirements reviewed by Natalia Vega
Senior Certified Translation Reviewer · Last verified June 2026
Reviewed June 2026 · Natalia Vega
Australia follows a certified-translation standard. For documents handled inside Australia — and for any translation that DFAT will apostille — the translator must hold NAATI certification; for applications lodged from overseas, the Department of Home Affairs accepts a recognised professional translator's certified translation. Australia has been in the Hague Apostille Convention since 1995, so an Australian document used abroad is apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Confirm final requirements with the authority receiving the document.
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Quick reference
Confirm final requirements with the authority receiving the document.
| Translation standard | Certified translation |
|---|---|
| Who can translate | NAATI-certified translator (if in Australia) or recognised professional translator (if overseas) |
| Apostille | When the receiving authority requires authentication; separate from translation |
| Apostille authority | The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) — the only authority that issues apostilles in Australia. DFAT will apostille a translation only if it was completed by a NAATI-certified translator. |
| Accepted languages | English |
| Responsible authority | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) – Apostille |
Official-use requirements
The local certification system, who may translate, and what gives the finished document legal effect.
Cross-border authentication
Australia is part of the Hague Apostille Convention (since 1995), so public documents are authenticated with a single apostille — no consular legalization.
From Australia
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) — the only authority that issues apostilles in Australia. DFAT will apostille a translation only if it was completed by a NAATI-certified translator.Australia has been a party to the Convention since 1995.
Toward Australia
A U.S. document going to Australia is apostilled in the United States — the state Secretary of State, or the U.S. Department of State for federal documents — and translated where the receiving body requires it.
When the receiving authority requires an apostille on the original, obtain it before translation so the apostille certificate can be translated too. See how apostilles work, or order a certified translation.
Submission checklist
Translations handled inside Australia, and any translation DFAT will apostille, require a NAATI-certified translator; applications lodged from overseas may use a recognised professional translator.
For an offshore application, the certified translation must show the translator's full name and credentials.
File them with the Department of Home Affairs, the university, or the assessing authority.
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Two directions, two rulebooks
Choose the destination first. It determines the language, certification, and whether an apostille belongs in the packet.
Authorities in Australia accept certified English translations with a signed Certificate of Accuracy. We translate from 65+ languages with 24-hour delivery.
A U.S. document going to Australia is apostilled in the United States — the state Secretary of State, or the U.S. Department of State for federal documents — and translated where the receiving body requires it.
Common document types
The document types we certify most often — each with its own pricing and requirements page.
Avoid preventable delays
The mistakes we see most often on Australian documents — and what a correct certified translation does instead.
Inside Australia, the Department of Home Affairs and DFAT apostille require a NAATI-certified translator; a translation from a non-NAATI translator can be refused for onshore use.
The certified translation must show the translator's full name and credentials; an unsigned or anonymous certification is not accepted.
The certified translation must cover the whole document, including stamps and seals, not just the main text.
Clear per-page pricing
A one-page certificate is priced as a single page; multi-page records are priced by their page count. Standard translation delivery is 24 hours for most 1–3 page orders. Notarization, hard-copy mailing, and apostille service are priced separately because their timelines differ.
Certified translation from
One physical source page, any length.
Start my translation See all pricing and add-onsQuestions people ask before submitting
For documents handled inside Australia, and for any translation DFAT will apostille, yes — NAATI certification is required. For applications lodged from overseas, the Department of Home Affairs accepts a recognised professional translator's certified translation.
what a certified translation isFor an offshore application, yes — the Department of Home Affairs accepts a recognised professional translator's certified translation with the translator's full details. For onshore use or a DFAT apostille, a NAATI-certified translator is required.
languages we translateOnly the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). DFAT will apostille a translation only when it was completed by a NAATI-certified translator. Australia has used apostilles since 1995.
how apostilles workWe translate from 60+ languages into English, each with a certified statement, for offshore applications to the Department of Home Affairs and to Australian universities and assessing authorities.
languages we translateFor offshore applications, a certified English translation submitted with the original transcript and diploma is generally accepted; confirm any NAATI requirement with the specific institution.
transcript translationPricing is per page. A one-page certificate is a single page; multi-page records are priced by page count. Notarization and apostille are optional add-ons.
see live pricingNo. The translation must come from an independent professional translator and be certified; for onshore use that translator must be NAATI-certified.
what a certified translation isInformation verified against official sources. Last verified June 2026.
