Notary and Translation Services in Albury–Wodonga

Albury–Wodonga is one community in two states. Albury is in New South Wales and Wodonga is in Victoria, with the Murray River between them. For most documents going overseas, the border makes little difference. For statutory declarations and other documents used in Australia, it can matter a great deal. This guide explains where the line falls, and how translations, notarisation and DFAT legalisation work from the border.

Two cities, two councils

Albury is run by AlburyCity and Wodonga by the City of Wodonga. The two councils work together under a "Two Cities One Community" partnership. Their joint site describes a combined population of around 100,000, which makes it Australia's 20th largest city. It puts the cities about 300 km north-east of Melbourne and 580 km south-west of Sydney.

The 2021 Census counted 56,093 people in the Albury council area and 43,253 in Wodonga. On the Albury side the most common language at home other than English was Nepali (1.4%), followed by Punjabi (1.3%). India (1.9%) matched England as the largest overseas birthplace. On the Wodonga side the top languages were Swahili (0.6%), Nepali and Vietnamese. Wodonga's largest industry of employment was Defence, at 5.6% of working residents. Defence lists three barracks in the Albury Wodonga Military Area, at Bandiana and Bonegilla. They are home to Army logistics training and several Army schools.

Popular places and things to do

• Bonegilla Migrant Experience, near Wodonga. From 1947 to 1971 the Bonegilla reception centre housed more than 300,000 newly arrived migrants, most from non-English-speaking European countries. Visit the Murray describes the site as a heritage-listed migrant camp that now tells their stories.
• MAMA (Murray Art Museum Albury) and Hyphen Wodonga Library Gallery.
• The Wagirra Trail, about eight kilometres along the river. It takes in Wonga Wetlands and the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk, where local Aboriginal artworks tell of the river's cultural significance. Albury is on Wiradjuri land.
• Noreuil Park, for swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding on the Murray.
• Lake Hume, which Visit the Murray describes as six times the size of Sydney Harbour.

Which state's rules apply?

Notaries. Each state appoints its own. In NSW, the Supreme Court appoints public notaries, who may practise anywhere in NSW while on the Roll. In Victoria, the Supreme Court of Victoria appoints them. For a document going overseas, DFAT legalises copies and signatures notarised by any Australian notary. What matters is that the notary acts in the state that appointed them. It does not matter which side of the river you live on. A Wodonga resident can see a notary in Albury, and the other way round.

To find one, the Society of Notaries of New South Wales search has an Albury and Murray River region. The Society of Notaries of Victoria keeps its own find-a-notary listing.

Documents for use in Australia. Here the border matters. NSW and Victoria each have their own statutory declaration forms and their own lists of who may witness them. Victoria has changed its rules in recent years. There is also a separate Commonwealth statutory declaration for Commonwealth purposes. Use the form the receiving body asks for, and check who may witness that form before you sign. A JP from either state may not be the right witness for the other state's form.

JPs are free volunteers. The NSW JP Public Register is searchable by postcode and language. Victoria's Department of Justice lists JPs you can book and walk-in signing stations. A JP's certification is not accepted overseas and cannot be apostilled.

Translations: certificates, bank documents and personal papers

• For an Australian agency, such as Home Affairs or a skills assessor, use a NAATI-certified translator. The NAATI Online Directory is searchable by language, including Nepali, Punjabi and Swahili. The translator can be anywhere in Australia.
• Academic certificates. A translation of an overseas degree is normally for use in Australia, and the receiving body decides what it accepts. DFAT will not legalise foreign education documents, even if they were notarised here. For an Australian degree going overseas, DFAT legalises the original or a notarised copy only after the university has verified the record.
• Birth certificates. A foreign birth certificate needed here is translated by a NAATI translator. An NSW or Victorian birth certificate going overseas can usually go straight to DFAT. If the destination also wants a translation legalised, DFAT requires the NAATI translator's name, signature, seal, practitioner ID and date on every page.
• Bank statements, cheques and letters. The institution receiving them decides whether it wants a translation, a notarised copy, or both. A notary certifies a copy against the original. They do not vouch for the figures in it.
• "Attestation". Some countries use this word for the legalisation chain. In Australia that means an apostille from DFAT if the destination is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. If it is not, it means DFAT authentication followed by legalisation at that country's embassy or consulate. Check the HCCH status table on the day. As we read it on 24 September 2026, Nepal was not a party.

Reaching DFAT

DFAT takes documents at any Australian Passport Office, by appointment only, and someone can attend on your behalf. From the border, Melbourne is the closest large office. You can also send documents by registered post to DFAT's Authentications Section at its Melbourne or Sydney GPO box (addresses on Smartraveller), with a self-addressed registered post envelope. DFAT does not publish a fixed turnaround.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a notary public in Albury? We do not list individual notaries. Search the NSW Society's Albury and Murray River region, or the Victorian Society's listing for Wodonga.

I live in Wodonga. Can I use a notary in Albury? Yes, for documents going overseas. For a Victorian statutory declaration, check Victoria's own witness rules.

Do I need a notary for a translated birth certificate? Often not. If the translation is for an Australian agency, a NAATI-certified translation is usually enough.