Lost or Damaged Apostille: How to Get a Replacement

An apostille is attached to one document, so a lost or damaged apostille is usually replaced by lodging the document with DFAT again for a new one. If the document was lost too, replace it first: a new certificate from the issuing agency, or a fresh notarised copy or signing before a notary. Then DFAT can apostille it.

Key takeaways

• An apostille is fixed to the document it was issued for; it is not a separate record you can reprint.
• The usual replacement route is to lodge the document again with DFAT.
• If the document is lost as well, replace it first, from the registry, university or notary.
• A damaged, detached or laminated apostille may be refused even if the certificate is genuine.
• DFAT's online verification portal can confirm an apostille was issued, but it does not replace one.
• Use tracked delivery and keep copies, so a second loss is easier to deal with.

Why can't I just get a copy of my apostille?

Because an apostille is not a standalone document. It is a certificate DFAT attaches to a particular public document, confirming the signature, capacity and seal of the person who signed it. The apostille and the document work as a pair: the receiving authority looks at the document, then at the apostille fixed to it, and checks that one refers to the other. A photocopy of an apostille, or a new apostille on its own, would not do that job.

That is why the practical answer to a lost or damaged apostille is usually a new apostille on the document, not a duplicate of the old one. DFAT's certificate records details such as the date and a number, and its online verification portal lets a receiving authority check that a given apostille is genuine. That helps if someone doubts a certificate you still have. It does not produce a replacement for one you have lost. Our overview of the Hague Apostille Convention explains what the certificate confirms.

Which situation are you in?

The fix depends on what has actually been lost or damaged. The table below sets out the common situations and the usual next step. Check DFAT's current lodgement guidance before you act, because its process can change.

Situation	What is usually needed	Where to start
Apostille damaged, document fine	Lodge the document again for a new apostille	DFAT
Apostille detached from the document	A new apostille, as the pair may be refused	DFAT
Both lost, government document	A new certificate, then a new apostille	The issuing agency, then DFAT
Both lost, notarised copy	A fresh notarised copy from the original	A notary, then DFAT
Both lost, signed document	Re-sign before a notary, then apostille	A notary, then DFAT
Both lost, university document	A reissued or verified record, then apostille	The university, then DFAT
Laminated after the apostille was added	A fresh document and a new apostille	The issuing agency, then DFAT

What if only the apostille is damaged?

If the apostille has been torn, stained or partly detached, but the document it was attached to is still in good condition, the simplest route is usually to lodge the document with DFAT again and ask for a new apostille. Tell DFAT what happened when you lodge, and follow its current instructions for that document type. Do not try to repair the apostille with tape, glue or a new staple, and do not remove it completely; a repaired or reattached certificate can look tampered with, which is exactly what a receiving authority is trained to spot.

If the apostille has come away from the document entirely, keep both parts together and treat it the same way. Even if you can see where it belongs, the receiving authority cannot be sure it was never swapped. A fresh apostille removes the doubt.

What if the whole document is lost?

Then you need to replace the document before DFAT can do anything, and how you do that depends on what kind of document it was.

Government documents. Birth, death and marriage certificates, police checks, court orders and ASIC extracts can be ordered again from the agency that issued them. A new certificate is a new document, so it needs its own apostille. Order the full or standard certificate the receiving authority asks for, and leave it unlaminated. Our guide to apostilling a birth certificate covers ordering from the registry.

Notarised copies. If the lost item was a notarised copy of something you still hold, such as a passport or a degree, a notary can prepare a fresh notarised copy from the original. For an Australian university document, the university will need to verify the record again, and the notary's certificate must say so.

Signed documents. If the lost item was a document you signed before a notary, such as a power of attorney, an affidavit or a statutory declaration, you will usually need to sign a new one before a notary. Notaries keep records of their notarial acts, so ask the notary who acted whether their records help, but a fresh signing is often the cleanest answer. For a legal instrument such as a power of attorney, ask a solicitor whether the lost original needs to be revoked or dealt with before you sign a replacement.

What if the apostille was lost overseas or in the post?

Documents often go missing between Australia and the receiving authority, or while being returned. First, confirm it is really lost: ask the courier or postal service to trace it, and ask the receiving authority whether it arrived and was simply misfiled. If it did arrive, the authority may be able to confirm the apostille through DFAT's verification portal, using the details on the certificate.

If it is gone, follow the same steps as above: replace the document if needed, then lodge it with DFAT. If you are now overseas yourself, our guide to getting an Australian apostille from overseas explains how people usually handle lodgement from abroad. For the next attempt, our comparison of post and courier for legal documents covers tracking and signature on delivery.

How do you get a replacement apostille?

Work through these steps in order. Most delays come from lodging with DFAT before the document is ready.

1. Confirm the loss. Trace any delivery and ask the receiving authority whether the document arrived.
2. Replace the document if needed. Order a new government certificate, ask the university to reissue or verify a record, or see a notary for a fresh copy or signing.
3. Check the certificate type. Confirm whether the destination is a Hague member and needs an apostille, or needs DFAT authentication and embassy legalisation.
4. Check how recent it must be. Ask the receiving authority whether it has a time limit, so the replacement is not too old on arrival.
5. Lodge with DFAT. Follow DFAT's current instructions on documents it can legalise and how to lodge them.
6. Send it safely. Use tracked delivery with a signature, and keep a copy of everything you send.

Is the destination still an apostille country?

If some time has passed since the first apostille, it is worth checking again. Countries do join the Convention: China's accession took effect on 7 November 2023, Canada's on 11 January 2024, Bangladesh's on 30 March 2025 and Viet Nam's on 11 September 2026. Thailand acceded on 30 June 2026, with the Convention due to take effect for it on 28 February 2027. A country that needed embassy legalisation last time may accept an apostille now. Check the HCCH status table on the day, and see our guide to the wrong certificate type if you are unsure which you need.

Common mistakes after losing an apostille

The first is repairing the damage yourself. Tape, glue and new staples make a document look tampered with. The second is sending a photocopy of the old apostille and hoping it will do; a receiving authority that wants an apostille wants the original certificate on the original document. The third is ordering a replacement document without checking how recent it must be, then waiting too long to lodge it.

A quieter mistake is laminating the replacement to protect it. DFAT does not accept laminated documents, and a receiving authority may refuse a laminated apostilled document too. Store it flat in a folder instead, and keep a scan for your own records.

Here is an illustration, not a real case.

Mei had her Australian birth certificate apostilled for a residence application in Italy, then spilt water on it while packing. The apostille is stained and the ink has run. The birth certificate itself is also marked. Rather than drying it and hoping, she orders a new birth certificate from the state registry, keeps it flat and unlaminated, checks that Italy is still a Hague member, and lodges it with DFAT for a new apostille. She sends it to Italy with tracking and keeps a scan of both pages.

In short

An apostille belongs to the document it was issued for, so it cannot simply be reprinted. If the document is intact, lodge it with DFAT again for a new apostille. If the document is lost or damaged, replace it first from the agency, university or notary, then lodge the replacement. Check the certificate type and the receiving authority's time limits before you do. Our apostille and authentication services page explains how this works with us.

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