Translate Before or After the Apostille?

It depends on where the document is going. Many countries want the apostille added to the original first, then the document and the apostille translated, often by a translator in that country. Others accept a translation made in Australia, notarised or certified, with the apostille on top. Ask the receiving body first.

Key takeaways

• There is no single correct order. The receiving body decides, and countries differ.
• Apostille first, then translate is common where the destination wants its own sworn translators. The apostille must then be translated too.
• Translate in Australia, then apostille works where the destination accepts Australian translations. The apostille then covers the translator's or notary's signature.
• Some destinations want both: the original apostilled, and a separately certified and apostilled translation.
• For documents coming into Australia, the foreign apostille comes first, and the NAATI translation should cover it.

Why does the order matter?

An apostille certifies a signature and seal on a document. If it is attached to an original Australian birth certificate, it certifies the registry officer's signature. If it is attached to a translation, it certifies the signature of whoever signed the translation, usually a notary or, in some cases, the translator. Those are different things, and a receiving body may want one, the other, or both.

Order also affects what gets translated. If the apostille is added first, it becomes part of the document, and a translation made afterwards must cover it. If the translation is made first and then apostilled, the apostille sits on top of the translation and may itself need translating at the other end. Getting the order wrong can mean paying for an apostille or translation twice. Our guide to how apostilles work explains what an apostille certifies.

Route A: apostille first, then translate

Many countries, particularly in continental Europe and Latin America, want foreign documents translated by a translator they recognise, such as a sworn or officially appointed translator in that country. For those destinations, the usual order is: obtain the original Australian document, have DFAT apostille it, send it to the destination, and have a local translator translate both the document and the apostille.

This route avoids paying for an Australian translation the destination will not accept. Its drawback is that you must arrange and pay for the translation abroad, and you may need to send the original there first. Check the translator requirements with the receiving body, because some accept a sworn translator from anywhere in that country, and others only one attached to a particular court or region.

Route B: translate in Australia, then apostille

Some destinations accept a translation made in Australia, provided it is certified in a way they can verify. The usual order is: a NAATI-credentialled translator translates the document; the translator signs a declaration of accuracy before a notary, or the notary certifies the translation in the form the destination expects; and DFAT then apostilles the notary's signature. The apostille on top confirms the notary's signature, which in turn vouches for the translator's declaration.

DFAT's own list of documents it can legalise also covers some translations made by NAATI-certified translators that meet its requirements, such as the translator's details and seal on every page, so in some cases a notary step may not be needed. Check DFAT's current guidance before relying on that. Our guide to NAATI translations with a notary explains how the notarised translation is prepared.

Route C: apostille both

Some receiving bodies want to see an apostille on the original document and a separately authenticated translation. The usual order is to apostille the original, then have it translated, including the apostille, and then have the translation notarised and apostilled in its turn. That produces a bundle with two apostilles: one on the original and one on the notarised translation.

This route is the most thorough and the most expensive. It is worth following only when the receiving body clearly asks for it. If the instructions simply say "apostilled and translated", ask whether they mean the translation must also be apostilled, or just attached.

What the destination wants	Usual order	Watch out for
Its own sworn translator	Apostille original, translate abroad	The apostille must be translated too
Australian translation accepted	Translate, notarise, then apostille	Form of the translator's declaration
Apostille on original and translation	Apostille original, translate, notarise, apostille	Two apostilles, two fees
Translation attached, no apostille on it	Apostille original, attach translation	Which translators it accepts
Non-Convention country	Authentication and embassy legalisation instead	Embassy's own translation rules

What about documents coming into Australia?

For foreign documents used in Australia, the order is usually straightforward. If the Australian body wants authentication at all, the foreign document is apostilled in its country of origin first. It is then translated in Australia by a NAATI-credentialled translator, and the translation must cover the foreign apostille, stamps and seals as well as the document itself.

For most Home Affairs purposes, no apostille is needed; a clear copy and an English translation are what the department assesses. Check the Home Affairs document checklist for your visa stream, and see our guide to NAATI certified translations.

Should the translation be bound to the original?

Often, yes, particularly where a notary certifies the translation in Australia. The notary may fasten the translation, the translator's declaration and a copy of the original together under a notarial certificate, so that the pages cannot be separated or swapped without it showing. The apostille is then attached to that bundle. Do not take the bundle apart to scan or copy it, because that can make it unusable.

Where the translation is made abroad, the local translator will usually attach it to the apostilled original in the way the destination expects. Either way, send the originals as instructed, and keep a full colour copy of the bundle for your own records before it leaves your hands.

How recent do the documents need to be?

Some receiving bodies want the underlying document issued recently, such as a birth certificate issued within the last few months, and some also want the translation to be recent. The apostille itself does not usually expire, but it cannot make an old document new. If the receiving body sets a time limit, plan the order of steps so that the document is still within that limit when it arrives, allowing for DFAT, translation and courier time. Our guide to documents that are too old for an overseas body covers the common rules.

Who should arrange each step?

You can arrange each step yourself, or ask a notary to coordinate some of them. A notary can usually certify a translation, witness a translator's declaration and, in many cases, send the document to DFAT for you, for a fee. A translator in the destination country will usually handle the local translation once the apostilled original arrives. Ask each provider exactly which steps they will handle, so nothing is missed or done twice.

What about countries outside the Apostille Convention?

For countries that are not Convention members, the apostille is replaced by DFAT authentication followed by legalisation at the country's embassy or consulate. Embassies often have their own rules about translations: some require documents to be translated into their language before they will legalise them, some accept English, and some want the translation legalised separately. Check the embassy's current requirements before you start, and check the destination's membership on the HCCH status table on the day. Our guide to consular legalisation explains that route.

How do you get the order right?

1. Ask the receiving body whose translation it accepts and whether the translation must be apostilled.
2. Get the original document, in the version the receiving body wants.
3. Follow the order it names: apostille first, translation first, or both.
4. Make sure the translation covers the apostille if the apostille is added first.
5. Keep the bundle fastened, and send the originals as instructed.

What does this look like in practice?

Here is an illustration, not a real case. Marco needs his Australian birth certificate for a residence application in Italy. He first had it translated by a NAATI translator in Sydney, then asked DFAT to apostille the translation.

The Italian office rejected it: it wanted the original birth certificate apostilled, and a translation into Italian by a translator it recognised, covering both the certificate and the apostille. Marco ordered a new birth certificate, had DFAT apostille it, and sent it to Italy, where a recognised translator translated the certificate and the apostille. The office accepted the bundle.

In short

Whether to translate before or after the apostille depends on the destination. Where it wants its own sworn translators, apostille the original first and have the document and apostille translated there. Where it accepts Australian translations, translate, notarise and then apostille. Some destinations want both. Ask the receiving body before paying for either step.

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Not sure which order your destination wants? Send us the instructions you were given, and we will explain each step. For translation with notarial certification, see our NAATI translation with notary certification service.