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Using Indonesian documents in Australia: apostille and translation

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Australian courts, the land registry, banks and Home Affairs regularly ask families in Indonesia for documents: death and birth certificates, family cards, wills, company documents and powers of attorney. Documents are often rejected because they are certified by the wrong person, the translation is not accepted, or names do not match. Here is how to get it right the first time.

Indonesia and the Apostille Convention

Indonesia joined the Hague Apostille Convention, which came into force for Indonesia on 4 June 2022. Australia is also a member. In most cases, an Indonesian public document now needs an apostille from the Indonesian authorities, rather than the older chain of legalisation through embassies.

Whether an apostille is needed, and on which document, depends on who will receive it in Australia. A court, the land registry and a bank may each ask for something slightly different.

Translations

• Most Australian authorities require a certified English translation of documents in Bahasa Indonesia, usually by a NAATI-certified translator.
• The translation should be complete, including stamps and handwritten notes.
• Check that names are spelled consistently across the passport, KTP, kartu keluarga and other documents. If they differ, a statutory declaration or notarial certificate explaining the difference can prevent a rejection.

Documents signed in Indonesia for use in Australia

Affidavits, transfer documents and powers of attorney for Australian matters are often signed in Indonesia. Depending on the document, they may need to be signed before an Indonesian notary and apostilled, or before an Australian consular officer. Australian law sometimes requires particular wording or witnesses, so it is best to have the Australian document prepared first, then signed in Indonesia following our instructions.

Australian documents for use in Indonesia

Going the other way, Australian documents (wills, powers of attorney, company documents, copies of passports or degrees) usually need to be signed or certified before an Australian notary public, then apostilled by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), before an Indonesian notary, bank or government office will accept them. Some Indonesian recipients also require an Indonesian translation.

Notary public in Melbourne

Chua Tan Associates is a notary public practice at Level 2, 262 Queen Street, Melbourne. We prepare and certify documents for use in Indonesia, arrange DFAT apostilles, and advise on what Australian authorities need from Indonesian documents. If you are visiting Melbourne, we can do this in person; otherwise we coordinate with notaries in Indonesia.

More guides for families in Indonesia

• Inheriting Melbourne Property When a Parent Dies in Indonesia
• Buying a Melbourne Apartment for a Child Studying in Australia
• An Australian Will Alongside Your Indonesian Will
• All our services for families and businesses in Indonesia

This guide is general information about Australian law as at October 2026 and is not legal advice. Rules change, and every situation is different.