Apostille for Australia · California Documents
Apostille for Australia from California
Australia has been a Hague Convention member since 1995 — a California apostille is accepted for partner visas, skilled migration, and character clearance filings.
Documents we apostille for Australia
Birth certificate
Required for Australian citizenship applications and partner visa supporting documentation.
Marriage certificate
Apostilled for partner visa applications and Australian civil registration of overseas marriages.
FBI background check
Federal route via U.S. Dept of State — not California SOS. Required for Australian visa character assessment.
Diploma & transcripts
For skills assessment by VETASSESS, ACS, Engineers Australia, and other Australian assessing bodies.
Power of attorney
Notarized in California, apostilled for property and legal matters before Australian authorities.
Divorce decree
Apostilled for prior-marriage documentation in partner visa applications.
How the Australia apostille works
- Document check ($45, credited). We verify your document is California-issued, correctly certified, and Australia-ready before any Secretary of State fee is paid.
- Sacramento filing. Couriered to the California Secretary of State — mail-in or same-day in person depending on your timeline.
- Australia routing. The Apostille Convention entered into force for Australia on 16 March 1995. California apostilles are accepted by the Department of Home Affairs, skills assessing bodies, and courts.
- Returned tracked. Documento apostillado devuelto por transportista con seguimiento y actualizaciones de estado.
Australia apostille — FAQ
Does Australia accept California apostilles?
Yes. Australia has been a Hague Convention member since 1995 and accepts apostilles from any other member, including the California Secretary of State.
Do I need apostilled documents for an Australian partner visa?
Typically yes — apostilled California marriage certificate (for married couples) or evidence of de facto relationship, plus FBI background check (federal route). Exact requirements depend on the visa subclass.
Does the FBI background check go through California for an Australian visa?
No. FBI Identity History Summary documents are federal records authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C. Australian visa character clearance requires the federal apostille route.
How long is an FBI background check valid for an Australian visa?
Australian Department of Home Affairs typically requires the FBI check to be less than 12 months old at time of decision. The apostille itself does not expire — what matters is the age of the underlying document.
Status and requirements for Australia verified against the HCCH Apostille Section status table (hcch.net) as of 2026-06-19. Not legal advice.
Related routes & tools
Document Check — $45
Credited 100% to your apostille service.
Pricing & state fees
$20 + $6 SOS fees and service ranges.
How it works
The full California apostille process.
Processing times
Direct from SOS published timelines.
Same-day filing
In-person Sacramento counter.
Apostille by mail
When timing is flexible.
Sacramento SOS counter
Address, hours, payment, walk-in.
Which documents qualify
Eligible California document types.
Birth certificate
Most common citizenship document.
Marriage certificate
For spousal and civil filings.
Diploma & transcripts
Credential recognition abroad.
Power of attorney
Property and legal matters abroad.
Federal / FBI route
U.S. Dept of State authentication.
Non-Hague legalization
Consular route when apostille won’t work.
All countries
Destination routing hub.
Apostille guide
The full pillar overview.
Talk to a specialist
Phone, email, form.