When do you need a Notary Public for your Indian Passport?

Now, all of the applications/documents required for various passport services for Indian citizens in Australia can be signed in front of a Justice of the Peace except for FORM V relating to an application for a lost/damaged passport. This requires a Notary Public like John Pearce (03 8648 6541).


Form V Indian Passport Services

FORM V is titled ‘AFFIDAVIT FOR A PASSPORT IN LIEU OF LOST/DAMAGED PASSPORT’. It requires the applicant Indian citizen to complete their details on the affidavit, stating how and when the passport was lost or damaged, as well as travel and details of residency. The applicant must swear or affirm the contents of the affidavit in front of a notary public who must then notarise the FORM V.

John Pearce can assist with identification, witnessing the signature and notarising the application form. Even if your passport is lost or damaged, you must still be able to identify yourself with some form of government issued photograph identification document. This could be the passport if it is not lost and has not been damaged beyond recognition, an Australian driver’s license or Australian government issued photograph card.

Indian citizens in Australia may require a number of passport services from the Indian Consulate by way of the VFS Global.  These services may include the following:

  • Applying for a new passport (on expiry of an existing passport)
  • Adding or deleting a spouse from a passport
  • Recording a change of address
  • Recording a change of appearance (such as how they were dressed on the original passport due to religious beliefs)
  • Change of name after marriage or divorce
  • Change of name for other reasons
  • Reporting a lost or damaged passport
  • Applying for the first passport for a minor (under 18 years)
  • Applying for a passport for a minor

Over the years requirements for applications/documents needed for each of these services has changed. In the past it was customary that for each of these services you had to include declarations that had to be witnessed by a notary public and notarised.