CERTIFYING COPIES OF DOCUMENTS
- Certifying Copies of Documents In Western Australia
The Medical Board of Western Australia (�the Board�) accepts certified copies of original documents (eg. medical degrees) if they are certified by a person described as follows:
- An authorised representative of the Registrar of the Medical Board of Western Australia; or
- Any person described in the second column of Schedule 2 of the Oaths, Affidavits and Statutory Declarations Act 2005 (eg. Justice of the Peace; Accountant with membership of CPA Australia; or Doctor, Lawyer, Chemist, Dentist, Optometrist, Physiotherapist, Nurse, Architect as defined by the Oaths, Affidavits and Statutory Declarations Act 2005); or
- Any person before whom, under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 of the Commonwealth, a statutory declaration can be made.
- Certifying Copies of Documents In Places In Australia (other than Western Australia)
An authorised witness as described in section 12 (6) (b) of the Oaths, Affidavits and Statutory Declarations Act 2005 must certify documents in places in Australia (other than Western Australia) as follows:
- Any person who, under the law of that place, has authority to take or receive a statutory, solemn or other declaration; or
- Any person before whom, under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 of the Commonwealth, a statutory declaration can be made.
- Certifying Copies of Documents Overseas
An authorised witness as described in section 12 (6) (c) of the Oaths, Affidavits and Statutory Declarations Act 2005 must certify documents in countries other than Australia as follows:
- A prescribed consular official who is performing official functions at that place;
- A person who is a justice or notary public under the laws of that place;
- A person who has authority under the law of that place to administer an oath to another person or to take, receive or witness a statutory, solemn or other declaration.
The following information has been extracted from the Department of Attorney General - Government of Western Australia - website:
How do I certify a copy?
Before certifying a document, you must ensure that the copy to be certified is an identical copy of the original. A suggested wording for the certification is as follows:
I certify that this appears to be a true copy of the document produced to me on <date>.
Signature
Name
Qualification (eg JP, Pharmacist)
The person certifying the document is stating their opinion that the document is a true copy, not that the original document is authentic. Certifying a copy does not in any way ‘authenticate’ either the copy or the original document.
Documents in languages other than English
You should not certify a document in a language other than English unless you can be sure that the original and the copy are identical. A solution to this is to have the original photocopied in your presence.
Multiple page documents
If the original is a multiple page document, each page must be checked against the copy to ensure that it is correct. You can then proceed as follows:
- Sign or initial each page
- Number each page of the copy as ‘page 1 or 40’, ‘page 2 of 40’ and so on
- Certify the last page as follows:
I certify that this <number of pages> page document, each page of which I have numbered and signed/initialled, appears to be a true copy of the document produced to me on <date>.
Signature
Name
Qualification (eg JP, Pharmacist)
