A notary public cannot issue an Apostille.

An Apostille is a certificate issued by a designated authority in a country where the Apostille Convention (properly named “Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents”), is in force.

Apostille is French for “certificate”. In Australia Apostilles are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Apostilles authenticate the seals and signatures of notaries public and on on public documents such as birth certificates, notarials, court orders, or any other document issued by a public authority, so that they can be recognized in foreign countries that are parties to the Convention.  Foreign governments require proof that official documents and the notarial seal and signature of the notary appearing on documents are genuine. This is achieved by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade certifying the signature, stamp and seal the notary which are held at the Department.