What are the steps involved in Contract?
The sequence is: obtain the certified original, prepare and certify the translation, submit to the receiving Australian body (Department of Home Affairs, a university, a licensing authority or a court), which sets the translation standard it accepts, then present the completed file to the receiving party. Skipping ahead in this order is the main reason a file has to be restarted.
Step order for Contract
The sequence is: obtain the certified original, prepare and certify the translation, submit to the receiving Australian body (Department of Home Affairs, a university, a licensing authority or a court), which sets the translation standard it accepts, then present the completed file to the receiving party. Skipping ahead in this order is the main reason a file has to be restarted.
Every stage produces a receipt or a reference number. Keep them: they are what allows a file to be traced if a stage takes longer than expected.
How NAATI certified translation for Australian purposes works
Certification of the translation is a separate question from legalisation of the source document. Since 22 December 2024 Thailand is a party to the Apostille Convention, so a Thai public document intended for Australia may also need an Apostille from the Department of Consular Affairs before the translated set is complete.
NAATI is the national credentialing body for translators and interpreters in Australia. A translation is treated as NAATI certified when it carries the practitioner's certification statement, stamp and practitioner number, so the receiving officer can verify the credential independently.
For documents translated outside Australia, the Department of Home Affairs expects the translation to show the translator's full name, address, qualifications and contact details in English, together with a statement that the translation is a true and accurate rendering of the original.
Where Contract fits in the document chain
Documents connected with Contract move through a fixed chain: issuance, translation, certification and acceptance. Each link is verified against the previous one, which is why a missing intermediate stamp cannot be repaired at the final counter.
Because translations submitted to Australian government, education and licensing bodies is assessed on paper, the safest working method is to prepare the complete set before approaching any office, then submit once with everything attached.
Evidence the reviewing officer looks for
An officer checks four things: that the original is authentic and current, that the translation is complete, that the certifications appear in the correct order, and that the person submitting is entitled to do so.
None of those four is a formality. A file that satisfies three of them is still returned, and the queue restarts from the beginning.
Working with IVC
IVC has handled translations submitted to Australian government, education and licensing bodies since 2011 - more than fourteen years of files across translation, notarisation, consular certification and submission support. We prepare, check and track the chain; the decision always remains with the authority, and we never promise an outcome.
Fees depend on document type, language pair, volume and urgency, so they are quoted by our staff rather than published. Contact us by phone, LINE or email with a scan of the document and the destination, and you will get a written scope before anything starts.
Pre-submission checklist
- Check validity dates on every supporting document on the day of submission
- Carry identity documents for every named party and for the representative
- Keep receipts and reference numbers for each stage
- Scan the complete file exactly as submitted
- Allow for public holidays at each office in the plan
- Confirm in writing what the receiving authority accepts today
- Use the certified original or an officially sealed copy, never a plain photocopy
Common pitfalls
- Splitting a document set between offices and losing an intermediate stamp
- Treating one authority's acceptance as binding on another
- Starting the chain from an uncertified photocopy
- Omitting seal or annotation text from the translation
- Booking travel around an unconfirmed processing date
Official sources
- NAATI — Certification and practitioner directory
- Department of Home Affairs (Australia) — Translation requirements
- Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Thailand) — Legalisation and Apostille services
- HCCH — Apostille Convention status table
Information reviewed as of August 2026.
Practical playbook: NAATI Certified Translation (Australia)
Australian government bodies generally require translations produced by a NAATI-certified translator, delivered with the certification stamp, translator number and statement on every page.
Documents to prepare
- Clear colour scan of every page, including reverse sides and seals
- Passport page for the correct spelling of names
- Reference spellings for names of places, schools and employers
- The Australian authority's translation instructions, if provided
Steps and method
1. Scan and check legibility
Any unreadable stamp or handwriting must be clarified before translation begins.
Typical timeframe: 1 day
2. Certified translation
A NAATI-certified translator produces the translation with stamp, number and certification statement.
Typical timeframe: 1–3 business days
3. Client proofing
Confirm names, dates and numbers against the source documents before final issue.
Typical timeframe: 1 day
4. Delivery in the accepted format
Issue digital PDF and, where the authority requires it, hard copies.
Typical timeframe: 1–2 business days
Consultant tips
- Use the exact passport spelling everywhere, even if a certificate spells it differently — add a translator's note instead.
- Most online lodgements accept a digital PDF; check before ordering couriered hard copies.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Translations without a visible NAATI stamp and number are routinely rejected.
- Partial translations that omit seals or annotations count as incomplete.
Official references
If you would rather not handle the paperwork yourself, the iVC team can run the whole file end to end — document review, translation, certification, submission and follow-up. Contact us by LINE @iVisa or call +66 80-557-8887 so we can assess your case before any work starts.
NAATI translation vs consular-certified translation
Different purposes; some cases need both.
| Aspect | NAATI (Australia) | Consular-certified translation |
|---|---|---|
| Who certifies | A NAATI-certified translator | The translator, then consular legalization |
| Typically required by | Australian authorities such as Home Affairs | Thai agencies and other embassies |
| Visible mark | NAATI stamp and practitioner number | Consular Affairs certification seal |
| Can they combine | Yes, when the destination needs both | Yes, in the order the destination sets |
Doing it yourself vs having iVC manage the whole process
Both routes are valid. They differ in the time you spend, the risk of documents being returned, and whether an adviser reviews everything before submission.
| Aspect | Do it yourself | Managed by iVC |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-submission review | You check against the agency's published requirements | An adviser checks each document against the destination's rules first |
| Your time | You travel, queue and follow up yourself | We file and follow up; you receive progress updates |
| Rejection risk | Common causes: name spelling mismatch, expired documents, wrong certification order | We check the usual rejection triggers at source and fix them first |
| Specialist knowledge | You research each agency's rules yourself | A team with 15+ years of casework advises throughout |
| If something goes wrong | You restart the steps yourself | We assess the options and plan the fix immediately |
We work as advisers, not just a document courier
More than 15 years of casework (since 2011) in translation, certification and visa document preparation shows us the patterns behind repeated rejections, so we plan around them from the start.
- Case assessment first
- We review the profile, destination country and receiving authority before recommending a certification route.
- A document plan per person
- We sequence what must be re-issued, translated first, and certified in which order.
- Risks flagged early
- We point out the usual rejection triggers, such as name spelling that differs from the passport or document age limits.
- Follow-through to the end
- Regular progress updates, and immediate options if the authority requests more documents.
- Advice after completion
- The same set is often reused in the next step; we check whether it still qualifies or needs re-issuing.
If you would rather not chase each step yourself, send the case details for an assessment first, then decide.
Thai version: /naati-q/nq-th-w4-contract-steps
Need this handled end to end?
Talk to our team by phone, LINE or email for a case-specific answer and a quotation.