Services
Notary Services
The role of the notary is to authenticate a document. This can take various forms such as verifying the identity of those signing documents, witnessing the signing or certifying a copy of a document. These documents can be for individuals and businesses, usually for those that need to be used overseas. Authentication from a notary is by way of the notary’s seal, stamp and signature.
Authentication is sufficient in many foreign legal jurisdictions to verify to the relevant authorities that the document will be accepted by lawyers, government officers and courts in the receiving country concerned and so assisting the individual or company carrying out their legal business overseas.
There are many types of documents that are required to be notarised. Notarising documents frequently used in foreign countries include:
- Buying or selling residential property, timeshares and companies
- Assisting with overseas “probate” of UK nationals who have owned property abroad and have died
- Powers of attorney given by individuals and companies
- Passports and identification documents
- Birth, marriage, divorce and adoption certificates
- University degrees and professional qualifications
- Documents concerning a company’s registration at Companies House, its current directors and its continuous existence since the formation
- Company contracts, trading and other documents
- Immigration and emigration documents
- Individuals, companies, charities and institutions e.g., universities and schools may need to have documents notarised
Legalisation/ Apostille services
Legalisation by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office by apostille or by the consulate at the embassy of the overseas country can be arranged by the notary. Legalisation is a different and separate process from notarisation and involves making key documents valid for use in a different country by getting them certified by the relevant government.
Most countries require both notarisation and an apostille.