Services

A Notary Public offers a variety of services.

The following are just to exemplify a few of my services:

Certificates to verify or confirm copies of passports and other ID documents
Certificates to verify or confirm qualifications and academic certificates
Certificates to verify or confirm copies of other officially issued documents
Powers of Attorney for use overseas
Property sale and purchase documents for use abroad
Sponsorship documents
Declarations for child travel
Overseas adoption applications
Single status declarations for marriage abroad
Witnessing signatures on documents
Authenticating the execution of documents
Administering oaths, affidavits and statutory declarations
Hearing affidavits for evidence in foreign jurisdictions
Certificates of Good Standing for companies
Certifying company minutes and resolutions
Witnessing applications for foreign company incorporation
Legalisation of documents at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and embassies

Certifying copies of documents

I can make and certify copies of many types of original documents and confirm the genuine and authentic nature of the documents, after completing any necessary verification checks.

Certain jurisdictions and certain bodies may have a very specific form of wording required for the certification made by the notary e.g. Australian Medical Council requirements. It is important to ensure the wording used in the certification specifically follows and accords with exactly what is required by the overseas body or person to whom the document will be ultimately be sent.

Please be aware that we cannot certify copies of UK documents protected by Crown Copyright laws. For example if a British Birth Certificate or Marriage Certificate requires notarisation, then it is an original certificate supplied by the General Registry Office (GRO) that can be notarised.

Please note that the Legalisation department of the Foreign Office will only legalise the original of any document protected by Crown Copyright (e.g. a British Birth Certificate or Marriage Certificate). The Foreign Office will refuse to legalise a photo-copy of any document protected by Crown Copyright.

Witnessing & authenticating signatures

A fundamental request made of a notary public, is often to witness the signatures of parties to legal documents, all having previously been duly identified to the notary, by way of producing their passports and/or other proof of identification documents.

The notary public will normally write and record the following information on the document itself, and/or on an attached notarial certificate:

The signature of the notary public;
The date when the document was signed before the notary public;
The place where the document was signed.
Certain documents may require the notary to write on the document itself, the form of identification he took from each signing parties, including passport or drivers license numbers.
By authenticating a document in this way, an important and primary part of the notary public’s role and service to their client is completed, in that legal verification has been given to the document, which the client will now be able to safely submit and use abroad.

Please note as a standard part of our service to you we are able to supply you, as our client, with a full notarial certificate, confirming the witnessing and execution of the document and the verification of proof of identity documentation of the individual parties signing.

Notary Public Certification

The legal documents that are to be signed or created in the UK but which are then subsequently required to be submitted overseas -outside of the UK, commonly require certification by an English Notary Public.

The fundamental purpose of a document certified by a notary public is to provide legal evidence and communicate and preserve information and authority. The certification of the notary public, as an official legal document, that can later be relied upon and recognised at law internationally, can often therefore become of significant importance.

Companies House Documents

I issue notary public certificates in relation to all documents held at the Companies House Registry of England and Wales (and also the Companies House registries of Scotland and also Northern Ireland).

This service may be required for example where a limited company is involved in a business matter overseas.

The authenticity of the good standing of the company, by a notary public, is required by an overseas body, before the company may conduct itself overseas. Additionally the authority and standing of a Director of the Company, or an authorised signatory of the company, may require verification by a notary public. The notary may also supply and notarise a Certificate of Good Standing of the Company where this can be obtained from Companies House.

Corporate/Company Powers of Attorney

Limited companies often to appoint an attorney overseas to represent the company in the overseas jurisdiction as well as sign legal documentation on behalf of the limited company. Where this situation arises the company may decide to appoint an overseas lawyer or representative to execute documentation on behalf of the company. Where this situation arises the company may need to execute a corporate Power of Attorney before a notary public.

Generally the notary will need to make a full search at Companies House of the Company and obtain evidence that the director is genuinely recorded at Companies House as a Director of the company. The notary will also obtain identification documents from the director or directors signing on behalf of the company. Additionally the notary will obtain evidence that the director is duly authorised by the company to execute the documentation.

Special requirements exist under English law regarding the form of execution for deeds executed by companies. For a full guide to these requirements please see Land Registry Practice Guide 8 available at https://www.landregistry.gov.uk/professional/guides/practice-guide-8#guide-mark-23

Overseas Marriages

If you are getting married overseas then congratulations on your engagement and we are pleased to see you and supply any notary public documentation you require.

Examples of the type of paperwork you may require are different between counties but are likely to involve evidencing that you are lawfully free to marry. For example some countries may require a notarised and legalised Certificate of Non-impediment issued by the General Registry Office (GRO). Alternatively a different country may require you to sign an Affidavit confirming your freedom to marry and confirming that you have never been previously married, or if that is not applicable, the details of your previous marriage and evidence of divorce from a previous marriage.

Obtaining the correct notarised documentation in good time for a forthcoming marriage, can be of vital importance, in the context that any failure to do so, can ultimately result in a planned marriage not being allowed to proceed.

Many countries will require legalisation by the Foreign Office and/or a Consulate of your paperwork.

Life Certificate for private pension providers

I provide this service to pensioners whose overseas private pension provider has asked them to supply a Certificate of life or Declaration of Existence. The purpose of the certificate given by the notary is to enable the pension holder to claim his pension by supplying evidence of the existence of the pension holder to the pension company.

Many pension companies provide their own standard form, although I am able to create and notarise a bespoke Life Certificate for you, in accordance with your specific requirements.

Name Change / Change of Name deeds

Notaries are able to prepare and complete Change of Name deeds for any person wishing to change their name.

Any person in the UK is legally entitled to change their name whenever they wish (unless it is for fraudulent or illegal purposes). Common reasons for change of name include after a Divorce where the wife wishes to revert to her maiden name, a dislike of a current name, a desire for a less or more ethnic name.

Please note if a child’s name is to be changed, the change of name deed would normally be required to be signed by all parties holding Parental Responsibility for the child. Alterntively evidence of consent of all parties holding Parental Responsibility for the child should be produced.

Parental Consent for child to travel

Parental Consent authority forms are required by certain countries for example the USA, in a situation where a minor child, is traveling with, either just one of his parents or, alternatively with an adult who is not a parent of the minor.

Examples of countries requiring a Parental Consent Form to be signed before a Notary Public in certain situations, include but are not limited to the following: Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Dubai, The Dominican Republic, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, United States of America, Vietnam etc

I am pleased to notarise the Parental Consent Form for you.

If the required form of the Parental Consent Form is an Affidavit then I will administer and notarise the Oath for you.

Passport applications for minors

Passport applications made for and on behalf of minors, require in certain countries such as the USA, the application to be submitted by both parents.

However if both parents cannot be present to make the Passport application for their minor child, then a Consent Form may be required from the non-appearing parent, authorising the other parent, to apply for and obtain the Passport for the minor child.

Typically the Parental Consent form must be signed before a Notary Public, who is required to witness and notarise the same by attaching his seal and stamp of office.

I am pleased to assist parents requiring a notary public for this service and am able to respond to urgent requests at short notice.

Powers of Attorney

Notaries are often involved in authenticating powers of attorney for use in foreign jurisdictions. Commonly the power of attorney will be prepared by overseas lawyers and in appropriate cases, by the client.

The power of attorney will be prepared either in a foreign language or in a bilingual form, e.g. in English on one side of a page and the foreign language on the other side of the page. The formal requirements for the execution of a power of attorney will vary between different countries, although part of the notary’s role will be to ensure that the power of attorney is executed in a manner which is acceptable to the jurisdiction, where it is ultimately going to be sent.