What is a Notary?

The role of a Notary is to authenticate legal documents which will be used abroad. In addition to the Notary's authentication, many foreign jurisdictions require documents to be legalised. Legalisation is the process whereby a Notary's signature and seal is certified to be genuine by the UK and foreign government.

If you have documents which need to be sent abroad, they should be witnessed or signed by a Notary Public. A solicitor cannot do this for you.

Why might you need to see a Notary?

You may need to have documents witnessed or certified by a Notary if you need:

• to sign any document to be sent abroad, such as a deed, power of attorney, affidavit, declaration, consent, transfer, conveyance, contract, agreement, or any other paper.
• to confirm your single status to enable you to marry abroad
• to confirm that you don't have a criminal record
• to give consent for a child or children to travel abroad
• to give someone authority for a passport to be issued to your child abroad
• to assign internet domain names, patents or similar
• to get a document legalised or get an 'Apostille' under the Hague Convention
• to get CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) results certified
• copies of your UK educational certificates notarially certified
• a copy of your passport, driving licence or other ID notarially certified
• you are applying for UK naturalisation and you don't want to send your original passport
• you are buying or selling a property in Spain, France, Italy or elsewhere abroad
• you are dealing with someone's estate in Jamaica, West Indies or elsewhere
• you are buying or selling property or land in Jamaica, West Indies or elsewhere
• you are adopting a child from abroad and you need a notary to certify documents from the Department for Children, Schools and Families
• you have lost your passport and you have to make a statutory declaration to get a new one

For further information on Notary Services for individuals contact Philip Wallace. If you are a business requiring Notary Services please contact David Wedgwood.