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Although many Notaries
Public are also solicitors this is a separate branch of law. Notaries
are internationally recognised lawyers who deal with certifying and
authenticating documents for use anywhere in the world by attaching
their signature and seal. A notary’s responsibility is to everyone
who may be relying on the documents, not just the person who asks the
notary to authenticate them.
In most cases the
notary’s signature and seal will need to be certified by the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office (this is known as an apostille). The FCO charge
a fee for each apostille (currently £27). In some cases the documents
will also need to be sent to the consular section of the embassy of
the relevant country for legalisation and they too will charge a fee,
which varies greatly depending on the country.
Arranging for the
apostille and legalisation can take a few days and the notary may also
need to carry out some independent verification of documents that are
to be certified, such as qualifications, so it is important to make
an appointment to see a notary as early as possible, particularly if
there are deadlines in the transaction.
An approximation
of fees and disbursements can be given when you arrange an appointment,
but please bear in mind that that this is subject to the notary meeting
you and seeing more about what is involved.
Please arrange
to bring in proof of identity, such as a current passport or photo driving
licence and a recent utility bill or bank statement showing the home
address. Documents entered into by or on behalf of companies will need
evidence that the signatories have the authority to do so
Principal
Contact Catriona
Wheeler
Direct Dial: 01522 781472
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