PERSONAL NOTARY
SERVICES
At our firm, we have years of experience in assisting people with their important documents. Whether you are wanting to move to work, carry our acts on someone’s behalf, get married, or do something else abroad, we can help you.
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Personal notary services we offer
At our firm, we offer a range of bespoke personal notary services to fit the individual needs of our clients. With our assistance, you will be quickly on your way to your destination country.
As we deal with many sensitive topics and private documents, we ensure our services are carried out with the utmost care and discretion.
Common documents we deal with
Our team has developed vast experience in dealing with many different types of documents throughout the years. Some documents we seldom come across, whilst others we encounter regularly.
Common documents include the following:
- Affidavits
- Child travel consents
- Criminal background checks
- Degrees and other qualifications
- Powers of Attorney
- Statutory Declarations
- Wills
- Identity documents (e.g passports and drivers licences)
Regardless of the rarity of the document, we will provide the best notary service possible for you.
Follow the simple steps below to book your personal notary service with us:
- 1. Contact us by phone, email, website chatbox, or through our website form
- 2. Talk to our team about your needs
- 3. Book your appointment at a time and place convenient for you
How it works
- Attend your notary appointment
- Our notary signs, seals and stamps your documents
- Documents are sent for legalisation with the FCDO
- Receive your documents back
- All done
Please note that whilst these are the main steps of our process, there may be other necessary steps as well depending on what you want done, such as document drafting and translations.
Examples of when you will need our personal notary services
There can be many situations where you will need to use our personal notary services, several of which we have already mentioned earlier on in this webpage.
Here, we will provide a few more examples to help you know when you might need the assistance of a notary for activities overseas:
- Attending a court case
- Buying property
- Carrying out an act on someone else’s behalf
- Criminal background checks
- Get married abroad
- Opening a bank account
- Study abroad
- Travelling abroad with a child
- Work abroad
These are some of the more common examples our expert notaries encounter during their work, but there are many other situations where you will need our services as well. Please get in touch to discuss your needs with our helpful team.
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Other common documents we deal with
General
Attesting to the Execution and Signature of Documents
An authority may request that a Notary Public is present at the signing of any kind of document – particularly if that authority is outside of the UK. The presence of a notary guarantees that a particular document or contract has been signed by someone whose identification has been verified.
Statutory Declarations
A Statutory Declaration is a formal, written statement to affirm that something is true, to the best knowledge of the person making the declaration. Statutory Declarations have to be signed in the presence of an authorised person, such as a Notary Public.
Statutory Declarations may be needed for passport applications by the UK government, or for name changes.
Affidavits
An Affidavit is a written statement from a person. It must be signed by the person (the ‘affiant’) and by a Notary Public – or other authorised person. Affidavits are likely to be accepted wherever Statutory Declarations are, provided that the wording features certain details.
Affidavits are often required in court proceedings. This is most usually for those concerning divorce proceedings, property disputes, and debt cases.
Oaths
An oath is a written statement from a person, which they swear to be true, invoking a divine witness (i.e. God). This may not be appropriate for people with other or no religious beliefs. A declaration is a non-religious alternative to an oath. The signing of oaths must be witnessed by a Notary Public – or other authorised person.
Marriage
Certificates of No Impediment
A Certificate of No Impediment (CNI/CONI) is a document that states that a person is legally allowed to get married or get a civil partnership abroad. A CNI is for each person, not per couple. Some countries require that certificates be no older than two or three months at the time of the wedding and may need to be translated. It is important to follow the particular rules of the country where the wedding is to take place.
Certificates (CNIs) can be obtained at a local registry office in the UK. Once the registry office has received notice of the marriage, it will be publicly displayed for 28 days. After this period, provided that no objections have been put forward, the CNI will be available for collection.
Declaration of Civil Status
The Statutory Declaration states that the signatory has not previously been married or that they are now divorced and free to marry again. This declaration serves that same purpose as a Certificate of No Impediment.
This declaration must be signed in the presence of a Notary Public.
Legalising Marriage Certificates
It is often necessary for marriage certificates to be legalised by apostille for official purposes. This is so they can be used outside the UK. Legalisation is the process by which a notary adds their signature and seal to a document, before it is then certified by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO). This process is known as legalisation. The document can then be used overseas.
Travel, Passports & Citizenship
Global Citizenship Applications
Applying for citizenship abroad can be an arduous process. In order for an application to be successful, a number of different documents may need to be witnessed, verified, and notarised by a notary, or other authorised figure. Documentation might include birth certificates, marriage certificates, degrees and other qualifications, driving licences, those regarding tax and National Insurance contributions, and pensions.
Certification of Passports
In order to certify a document as a ‘true copy’ of an original, it will require the signature of a notary, or other authorised official.
Passports are, perhaps, the most common type of document from which true copies need to be made. Often deemed too valuable to send via post, certifying them remotely is seen as a safer alternative.
Articles of Association
An Article of Association is one of a number of documents that may be required when incorporating a business in the UK. Notarised copies may be needed for applications to foreign authorities to set up overseas offices and bank accounts.
An Article of Association is often requested together with a Memorandum of Association. These may need to be notarised separately, depending on the foreign jurisdiction.
UK Passport Applications
The documents required when applying for a UK passport depends on a number of factors. These include when an applicant was born (pre or post 1983 – when new immigration rules were introduced); where the applicant was born, whether in the UK, in a British Overseas territory, or elsewhere; and which parent, if any, is a British Citizen. Required documentation may include birth certificates, wedding certificates, and foreign passports.
Applications made because of a change of name due to a marriage, divorce, or for any other reason, will require other types of documents. This includes declarations, driving licences, and those relating to baptism and confirmation.
Applications made due to a change of gender will require a gender recognition certificate and a re-issued birth certificate.
International Passport Applications
Required documentation, when applying for a foreign passport, will vary, depending on the country. Documents may include birth certificates, marriage certificates, and true copies of any UK passports held. Many foreign jurisdictions will request that these documents are notarised and legalised, in order to be valid in their country.
Child Travel Consent
A Child Travel Consent form is a document that is used to allow a minor to travel with a group, with a friend or family member, alone, with only one parent who shares custody, and abroad via any means. By having a Child Travel Consent form notarised, the authenticity of the document is guaranteed. This is recommended, particularly if a minor is travelling internationally.
Qualifications & Professional Accreditations
Authentication of Degrees & Diplomas
When applying for work abroad, foreign organisations may request that qualifications are authenticated by a Notary Public. This goes some way to guaranteeing the authenticity of degrees and diplomas, among others.
GMC Certificates
The General Medical Council (GMC) issues a range of certificates; these include provisional and full registrations, proof of entry onto the register, certificates of professional status or good standing, and specialist or general practice certificates.
For use in foreign jurisdictions, it may be requested that GMC Certificates are authorised by a Notary Public, guaranteeing their authenticity.
AHPRA Registration Certification
Certificates issued by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) may need to be authorised by a Notary Public for use outside of Australia.
Applications to the New York Bar
In order to be eligible to register for the exam, foreign applicants to the New York Bar must first send supporting documentation to the New York State Board of Law Examiners.
Documents must include university transcripts, acquired from the university and sent stamped and sealed; a copy of the applicant’s degree certificate and, also, their practising certificate; and a letter from the solicitor’s regulatory authority or law society of the appropriate country.
A Notary Public may be needed to produce ‘true copies’ of certificates – signed by the notary, certifying it as genuine.
Property
Board Resolutions
Some decisions made in board meetings, particularly those relating to foreign business affairs, may require the services of a Notary Public. For example, if a board decides to transfer Power of Attorney to a foreign agent.
Board Resolutions do not need to be witnessed directly by a Notary Public; merely signed by the Company Secretary before the notary.
Shareholder Agreements
Shareholder Agreements only need to be notarised by a Notary Public if it relates to a matter involving a foreign jurisdiction.
Wills
Powers of Attorney for the Sale of Land/Property Abroad
A Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives someone permission to make decisions, or take action, on another person’s behalf.
Relating to the sale of land or property abroad, a Power of Attorney may need to be transferred to a solicitor based in the country where assets are being sold. In doing so, they are able to sign documents and push forward with the sale, allowing the sale to go ahead, remotely.
US Property Deeds
US Property Deeds must be notarised. If the person selling the property (‘grantor’) is outside the United States, the deed needs to be authorised by a Notary Public in order for it to be valid.
US Timeshare Affidavits
An affidavit, relating to US timeshares, must be signed by the individual or persons named in the document and also by a Notary Public – or other authorised person. Affidavits are often required when obtaining a timeshare, regarding part-ownership and upkeep of maintenance.
UK Land Registry Documents (ID1)
An ID1 form is used to confirm a person’s identity when lodging an application to HM Land Registry, when not represented by a solicitor.
Once Section A of the form is completed, an applicant must then have their identity verified by a Notary Public – or other authorised person.
Insurance
Certificate of Life
As a way of ensuring that a pension remains valid, it may be necessary to submit regular Certificates of Life to its provider, notifying them that the policy-holder is alive and well. This is especially important if the policy-holder resides in a different country to where the provider of the pension is based.
A Notary Public may be needed to authorise a Certificate of Life before submission, guaranteeing that the signee is consistent with the person named on the policy.
Police Clearance
Criminal Background Checks
The UK Criminal Records Office, or ACRO, is the official UK government agency tasked with checking up on the police records of individuals who want to live or work abroad, or apply for a job that involves working with children. A successful check will satisfy governmental authorities that an individual is of ‘good character’.
Criminal background checks are also known as ACRO or DBS checks.
The process of applying for and using an ACRO check, begins in an online (or postal) application to the UK Criminal Records Office. This requires proof of identity and address, as well as photographs. If applying by post, the applicant must send only scans or photocopies of identity documents. Then, the ACRO office will process the application and send the police certificate to the home address supplied. The certificate mentions the applicant’s name(s), date of birth, gender, passport details, photograph, address, and details of any legal convictions.
The certificate will require attestation by a Notary Public – or other authorised person – before it can be submitted in support of a foreign visa application. Attestation is the process by which a notary adds their signature and seal to a document, before it is then certified by the FCDO. This process is known as legalisation.
Prison
Prison Visits
Notaries provide an important service, allowing prisoners to manage their affairs, and those of their families, while in the prison system.
The notarial services required might include powers of attorney, property transactions, the administration of oaths and declarations, the witnessing of documents, and child travel consent forms.