13 June 2025

Setting up a business abroad? How a notary public can help get your documents ready

Setting up a business can be a complex process, especially if you plan on operating abroad. With so many different types of documents needed, and so many rules and regulations, there is a lot to consider. That is why we created this guide to help you understand how a Notary Public can help you with your international document needs.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Whether you are starting a business from scratch, plan on setting up a business abroad, or if you currently own a business and want to expand its operations abroad, you will likely need to provide a range of important legal documents.

Many of the documents involved in the operation of a business can be used abroad to expand your business, but they usually need to be notarised by a Notary Public first, and then legalised.

In this blog, we discuss some of the documents that you may need to provide, some of the processes you will need to go through for business setup, and the ways in which a Notary Public such as ourselves can help you.

Why your business may need a Notary Public

There are many reasons a business may need the services of a Notary Public for both within the UK, and also for overseas purposes.

The following is list of reasons past business clients have used our notarial services:

Appointment or resignation of a director abroad
Certifying general business documents
Certifying documents for overseas product launches
Expanding a business abroad
Formal contracts for buying and selling company assets
Meeting Ministry of Commerce requirements overseas
Client-specific agreements for the conduct of business abroad
Ensuring tax compliance overseas

Business documents that may require notarisation

Whether you are starting or expanding a business, there are many documents that may need to be notarised and legalised for international use. For use within the UK, certification alone may be sufficient to meet legal requirements.

These are some of the most common documents:

Articles of Association – These documents detail how a company will be run.
Certificate of Good Standing – This is a document issued by Companies House that verifies a company has been in continuous existence since its inception, and that no action is being taken against it.
Certificate of Incorporation – This document confirms that the company is registered with Companies House.
Memorandum of Association – A document signed by all shareholders which states that they agree to the formation of the company.
Statutory Declarations – This is a formal statement of facts signed by the one giving the statement (declarant), signifying that the content of the document is true to the best of their knowledge. These are commonly used in official business matters and disputes.

Our business services page lists many other examples of business and company documents that are commonly notarised for use abroad.

General documents you may need to provide

Alongside business documents, there may be personal documents that need to be presented when expanding your business internationally.

For example:

Affidavits
Driving licence
Passport

We can notarise these documents for you as part of your business setup process.

Documents for setting up a business abroad in specific countries

If you plan on expanding your operations overseas, then you will also need to be aware of documents that are specific to the country you wish to operate in. They will need to be notarised and legalised within the UK.

Examples include:

Director Identification Number (DIN) for India
Verification of Identity Form (VIF) for Ireland

Other countries are likely to have their own forms of identity verification for the directors of your business. We recommend contacting the relevant authorities to find out what other documents you may need to operate in your target country.

Setting up a business as a sole director

Things will be slightly different if you are starting a business as a sole director. Some of the aforementioned business documents will differ slightly, as you will be the only one signing some of them.

For example, the Articles of Association, which outline how your business will be run, should state that you will be the sole director. All decisions made will not have to be approved by anyone else, as there are no other shareholders. However, it is wise to keep your records updated of all changes.

There are also many responsibilities that you will have as a sole director that would normally be split between the other owners and shareholders of a business. For example, you will need to send the following to Companies House:

Allotment of shares
Annual accounts
Change to your company’s registered office if applicable
Confirmation statement showing your companies information is correct

The checks we do before working with businesses

Before we can work with your organisation, we have an obligation as a Notary Public to verify your business. If we cannot confirm that your business is registered, then we cannot help you.

The following is a list of things we check:

Articles of Association
Memorandum of Association
That your company is active on Companies House
There is no strike-off notice in the London Gazette

Once we have carried out these checks, we can then proceed with the notarisation and legalisation of your documents.

How we can help you

Now you know why you may need a Notary Public for setting up a business, you can learn more about the ways in which we can help you.

Our Notary Public of England and Wales, Nathan Woodcock, has assisted thousands of clients with both notarisation and legalisation, ranging from individuals to large corporations. He can help you, too.

You can book an appointment to get your business documents notarised by contacting our team by phone, email, or our website chatbot. Then, you can choose the best day for you to come to one of our offices in either London, Manchester, or Sheffield.

However, if you cannot make it to one of our offices, you can instead make use of our mobile notary service. This allows you to have your notary appointment at your home, office, café, or another suitable location of your choice. Your mobile notary appointment can even take place outside of our normal office hours.

For legalisation, we can help you with getting an apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), or with the processes of embassy or consulate legalisation. The process you need will depend on what country you need to take your business documents to. We can manage the entirety of both processes for you.

Visit our apostille and legalisation packages webpage to learn more.

Additionally, if you are planning on using your documents in a country where English is not an official language, then we can help you with getting them translated.

Get in touch today for notary assistance with setting up a business.