Notary Public Signed Documents

What is a Notary Public signed document? A Notary Public signed document is a document that has been formally verified, signed and usually stamped or sealed by a Notary Public. A Notary Public is authorised to witness signatures, confirm identities, certify documents and administer oaths. Category: Notarial document Can it be legalised? Yes. A Notary Public signed document can be legalised for use overseas. Accepted formats for legalisation: The FCDO accepts documents signed by a Notary Public, provided the notarial certification has been completed correctly. Does it require solicitor or notary certification? Yes. The document must be signed by a UK Notary Public or, where appropriate, a UK solicitor with a valid practising certificate. Does the original document need to be submitted? Yes, in most cases the notarised or certified document must be submitted for legalisation. Certified copies may be accepted where the notary or solicitor has certified the copy correctly. Important notes: When a solicitor or Notary Public signs a document, they must have a valid practising certificate and sign the document in the UK. They must use their own personal signature, not a company signature, and should print their name and company address. The certification should include the date and clearly state the action taken, such as witnessing a signature, certifying a copy or confirming a document as original. If a seal is used, it should be clear. If an embossed seal is used, the embossment must go through the document and be visible on both sides of the page. Common uses: Notary Public signed documents are commonly used for powers of attorney, affidavits, statutory declarations, child travel consent letters, property documents, certified passport copies and certified academic documents. Is embassy attestation required? Yes, embassy attestation may be required for countries that are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, such as the UAE or Qatar.