Notary Public
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 £28.80). 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
