The process of notarisation consists of three parts – vetting, certifying and record-keeping. Notarisations are also sometimes referred to as “notarial acts.”

Notarisation is the official fraud-deterrent process that assures a document is authentic, can be trusted and that its signature is genuine. It also confirms that its signer acted without duress or intimidation and intended that the document’s terms should be in full force and effect. 

Notarisation is required to enable a specific document to be accepted abroad by courts, registries or other notaries. They will only recognise a document once it has been signed by a notary public.

The form of notarial certification will vary according to the document and the country in which it is to be used. Generally, the notary public is certifying the genuineness of the signature on the document, the identity and capacity of the person signing and, if applicable, their authority to represent the company or entity they are signing on behalf of. In addition, it may also be necessary for the notary public to certify that the document has been correctly executed in accordance with English law. This requires an understanding of the formalities of executing deeds and documents. A notary public can also certify true copies of original documents and the truth and accuracy of translations. In all cases, a notarised document bears the notary’s signature and official seal of office.

In many cases, your documents may not only require to be notarised but also legalised. Legalisation checks that a notary’s signature is legal. This is carried out by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and/or by the embassy of the country where the documents will be used. Once this is checked a certificate is attached called an “Apostille”.

If your documents need to be legalised or apostilled we will be able to liaise with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the appropriate embassy or consulate on your behalf.

We appreciate that our clients often require this work to be done in a hurry or do not have the time to deal with the legalisation process. Therefore, we can handle all of these steps for you.

The person who would like their signature to be certified must prove identity by providing a driving licence with a photo card or a valid passport. They are required to show proof of residence which can be HMRC statements or a bank statement. These must be up-to-date, original documents. If a notary is acting for a corporate client, the notary usually carries out their own enquiries. They may look at documents such as the Certificate of Incorporation and latest company reports.

If the document to be notarised is in a foreign language, the document may have to be translated. This can be carried out by an official legal translator. They will then have to sign a statutory declaration certifying that it is a true translation.

We offer a translation service using qualified translators for the translation of any existing documents you have. This makes them acceptable for any overseas jurisdictions where they may be required. Our experienced team can also notarise the accuracy of documents translated by qualified translators.

We offer a translation service using qualified translators for the translation of any existing documents you have. This makes them acceptable for any overseas jurisdictions where they may be required. Our experienced team can also notarise the accuracy of documents translated by qualified translators.