Why or when would someone need a notary public solicitor?
One answer is when you need to sign a legal document or have a document authenticated or certified for a non-UK-based organisation or transaction. For example:
Powers of attorney for abroad
Sales or purchases of land abroad
Documents for the administration of estates of someone abroad
Foreign marriages, adoptions
Children travelling with only one parent or someone not a parent
Certifying documents for emigration purposes or to practise your job or profession abroad e.g. degree certificates
How does the process work/what are the steps with a notary public solicitor?
You bring your document(s) and sign it/them in the presence of the notary public solicitor who verifies your identity from your passport and your address (checked with bank statements, utility bills, driving licences) and the notary signs, stamps, and seals, so that your document will be accepted abroad.
How long does it take?
Our notary public solicitor is usually available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Appointments can sometimes be made to see her on the same day. The typical appointment lasts between 20 minutes and half an hour.
You can usually take your document(s) away with you afterwards, unless the notary public solicitor has to verify something with third parties – this might be a degree certificate with the relevant university. They might also have to send your document for legalisation, in other words verification of the notary’s signature and seal by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, by an apostille (an official certificate attached to a document to verify its authenticity for use in certain other countries) or by the consulate of the country concerned.
Is it expensive to use a notary public solicitor?
If there aren’t too many documents and it can be dealt with in under half an hour the charge is £150 or £100 if it’s very simple, requires only one or two notary signatures and can be dealt with in under 20 minutes.
If there are a lot of notary signatures, or verification from others is required or the notary public solicitor has to prepare a document for you or send it for legalisation for you, the notary will tell you how much it will be. This will be based on her estimate of the time it should take. Her hourly rate is £300.
What are the things people should consider before calling a notary public solicitor?
You’ll need to make an appointment so that the notary will be available and tell you what to bring. Your document may also need additional witnesses, and our office can provide this. Please don’t come to our offices without an appointment and expect to be seen. Please contact us via email notary@grantsaw.co.uk.
Tell the notary public solicitor if the document is being signed for a company as we have to carry out checks on the company beforehand.
Don’t sign your document(s) in advance
If there are any mistakes on the document or if there is anything that you don’t understand check with whoever sent it to you before you come to see us.
If it’s an Affidavit, check the lawyer has sent you all the “exhibits.” These are the documents that the Affidavit refers to in this way: “There is now produced to me and marked…”.
If you need a translation notarised, you need to tell the translator before you get it translated as they, not you, are the ones who need to bring the translation to a notary public solicitor, and they may want to use a notary convenient to them. If your document is not in English, check you understand it by asking the person who gave it to you for a translation.
You can’t make a copy of UK births, marriages, and death certificates and have the copy certified by a notary public solicitor. Instead, you need to get the official copies and use these. You can get extra copies from the General Registry Office online. https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate
Why are Grant Saw the best people for the job with a notary public solicitor?
Not every solicitor is a notary public. Joanna Godden is a specially trained lawyer who is also a notary public solicitor. Her signature and seal are on record with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and many consulates.
She also speaks Spanish and French and can deal with documents in these languages although she cannot usually prepare legal documents in these languages.
As a Notary, Joanna is independent from Grant Saw Solicitors LLP. She carries her own professional indemnity insurance up to £1m and fidelity insurance up to £1m. She’s regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The work is covered by a separate formal complaints procedure, and you will be given details.
