A Notary Public is a specialist lawyer and public legal officer. The notarial profession is the oldest branch of the legal profession.

In England and Wales, notaries are admitted and regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. They undertake specialist legal and notarial training, including completing the Notarial Practice Course at University College London, and are authorised to carry out “notarial activities” which may only lawfully be carried out by qualified notaries (and not solicitors or barristers). These activities include verifying identity, witnessing signatures, authenticating documents, certifying copies and preparing notarial certificates for use overseas.

You may need a notary when a document is to be relied upon outside the United Kingdom. For example, an individual may need a notarised power of attorney when buying or selling property abroad. A student may need a notarised copy of a degree certificate, DBS certificate or TEFL qualification for work or study overseas. A company may need a notarised corporate power of attorney authorising a director or local representative to sign documents, open a bank account, complete a transaction or deal with a foreign authority.

The notary’s role is to check the document, confirm the identity and authority of the person signing, and complete the appropriate notarial certificate so that the document can be accepted by the receiving authority.

Legalisation is the process of confirming that a notarised or certified document is genuine for use in another country. Not all documents require legalisation, so it is important to confirm the receiving country’s exact requirements.

For many countries, this is done by obtaining an apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The apostille confirms the signature, seal or stamp of the notary or public official who has dealt with the document.

Some countries require further embassy or consular legalisation after the apostille. The exact requirements depend on the destination country, the type of document and the authority receiving it. Please refer to our Country Checker for for an indication of the legalisation requirements that may apply to your document.

Virdee Notaries can guide you through the process from start to finish. We can review your document, confirm what is required, verify your identity, notarise or certify the document, and advise whether an apostille or further consular legalisation is likely to be needed. We are very happy to work with your advisers in the receiving jurisdiction to ensure all formalities are complied with.