In the UK, all notaries are given the public status of a law officer. They work towards authenticating and certifying documents. There is a list of relevant documents that have to be notarized for them to be legally binding. Most of these documents are related to international affairs. It is common for a notary in Surrey also to be a lawyer, but it is not compulsory. Anyone can become a notary after passing the required examination and getting the training. However, the number of notaries in the UK is fewer than the number of lawyers.

Duties of a Notary

Notaries have a lot of duties that they need to perform. One of their prime responsibilities is to act as an impartial and legally trained witness. When you notarize a document, the notary checks the ID of the person. After verifying the identity, the notary makes sure that the person signs the paper in a healthy state of mind. The services of a notary are required in case of internal trade matters. You might also need them when you are getting the immigration or emigration papers ready. Other relevant documents include documents that you will need for working or marrying abroad.

Most notaries do not provide legal advice, so should ensure that your paperwork is already proofread by a lawyer. In most cases, you will have to fix a prior appointment to get your documents notarized by a notary in Surrey. The fee varies depending on the area you live and the kind of work that needs to be done. The document can’t be changed after it has been notarised once. Getting things done last minute is a recipe for disaster. It would be best if you have ample time at hand when you are going through the process to get the best results.

Notarizing a document is important for many reasons. However, unless you know the proper steps towards proper notarization, it won’t help you. Here are the steps that you should know being a notary public Crawley and follow accordingly.

• It needs personal appearance – Almost everywhere it is needed that the signer appears personally during notarization of a document. It is important. It helps protects the signer, employer and anybody relying on the process. It would help them being away from potential fraud as well. Personal appearance helps you complete other important steps towards a proper notarization.

• Check the documents – You must have a check over the documents before notarization. Look for the certificate wordings telling you what kind of notary to be performed. You must review the certificate wordings to ensure that it contains all the significant elements the notary certificate should contain. Also, check if it conforms to the requirements of your country’s notary law. Don’t forget to check the blank spaces. Some countries require no blank on the document while others recommend it. Nevertheless, blank documents can be changed later in order to commit fraud. Enter the notarization date in the certificate. Also verifying the name on the ID supports the right name on the document. Scanning the document hardly ensures that you have read it for every detail. You must glance over it meticulously to get the needed information.

• Identify the signer – Being a notary public Crawley, it is important to verify the identity of the signer. This is the key duty of every notary. Almost every country provides some directions as to how to recognise the signer. Being a notary, you may know the signer personally. If you don’t, you must check the passport, driver’s licence and other IDs of the person issued by the government. You may also depend on a credible witness who knows the signer and vouches for his/her identity. Identifying the signer is needed as it comes to acknowledging the signature. You may need to perform a jurat, affidavit or affirmation as well. These are recommended to conduct before certifying the copy.

• Recording the journal entry is required – You should maintain a record of all the notarizations. Your journal entry must contain every detailing of the process. It is important and comes handy in case any notarization is called into question. It would be even better to complete the journal entry before proceeding. This would help you collect essential record elements including the signature of the signer.

• Complete the certificate – If a document doesn’t contain needed certification wordings, ask the signer what kind of notarization is needed. You can attach a separate certificate accordingly. In many cases, the signers are not aware of which type of notary they need. You can make the decision on behalf of the signer only if you are a licenced attorney. Otherwise, ask the signer to contact the receiving or issuing agency for further instructions. While completing the notary certificate, don’t make any mistake. All the details should be perfect. Lastly, sign and affix your seal.

Who is a notary public, and when do you need notarization?

Duties of a Notary

What are the key steps towards proper notarization?