Authorised to certify documents for use overseas
Selene Holden and Melanie Pilmer are both qualified solicitors. In addition, they both hold special authorisation to certify certain documents, typically those required for use overseas. Clients requiring this service will generally have been given a document by a third party, such as a lawyer in another country.
Notaries are required to check your identity and that you understand the essence of what you are signing. They cannot give detailed legal advice on the document. They then add their signature and seal the document to confirm that these requirements have been met.
Where possible, the notarisation of your document will be carried out at the time of your appointment and will be ready for you to take away. However, please note the following:
- if your document requires verification, this can increase the time it will take to process your documents; and/or
- if your document requires further legalisation from either or both of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and relevant Embassy, this will also increase the time it will take before your documents are complete.
Apostille
Some documents also require an ‘apostille’ – a formal stamp from the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth office. Others require additional stamps and seals, typically from foreign embassies in London.
Get in touch
To see Selene or Melanie please contact Debra Knights on 01284 762211 who will make an appointment that is convenient to you and agree a fee, which is calculated per document on a sliding scale. An ‘apostille’ can also be obtained for a further fee which includes the Foreign & Commonwealth Office fee and the fees of our agents who deal with them.
You will need to bring your passport to your appointment, or some other form of photo identification. In addition you must also bring a recent utility bill or bank statement that shows your current address.
Our Notarial work is regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. We have a separate complaints procedure for Notarial work, details of which are available on request.
Details of the insurance we hold for notarial services along with each of our privacy notices can be provided on request.
