Call us: 01825 762281 email: info@dawson-hart.co.uk

Notary Public

Seeing a Notary:

Getting Ready

Each matter is individual, but usually the Notary will:

ask you to make an appointment
require you to bring good evidence of identity. Generally this will have to be a current valid passport and something like a Council Tax or electricity bill to confirm your address
need to be satisfied that you understand any documents, particularly a document which is not in English
want to see any relevant papers or documents that relate to the matter.

It will be very helpful if you can send or fax a copy of your document to the Notary before your appointment.

What does it cost?

There are no set charges, although The Notary Society reminds its members that they should charge a proper fee which is appropriate for the level of service offered and which will enable them to meet the cost of acting properly and in accordance with the Rules made by the Faculty Office and with the demands of good professional practice. For most matters the Notary should be able to tell you her fee in advance. For more complex matters she will tell you how her fee will be assessed – usually based on how long she will have to work on your matter. There may be fees to be paid to third parties, such as the Foreign Office or an Embassy.

How long will it take?

If the document is straight forward, already prepared and in the correct form the Notary is likely to need to see you for a minimum of 15 – 20 minutes and completed in half an hour. Obviously it takes longer if a document is not straight forward or she has to draw up the document or make a proper copy.

Many countries want documents to be countersigned by their London Embassies. This is a process known as legalisation and will take several days unless you want to take the documents to the Embassy in person and wait in line. The fees and procedures for this vary widely, but the Notary should be able to give you a reasonably accurate idea of the time and cost.

Availability

Notaries keep normal office hours. They will, however, make arrangements to see you out of hours or out of the office if it is necessary. This may cost more and take longer. If your local Notary is away or unavailable, her office should be able to contact another Notary for you, but you may have to travel some distance.

Petra Edwards is a Notary Public and is happy to discuss your requirements. Please contact Petra on the telephone 01825 762281 or email pce@dawson-hart.co.uk.