What is a Notary Public?
A Notary Public is an internationally recognised legal professional who acts as an impartial witness to important legal documents. Common situations requiring a notary public include authenticating signatures, administering oaths, certifying true copies of documents, and verifying documents for use across domestic and international borders.
Why Notary Publics are Necessary
You may be wondering why it’s necessary to engage a certified notary public, particularly when they authenticate documents rather than provide legal advice on their content. To understand this, it’s helpful to consider the historical context. Notaries public are one of the oldest professionals in the world. There have been accounts of scribes who recorded official acts as far back as Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Thousands of years of history clearly demonstrate the importance of notaries public, and there are several practical reasons for their continued necessity today.
Notaries public are vital in navigating complex international legal and business issues. They are considered a vital service by most of the world as a trusted authority to prevent fraud. They do this by providing impartial confirmation that the signer is who they say they are, all signatures are made willingly, the documents given are certified true copies, all signers understand what they are agreeing to and all documents are acceptable to international standards. When traveling overseas, many crucial documents such as powers of attorney, identification documents, business contracts, affidavits and statutory declarations may not be recognised without notarial verification.
But What About Language Barriers?
While I am qualified as a lawyer and notary public, I am not a qualified translator. Therefore, documents in foreign languages require special procedures to ensure proper notarisation – typically translation. The translator should be independent and appropriately qualified, typically sourced from a NAATI-accredited translation service. The rules around mutual understanding of the documents being signed do not dissipate when a language barrier is present, but this barrier can be legally overcome.
As mentioned on my website, I am qualified to provide notarial services for personal, corporate, international and urgent matters. Fees for notarial services vary depending on the complexity and time required for each matter.
If you require notarial services, or are unsure whether your matter requires a notary public, please feel free to contact me for guidance. I am here to help.
DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.