In the USA, a notary public is different to a notary public outside of the States. It is easy and cheap to get a document notarised in the USA and it is a very common requirement that a legal document is “notarized”. Outside of the States, this is a much more involved process that requires a specialised lawyer. If you are completing a property transaction in America, you are likely to be sent several documents to sign, some of which need to be notarised. This may include a Warranty Deed, affidavits, statements and banking instructions. In order to deal with the documents as efficiently as possible, it is best to forward the whole bundle to us by email including the real estate agent or lawyer’s signing instructions. They will specify things like:

• You must sign your name exactly as it appears
• The warranty deed must be witnessed by two additional witnesses, one of whom can be the notary
• You must sign in blue ink

We are well used to these instructions and we will guide you as to the most cost efficient way to get the documents notarised and back to the USA. It is not unusual for an apostille to be requested on all the documents, but often this is only a legal requirement for the warranty deed.