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Notary Public, Stamp, seal, office

Documents For Use in The USA

Overview and Examples

It is an historic fact that American notaries are not held in the same legal esteem as English notaries. Whilst there are around 750 English and Welsh notaries who have taken 4 years to qualify, American notaries are abundant and can establish themselves with little formality. What a notary in the USA will charge for their work is far removed from the professionally regulated services that Simon provides.

The most common document Simon sees for use in the USA is a Power of Attorney to deal with the sale or purchase of property. Fortunately the format applying to individual States is largely the same but there are various State laws applying to the execution of their documents. In some cases the documents will include a Warranty Deed which can only be signed by a notary in the presence of two witnesses.

There are numerous documents that banks, financial institutions, American Courts and Government departments will only recognise if your signature is witnessed by a Notary Public. For persons living in America, the sourcing of a Notary Public to complete the paperwork is a rather trivial affair. For persons living in England in Wales the transaction requires a good deal more formality because of the historic position referred to above. 

Documents for use in the USA can include:

  • Property transaction documents including Warranty Deeds, Closure Deeds and Powers of Attorney.

  • Documents for use in Court.

  • Certification of ID and address.

  • Bank closure forms and identification verification.

Caution

Normally an Apostille is not required for documents to be used in the USA however, there is a growing understanding that legal systems exist outside of the USA and Legalisation is now normally a requirement for Court documents and in some States. 

What to bring to the appointment

  1. Your valid passport and a copy of the photo page.

  2. Evidence of your address, preferably your driving licence or utility bill, bank statement etc and a copy.

  3. The document(s) that needs to be notarised.

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