Veninder Dhariwal Llb, Llm

Notary Public Staines is a reputable and reliable provider of notarial services, conveniently located to serve clients in Staines and the surrounding areas. If you require the services of a Notary Public, please do not hesitate to contact us to arrange an appointment or to obtain a quote. We are happy to accommodate visits to clients' homes or businesses when required and can also arrange evening or weekend visits in cases of necessity.

What is a Notary Public?

A Notary Public is a qualified lawyer and a member of the third and oldest branch of the legal profession in the United Kingdom. They are appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and are subject to regulation by the Court of Faculties. The main functions of a Notary Public include administering oaths and affirmations, taking affidavits and statutory declarations, witnessing and authenticating the execution of certain classes of documents, taking acknowledgements of deeds and other conveyances, providing notice of foreign drafts, providing exemplifications and notarial copies, and performing other official acts depending on the jurisdiction. Any such act is known as a notarisation.

What services does a Notary Public provide?

At Notary Public Staines, we offer a wide range of notarial services to both individuals and businesses. These services include, but are not limited to:

• Witnessing the execution of documents
• Authenticating the signature and/or seal of foreign documents
• Preparing and notarising powers of attorney
• Certifying copy documents
• Notarising the execution of deeds
• Notarising foreign wills
• Providing notarial certificates to authenticate documents for use in foreign jurisdictions

Seeing a Notary Public

When you visit a Notary Public, it is important to bring good evidence of identity, such as a current valid passport and a recent item proving your address. The Notary Public will need to be satisfied that you understand any document, particularly a document which is not in English. They may also need to see any relevant papers or documents that relate to your matter. If possible, it is helpful to send or fax a copy of your document to the notary before your appointment, as this can help to speed up the process.

What is the difference between a Notary and a solicitor?

While both Notaries and solicitors are qualified lawyers, there are some key differences between the two professions. Notaries form a small, highly specialised branch of the legal profession, whose area of specialisation is the preparation and certification of documents so that they may be used effectively abroad. Solicitors, on the other hand, provide advice and representation to their clients on a wide variety of legal issues, usually within the legal framework of their country of residence. One important difference is that whereas a solicitor's primary duty is to his client, the Notary's primary duty is to the transaction and the authenticity of the documents. This is because Notary Public's are recognised worldwide, and they have to maintain absolute integrity and impartiality to maintain the standing of the Notarial profession.

What is Legalisation or Apostille?

Many countries require notarised documents to be legalised, which is a double-check to make sure that the notary's signature is genuine and recognised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Documents may also be checked by foreign embassies to make sure that the Notary's signature matches the one on their records. Once the authenticity of the signature is confirmed, a certificate is attached, called an "Apostille". 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 the cost.

How long will my appointment take?

The length of your appointment will depend on the complexity of the document and the notarial work required. If the document is straightforward, already prepared, and in the correct form, the notary is likely to need to see you for a minimum of 20-30 minutes and complete it within an hour. However, if the document is not straightforward or the notary has to prepare the document or make a proper copy, it may take longer. If your document needs to be countersigned by a foreign embassy in London, this will take several days unless you want to take them to the embassy in person and wait in line.

What identification does a Notary Public require?

When you