Dependants who have not been adequately provided for in a deceased person's will may be able to...
If you are buying or selling a property abroad, or if you are a business involved in overseas litigation, you are likely to need the services of a Notary. Our three CWJ Notaries Kent can usually be of help at short notice.
Members of the oldest branch of the legal profession in the United Kingdom, Notaries are qualified lawyers. Rather than being under the jurisdiction of the Law Society, Notaries are appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and are ultimately under his jurisdiction.
Although most Notaries are solicitors, not many solicitors are Notaries! There are only about 850 practising Notaries in England and Wales.
CWJ NOTARIES KENT - WHAT DO THEY DO?
Notaries are primarily concerned with the preparation and authentication of documents for use abroad. These are often powers of attorney. For historical reasons Notaries do not play a significant role in United Kingdom domestic matters, however the signature and seal of the Notary appearing on a document can be relied on internationally.
LEGALISATION AND THE APOSTILLE
The Notary’s seal establishes the genuineness of a document and the historical origins go back for many centuries.
The Notary’s seal is registered with The Foreign & Commonwealth Office and with many foreign embassies and consulates. Legalisation is the procedure whereby the seal is authenticated by these authorities. Many countries are now signatories to an agreement which enables documents bearing the Notaries signature and seal to be authenticated just by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, which will annex an “Apostille” to the document; (this is simply a certificate authenticating the identity of the Notary).
FRAUD PREVENTION
Fraud prevention is an important aspect of the Notary’s work therefore clients are required to bring proof of their identity with them to any meeting with a Notary. The Notary will also need to be satisfied that the client appearing before him understands all documentation, especially ones which are not in English.
A Notary will keep as a permanent record any document prepared following a meeting with a client.
The procedures involved are much more complex than just making a declaration for documents to be used in England or swearing on oat
For more information on Notaries Kent or to make an appointment, please contact our notary assistant, Alis Ahmedova on 01689 887844 or email her at alis.ahmedova@cwj.co.uk.