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Our notaries in Orpington, Kent notarise, certify and legalise documents for use overseas, with in-person, virtual and drive-through appointments, usually at short notice.
If a bank, court, university or government department overseas has asked you to have a document notarised, you need a notary public rather than a solicitor. A notary is a qualified lawyer authorised to verify the authenticity of documents so that they can be accepted abroad without further checks.
Andrew Wright and Amanda Custis, our two notaries, are based at our Orpington office and see clients from across Kent, Bromley and south east London. We also notarise some documents remotely by video call, wherever you are in the UK.
Because a notary has to be satisfied about the facts in the document before signing it, whoever is signing must attend in person and sign in the notary’s presence. Please do not sign your document before your appointment.
What does a notary public do?
When a notary signs and seals a document, they are verifying that it is authentic: that the person signing is who they say they are, that they have the capacity and authority to sign, and that the facts set out in the document have been checked. It is not simply a matter of witnessing a signature.
A notary owes a duty to everyone who may later rely on the document, not only to the client who instructs them. That is what gives a notarised document its standing abroad, and it is why the process involves more questions and more documentation than a solicitor’s certification.
Notaries in England and Wales are appointed and regulated by the Master of the Faculties, in the Court of Faculties of the Archbishop of Canterbury, under the Public Notaries Acts 1801 and 1843 as amended, the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 and the Legal Services Act 2007.
How our notary public in Orpington can help
Documents for use abroad
Powers of attorney, affidavits, oaths, statutory declarations, company documents, property and land documentation and foreign wills, prepared and notarised for use in the country that has requested them.
Certified copies and identity verification
Certified copies of passports, driving licences, degree certificates and other originals, and passport authentication where an overseas authority requires it.
ID1 and ID2 forms for HM Land Registry
HM Land Registry requires form ID1 from a private individual and form ID2 from a corporate body, as evidence of identity where a party to a registrable transaction is not represented by a conveyancer. We complete and certify both.
There is now a digital route as well. Since 9 June 2025 forms ID1 and ID2 carry a section C for identity verified digitally to HM Land Registry’s digital identity standard, which is covered by Practice Guide 81. Since 8 September 2025 verification must be on form ID1 where the person being identified, or the person verifying, has no current valid UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man passport. There is also form ID3, used where someone who is not a conveyancer verifies a private individual’s identity, and form ID5, the certificate a conveyancer gives where identity was verified by online video call. Form ID4 was withdrawn for applications lodged after 6 May 2024.
Getting married abroad
Certificates of no impediment, affidavits and legalised documents for couples marrying overseas, prepared to the requirements of the country where the wedding is taking place.
Child travel consent
Consent forms for a child travelling abroad with one parent, another relative or a school group, notarised where the destination country or airline requires it.
Electronic notarisation and e-Apostille
Where the receiving authority accepts them, documents can be notarised electronically and legalised by e-Apostille, which is faster and cheaper than the paper route.
Change of name deeds and Irish passport applications
Deeds of change of name, and the supporting documentation for Irish passport applications, notarised and certified as required.
Notarisation, certification and legalisation: what is the difference?
These three are often confused, and asking for the wrong one causes most of the delays we see.
Notarisation is the notarial act itself. The notary satisfies themselves as to identity, capacity and authority, then signs and applies their personal seal.
Certification is narrower. It confirms that a copy is a true copy of an original. A solicitor can certify a copy; only a notary can carry out a notarial act.
Legalisation is the step that happens after notarisation. It is the process by which the notary’s signature and seal are authenticated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and in some cases by the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used.
Whether legalisation is needed, and in what form, is decided by the country the document is going to, not by the UK. We will tell you what your destination country requires before you book.
Apostilles and legalisation for documents going overseas
An apostille is a certificate issued by the FCDO that authenticates the origin of a UK document: the signature, seal or stamp on it and the capacity of the person who signed. It does not certify the content of the document or its legal effect.
Apostilles exist because of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, which replaced the chain of consular legalisation with a single certificate. There are around 130 contracting parties. China joined with effect from 7 November 2023, which removed a significant amount of consular work for documents going there.
As at September 2026 the FCDO charges £45 per document for the standard paper service, which usually takes up to 25 working days plus delivery, with courier costs on top. The e-Apostille service costs £35 per document and takes up to two working days. Documents can go through the e-Apostille route where they are PDFs electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor. Some cannot: General Register Office certificates for birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption, ACRO police certificates, DBS certificates, disclosure certificates for Scotland and Northern Ireland, fingerprint certificates and ACCA membership certificates.
Fees and processing times are set by the FCDO and change from time to time. We will confirm the current position when we quote for your matter.
For documents going to a country outside the Hague Convention, an apostille is not enough and the document will also need to be legalised at that country’s embassy or consulate. Consular fees and requirements vary considerably, and we will check them with the relevant consulate for you.
What a notary appointment looks like at CWJ
Booking a notary appointment in Orpington
What to bring
Bring photo identification, either a current passport or a photocard driving licence, and a recent utility bill or bank statement showing your address. If the name on your document is different from the name you use now, bring the document that records the change, such as a marriage certificate or deed of change of name.
Wherever possible, send us the document and the instructions you have been given by the overseas lawyer or authority before your appointment. Reading them in advance is what allows us to complete the appointment in one visit.
A notary will not advise you on the meaning or effect of a document under the law of another country. We are lawyers of England and Wales, and where advice on foreign law is needed we will say so and can help you find a lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Virtual, drive-through and home appointments
Many documents can be notarised remotely, usually by video call.
If you would rather not come inside, we offer a drive-through service. Park in our car park and the notary will come to your car window. Please mention it when you book. Step-free access is available from the car park at the rear of our office, and if you need a space reserving we can usually arrange it.
If a particular difficulty prevents you from reaching us, one of our notaries may be able to visit you for an additional fee.
Our notarial fees
Notarial fees depend on the number of documents, whether the notary has to draft the document rather than simply notarise one you have been sent, and whether legalisation or consular work is required. Where the notary prepares a document for you, there is an additional charge, and translation or interpreter costs are payable by the client where a document is not in English.
Full details are set out in our notarial Key Information document, and we will give you a clear quote before your appointment.
Why choose CWJ for notarial services
Two of our lawyers are appointed notaries, so notarial work is handled in-house rather than referred out, and the same people handle your appointment, the notarial act and any legalisation that follows. CWJ has practised in Orpington since 1951 and was founded in 1875. We are members of The Notaries Society.
We hold appointments in person, by video and at the car window, we can usually see people at short notice, and we tell you at the outset what the destination country needs so that the document is accepted first time.
Frequently asked questions about notaries
What is the difference between a notary and a solicitor?
A solicitor advises on English law and can certify copies and witness signatures. A notary is separately appointed and regulated, and carries out notarial acts intended to be relied on abroad. Most notaries are also solicitors, but a solicitor cannot carry out notarial acts unless they are also admitted as a notary. Both of our notaries are dual-qualified.
How long does notarisation take?
The notarial appointment itself usually takes 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the document. If legalisation is also needed, the timescale is driven by the FCDO: up to 25 working days plus delivery for the standard paper service, or up to two working days for an e-Apostille, as at September 2026.
Do I need an apostille as well as notarisation?
It depends entirely on what the receiving country requires. Many authorities ask for both. Send us the instructions you have been given and we will tell you which steps apply before you pay for anything.
Can you notarise a document by video call?
Often, yes. Some documents and some receiving authorities require attendance in person, so tell us what the document is when you enquire and we will confirm whether a virtual appointment is possible.
Can I sign the document before I come in?
No. You must sign in the notary’s presence. A pre-signed document cannot be notarised and the appointment will have to be rearranged.
Who can complete an ID1 form?
Verification of ID1 form can be carried out by a conveyancer, and HM Land Registry Practice Guide 67 also names all Chartered Legal Executives and CLC-regulated licensed probate practitioners. If you live abroad, a qualified lawyer or notary public in your country of residence can do it.
Practice Guide 67 was last amended on 1 September 2026, and the requirements change from time to time, so we check the current guide before every appointment. Our conveyancing team can advise where the form forms part of a wider transaction.
Do you notarise documents for businesses?
Yes. Board minutes, certificates of good standing, powers of attorney, distributorship and agency agreements, and company documents required for registration or tender abroad. Our business notary services page has more detail.
Speak to our notary public in Orpington, Kent
Tell us what you have been asked to provide and which country the document is going to, and we will confirm what is needed, what it will cost and when we can see you.
Book online, or contact Megan Robinson, our notarial assistant, on 01689 887844 or at megan.robinson@cwj.co.uk. Our reception is open 09:00 to 17:45, Monday to Friday, at Valiant House, 12 Knoll Rise, Orpington BR6 0PG, with parking at the rear.