What to expect
Initial contact
When you first contact me it is helpful if you can give me as much detail as possible about what you need:
what is the background to your request?
what document(s) do you need notarised?
what country will the document(s) be used in?
do you have someone advising you in that country?
is there a particular timeframe within which the matter needs to be completed?
If your initial contact is via email then I will usually telephone you to discuss as I do like to speak to each of my clients before meeting them. If you are contacting me on behalf of someone else, I will usually need to speak with them as well.
Before we meet
Before we meet, I will ask you to complete a new client registration form (if applicable) and provide copies of documents which confirm your identity. For an individual client, this will usually be a copy of your passport and a recent utility bill showing your address but there may be other items that I need to see, for example where your name or marital status has changed. For corporate clients, identification will depend on the type of entity and I will advise when we speak.
I will also need to see copies of the document(s) which need to be notarised. Please do not sign any documents before we meet as it is usually a requirement that I witness you signing them. Depending on what is required, it may be helpful for me to speak or correspond with whoever is advising you in relation to the particular matter. It is always best to make sure everyone is clear on what is needed before committing ink to paper. It is important to understand that as a notary my job is limited to advising on the formalities required for completing the relevant document(s). I will not advise you on the transaction itself.
At this stage, I will also inform you of my fees for acting on the transaction. This will usually be a fixed fee but where a matter is uncertain or particularly complex, I may provide an estimate, to be updated as things progress. For further details as to my fees, please see here.
Our meeting
Once I have completed my initial checks and confirmed that I am able to act for you, we will need to meet. This can be at my office in Danbury (between Chelmsford and Maldon) or at your home or office (I do not charge mileage but will make a charge for time spent travelling). You will need to bring your original identification documents (which I will check using a UV lamp where applicable) and the documents which need to be signed.
I will ask you again about the transaction and make sure that you understand the document(s) to be signed. Assuming all is in order, you will sign and I can then add my seal and signature as appropriate. Part of my job in preventing fraud is to ensure that the documents are tamper proof: where the document is more than one page, this may mean that I bind it with ribbon. It may also be that a separate notarial certificate is required, in which case I will have prepared that in advance and will be able to attach it securely to the document(s).
After the meeting
What happens next, depends on the circumstances and your wishes. Subject to receipt of payment, you may be able to take the document(s) away with you or you may want them to be couriered to wherever they are needed. Depending on the country where the document(s) are required, a further authentication step known as legalisation may be needed. This will involve the document being sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office for a certificate known as an apostille to be attached, and may also involve the document being sent to the relevant embassy or consulate in London. I am able to advise as to requirements and to arrange these steps for you: there will be a charge for my time and other costs involved which I will explain.
Once everything is wrapped up, I very much hope that you will be pleased with the service I have provided and would be delighted if you could provide feedback. Should you have any reason to be dissatisfied, please speak with me in the first instance and you can find my complaints procedure here.