The Notary Public can certify all kinds of commercial documents that are required to carry out business abroad. The items listed below are examples of the types of document that may need authentication but this is by no means an exhaustive list so please do contact me to discuss your requirements. Translations can be arranged for any country in the world.
Legalisation is the process whereby the notary’s signature and seal are verified and confirmed by an independent authority.
For many countries, legalisation is required from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (the FCO) which endorses documents with a certificate known as the ‘Apostille’. The FCO currently charges £27 per document for the Apostille.
Some countries require legalisation by their own Consulate in England either instead of or in addition to the Apostille. Consular fees vary enormously from as little as £1.20 to £400 depending on the type of document being legalised and the particular Consulate involved.
Once legalised, the document will usually be accepted (subject to any necessary translation) by the authorities in the destination country as evidence of the matters stated in the document.
Allowing more time for legalisation keeps the costs of legalisation down. Expedited legalisation (i.e. in 2/3 days) is possible but will add at least £30+ per document in agent’s fees to the cost of legalisation.