“Petra could not have been more accommodating in certifying several documents for us that we urgently needed for immigration to Australia. Despite working from home, during lockdown (COVID-19 Pandemic) Petra went above and beyond to help us, at short notice. She was not only extremely efficient and professional but also friendly and positive, making quick work of the certification in her role as Notary Public. We were so impressed at her inclusion of an embossed stamp for each document, along with the signature and statement of certification.   We have been overwhelmed by the intensity of the application process for our Australia move and it was both a relief and a pleasure to find such a helpful and supportive Notary Public, who we recommend wholeheartedly and without reservation.”

Clients  – Karen and David Snowdon

Seeing a Notary Public

Getting ready

Although each case will be different usually, our Notary Public will:

• Expect you to make an appointment;
• Need you to bring good evidence of identity.  Generally, this will have to be a current valid passport and something like a Council tax or electricity bill that is less than three months old and not downloaded from the internet, to confirm your address;
• Need to be satisfied that you understand any document, particularly a document which is not in English;
• Want to see any relevant papers or documents that relate to the matter.

It helps a lot if you can email a copy of your document to us before your appointment.

What does it cost

There are no set charges and a charge will be made which is appropriate for the level of service offered, and which will enable our Notary Public to meet the cost of acting properly and in accordance with professional regulations.

For most matters we should be able to tell you our fees in advance, however, a minimum fee of £75 does apply (please note the notary is not registered for VAT).  For more complex matters we will tell you how the fee will be assessed, usually based on how long we will have to work on your matter and in which case our expert’s time will be charged at £250 per hour. There may be additional fees to payable to third parties, such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or an embassy but we will advise you of these at the outset.

How long will it take?

If the document is straightforward, already prepared and in the correct form we are likely to need to see you for a minimum of 15–20 minutes and complete what needs to be done in half an hour.  Obviously, it takes longer if the document is not straightforward, or we have to draw up the document or make a proper copy.

Legalisation

Many countries want documents to be countersigned by their London embassies (legalisation) and this will take several days unless you want to take them to the embassy in person.  The fees and procedures for this vary widely but we should be able to give you a reasonably accurate idea of the time and cost at the outset of the transaction. We do use consular agents for the legalisation which does add to the cost but it means the documents can be processed more quickly and securely.

Terms and Conditions

Please click here to view.

Regulation

Our Notary Public service offered by Petra Edwards is regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury:

The Faculty Office
1, The Sanctuary
Westminster
London
SW1P 3JT

Faculty.office@1thesanctuary.com
www.facultyoffice.org.uk