Nigel Glassey has an additional qualification as a Notary Public. A notary makes sure that any document prepared for use outside England and Wales is a proper legal document which will have legal effect in the country for which it is intended. If you receive such a document with the request that you take it to a notary, the notary will expect you to make an appointment and generally bring good evidence of your identity with you including a current valid passport. It helps a lot if you can send or fax a copy of the document to the notary before the appointment.
How much does it cost?
There are no set charges but the notary will charge a proper fee which is appropriate for the level of service offered. For some straight forward matters the notary should be able to tell you his fee in advance. For more complex matters, the fee will usually be based on how long he will have to work on your matter.
How long will it take?
If the document is already prepared and in the correct form, the notary is likely to need to see you for 15-20 minutes to attach his signature and his seal in the correct way for the country where it is going, to take copies for this register together with Copies of your identity documents. The document may have to be sent off for certificates to be issued by the U.K. Foreign Office in London or countersigned by the London embassy or Consulate of the Country where it is going (called legalisation). We use an agency in London to get this document back to you as quickly as possible.
Notary availability?
Sometimes, you may receive documents to be notarised at the last minute. Notaries keep normal office hours but Stevenson Glassey will make arrangements to see you out of hours or out of office if it is really necessary. This may cost more or take longer. If your local notary is away and unavailable his office should be able to direct you to another notary but you may have to travel some distance.
