In the course of my duties as a Notary Public, I must meet a very high standard in being able to prove, amongst other things, the identity of those who appear before me as part of the process of Notary Public Identification.

For individuals, this will typically mean that I will need to see, ideally, a current valid passport (the original, not a photocopy) and a proof of address, together with whatever other good evidence is available, such as a photo-card driving licence.

Where there is also a company which is being represented, the requirements will vary according to whether or not the company is based in the United Kingdom - if it is, then there are many checks which I can carry out independently with Companies House. With overseas-based companies, I may need to see documents such as a certificate of good standing and a copy of the company’s constitutional documents (the memorandum and articles of association, or the equivalent of these).

Sometimes it is difficult to arrange for sufficient evidence to be produced quickly. The best way to minimise the risk of a delay is for you to bring along with you as much documentation as you can to our first appointment. It is safer to err on the side of having more evidence than is actually needed, rather than too little.