Frequently asked questions
Q: What does notarisation mean?
A: Really an American term for "notarially certify" but notarise looks to have won this North Atlantic verbal battle. This means the act by a notary of certifying a signature or issuing a certificate. There is no statutory restriction on what a notary is allowed to attest to.
Q: What does authentification mean?
A. The same as notarisation.
Q: What is the role of identification?
A: All signatories must be identified personally (by production of original passport). Certificates involving a single signatory and/or an officer who is not either a director or the company secretary and/or an non-English company can require detailed and complex investigation.
Q: Why do I need a passport?
A: As a result of increasing fraud and the advent of money laundering regulations, this is the preferred document for individual identification. However, other documents can suffice e.g. a driving licence containing the signatory's photograph.
Q: What is a certificate or a notarial certificate?
A: The core function of a notary which is to issue certificates attesting to facts witnessed by or proved to him and attested under his signature and seal.
