Posted by BrendaTx on 12/6/07 6:53pm
Msg #224781

Sylvia, Regarding British Notarizations

Saw my first one of memory today.

We all gathered round it and looked...it said, "My commission is for life."

What's the scoop on British notaries...how do they compare to Americans?

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 12/6/07 7:24pm
Msg #224788

Comparable to civil law notaries here.

There are General Notaries and there are Scrivener Notaries.

Scrivener Notaries (and there are only around 30 I believe) are only allowed to practice within a 3 mile radius of Central London.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 12/6/07 7:46pm
Msg #224794

'My commission is for life"

They do have to renew their practising certificates every year and can only do so if they have complied with the rules.

They are considered members of the legal profession and are appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. There are only about 900 notaries in England and Wales.
Their most common tasks are:

Preparing and witnessing powers of attorney for use overseas
Dealing with purchase or sale of land and property abroad
Providing documents to deal with the administration of the estate of people who are abroad, or owning property abroad
Authenticating personal documents and information for immigration or emigration purposes, or to apply to marry or to work abroad
Authenticating company and business documents and transactions

As they are part of the legal profession they can do any kind of legal work, except take a case to court (But as they are usually solicitors - attorneys - they would take a case to court in their lawyer capacity.

Scrivener notaries have to also take additional exams which test their knowledge of foreign languages and foreign laws. They are full time notaries

Reply by BrendaTx on 12/6/07 7:59pm
Msg #224796

thanks, Sylvia. Very interesting. We were wondering about the legal profession connection.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 12/6/07 8:05pm
Msg #224798

You are welcome.
Got your PM, but can't answer right now. I will be away from the computer for a while.