Posted by JamesLee/VA on 8/26/08 8:58pm
Msg #261914

Confirmation on a translated document

Hey all,

I have looked this up, but wanted to run this by all of you for confirmation. i have been asked to come out and notarize a Pre nuptial agreement that is in English and then translated to Russian for the bride to be. She speaks both languages. I know I do not have to understand the document, only the person/persons who are signing it, but the Notarial Acknowledgment is in Russian. My take is I need to attach an individual ACK in English and not fill in the one that is in Russian since I can not read it.

Any advice??

Reply by John_NorCal on 8/26/08 9:01pm
Msg #261915

Sounds right to me. n/m

Reply by Ernest__CT on 8/26/08 9:03pm
Msg #261918

You are correct. Good for you! n/m

Reply by MikeC/NY on 8/26/08 9:31pm
Msg #261930

You've got it right, but

I'm confused about why the acknowledgment is in Russian. Is this going to be filed in Russia? If so, do they need to get an apostille?

Reply by JamesLee/VA on 8/26/08 11:38pm
Msg #261944

If that were the case...

I would think the apostille can fill out the Russian acknowledgment I left blank. I do not think they will file the pre marital agreement in Russia. I completed it already.Basically he had himself a Russian Mail order bride and wanted to protect his "assets"

Reply by Gerry_VT on 8/27/08 1:15pm
Msg #262023

Re: If that were the case...

An apostille is a certification by the appropriate official in your state government (in many states, the Secretary of State) that on the date a document was notarized (past tense: the document is already notarized before it comes to the state official), there was a notary in good standing by that name, and the notary's signature on file resembles the signature on the document. That's all. The person seeking the apostille does not need to meet in person with the state official, so there is no way in hell the state official is going to fill in anything in an acknowledgement certificate, no matter what language it is in.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 8/27/08 8:59pm
Msg #262123

Re: If that were the case...

"I would think the apostille can fill out the Russian acknowledgment I left blank."

As Gerry said, the apostille isn't a "who", it's a "what"... basically, the SOS would be verifying to a foreign government that you were in fact a notary at the time the document was signed. That's why I raised the question of whether or not the document was supposed to go back to Russia. I don't understand why the ack would be in Russian otherwise.

That was just curiosity on my part - you did the right thing by attaching a certificate.