Posted by JustANotary on 12/3/09 10:40pm
Msg #313069

Having something notarized in a foreign country

A friend of mine emailed from Thailand that they need a number of docs notarized for a refinance of a property in Colorado. They checked with the consulate & the consulate charges $30 per signature. They are trying to find someone else to notarize cheaper, but my guess is that only the consulate can notarize documents that are being filed in the US, as all of us are commissioned by our states & can only notarize in our states, if I go to another country I can not notarize while I am there. I would think that the consulate has a monopoly on notarizing docs that are to be recorded anywhere in the US.

Reply by Roger_OH on 12/3/09 11:58pm
Msg #313074

You don't mention the country, but I would think that a resident notary there can certainly notarize for them, just as we can notarize sigs on foreign documents here. They're notarizing signatures, not documents.

Reply by Cari on 12/4/09 5:45am
Msg #313079

...your friend needs to contact a Thai attorney...

then get the documents re-authenticated by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs or by the Embassy of the country in which the document will be presented.

apparently attorneys out there have various stamps that are accepted here in the US.

Reply by Laura_V on 12/4/09 6:21am
Msg #313081

$30 is cheap

You are spot on.

Tell them to stop being silly and process the docs properly.

If they are not willing to come to the US and sign here, they stand a very good chance of their notarized docs not being accepted and recorded if they try to avoid the consulate there.

Good on you for trying to be helpful and still sticking to following your laws and regs!

Reply by ChrisseyNJ on 12/4/09 7:09am
Msg #313085

Apparently consulates do have the monopoly. Cheaper than a plane ticket to the states, tho, eh?
From the Thailand consulate website: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/notarial-services.html
"The fee for notarial services is $30 for the first notarial seal, and $20 for each additional seal. We accept cash (either Baht or Dollars) or credit cards. We cannot accept personal checks."

Reply by Jessica Ward on 12/4/09 7:45am
Msg #313092

When I was in Ethiopia I saw that the embassy there did notarial acts on two days per week for US citizens living there who needed them.

You might also try the embassy. I was in the visa office where they had the notary services.

I'm stretching my brain back a year or so, but I think in ET the Embassay and the Consul were in different buildings, not sure if it would be the same in Thailand.

Another possibility--I'm wondering if your friends could create a limited power of attorney for someone to sign the docs for them (not legal advice--just observation that many of my friends living abroad are doing this for the sake of their at home affairs).

Good luck!

Jessica

Reply by Cari on 12/4/09 8:41am
Msg #313099

that's a good idea Jessica. n/m

Reply by Laura_V on 12/4/09 9:25pm
Msg #313146

Jessica nailed it. n/m

Reply by PAW on 12/4/09 8:48am
Msg #313100

Their best bet is to go to the US Embassy for notarial services. Yes, they charge $30 for the first and $20 each additional, but it is cheaper than airfare back to the states and return to Thailand.

See http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/notarial-services.html for more information.