Posted by Raj Sahu on 3/26/13 12:11pm
Msg #463101
Apostille-- pls help me--Urgent!
I got request for Apostile. The noytary support was not available. How do i do it and how do I get the document apostilled -- I live in callifornai and never did it before. How much should I charge-- since I belive its takes a while to come back from SOS.. can the client take my notarized doc to LA ( near which I live) to get the doc APOSTILLEd?
Pls advise.. many thanks
| Reply by PegiT_MN on 3/26/13 12:17pm
Msg #463103
Yikes......are you sure you should be taking these appointments......I have been reading some of your posts on here and it is a bit concerning because it sounds like you may need a little training before you go out on these assignments. No offense or anything Raj......but you sound a little inexperienced and you may be putting the car before the horse buddy.....biting off just a little more than you can chew.......and it just may come back to bite you in the rear.
| Reply by Pam/NM on 3/26/13 12:22pm
Msg #463104
If I were in your shoes
I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pen! I have to echo the last poster and say I think that you are perhaps out of your depth. FWIW there is this:
http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/authentication.htm
| Reply by anotaryinva on 3/26/13 12:50pm
Msg #463110
Cancel that appt ASAP n/m
| Reply by Stephanie Santiago on 3/26/13 1:06pm
Msg #463121
Raj - get some serious training before you take on
Loan Signings or Apostiles.
It is very important that you know wehat you are doing before accepting assignments.
I on;y say this because it is to your benefit to become trained so you don't have to log on to this site and ask how to handle assignments that you accept.
You say Notary Support was not available. Where are you speaking of?
Raj - Accept assignments that you know how rto do.
I am direct so you will understand the importance of our role.
You cannot simply become a Notary Public and take on assignments that you know nothing about.
If I am wrong, please set me straight.
I feel there are 2-3 Notaries Public on this site that pretend they know what they're doing and ask a question thinking that the process will be laid out to them.
It just doesn't work that way. Take a Notary Signing course and study, study, read postings on this site. When you know how to complete an assignment, accept an assignment and go and do it.
You shouldn't require our help to tell you how to do it or how much to charge.
Raj - I have been a Notary/Notary Signing Agent for 13+ years and I've never handled an Apostile.
Just because you may be new to the industry does not mean you accept everything that is offered to you.
By the way, I am generally a nice person and very helpful, but come on.....
There was another post earlier - you know who you are - basically asking the steps to conducting an assignment that was accepted, because he was a little rusty because he had not done one in awhile...come on....
Learn the industry.
Raj - I wish nothing but the best for you, but please learn what you need to know through a course.
Stephanie
I sound so bad and I'm not.
| Reply by Jessica/FL on 3/26/13 1:09pm
Msg #463125
Re: Raj - get some serious training before you take on
I agree. It is scary.
| Reply by janCA on 3/26/13 1:27pm
Msg #463130
Re: Raj - get some serious training before you take on
Instructions for apostiles on SOS website. Easy to follow.
| Reply by Linda_H/FL on 3/26/13 1:37pm
Msg #463133
Thing is...is it THAT kind of apostille he's talking about
or is it the apostille services that Paul and Sylvia used to offer...where records are authenticated, sent to SOS for their signature, then to appropriate consulate for signature, then back to requestor...
I don't even remember what it's used for - I seem to recall something about school transcripts.
I'm not so sure the OP was looking to have their own signature authenticated - if they were isn't that right in your handbook? If it's this apostille process for school records & such, that's more involved and more expensive.
| Reply by VT_Syrup on 3/26/13 1:38pm
Msg #463134
The reason you don't know much about apostilles, and it was not included in your state handbook (or apparently in whatever training you took) is because it is not a notarial duty. It is something done by the California SOS office AFTER a document has been notarized, or certified by certain other officials. The person who wants one can mail it in to the SOS or go in person. Some notaries expedite apostilles as an additional revenue stream, but it is not a notarial duty; they are just acting as messengers.
Perhaps the person who contacted you needs to get the document notarized first; if so, you would handle that notarization the same way you would handle any other notarization.
| Reply by Raj Sahu on 3/26/13 2:27pm
Msg #463148
Thats a very enlightening accurate answer VT_Syrup !
Thank you very much for providing the answer I was looking for. Sometimes I just fail to understand why some people get rude to other just because they are newer, and are asking questions. Even if I knew the answers I would still love to get advised by experienced notaries who have done it. It’s one thing READING and it’s another thing DOING. The thing is this- its easy to say “get mentored”, but in this business who will mentor me? The local notaries most certainly won’t (it’s like training competition and I agree with that viewpoint)
But having said all this, I do think I got some wonderful people to teach me today. Thank you Katrina, Thank you Sylvia , Thank you Syrup. You guys are kind and compassionate and patient and knowledgeable. I also wish to thank everyone who contributed.
With the roses come the thorns too and with the bouquets, brickbats. I wish to take them both, sportingly. I feel blessed that there are some wonderful people here who take time out to teach and guide others. Today I learned a lot about Apostilles, and it’s only a matter of time when I will start accepting this. It’s easy-- you just need to know how to go about it. Thank you again guys. God Bless
| Reply by Stoli on 3/26/13 2:37pm
Msg #463150
Raj - I hope this helps a little
When we apply for our notary exam and commission, we submit a sample signature which is retained by the California Secretary of State and county of our commission.
There are two different certificates: an Apostille and Certification. It depends which country the document is to be used. If the county is a member of the Hague Convention, the document will receive an Apostille, and if not, the document will receive a Certification.
For example: Mexico is a member of the Hague, so a document bound to Mexico would receive an Apostille; Canada is not a member, so a document bound to Canada would receive a Certification.
The document will be notarized as usual, then the document and appropriate fee are submitted to the Secretary of State who will ( 1) verify that the notary commission is valid, 2) authenticate the notary’s signature of record.
The Apostille is attached to the document and can NEVER be removed, or the certificate is invalid.
Depending on the type of document, some may require an Apostille from John Kerry, Secretary of State in Washington, DC.
Documents may be hand carried or mailed to the Secretary of State--Check for the mailing address on the website SOS.CA.GOV.
| Reply by JanetK_CA on 3/26/13 3:55pm
Msg #463166
Re: Thats a very enlightening accurate answer VT_Syrup !
Like some of the others have said, it's not that big a deal. VT_Syrup gave a very good explanation. Just make sure your notarization is perfect. You can then do one of two things: 1) refer them to the SOS website or phone number to handle the apostille part themselves, or 2) offer to do it for them at an extra charge.
If you call the main SOS phone # (916-653-3595), one of the menu options gives a complete explanation of the process with addresses and required fees. I recommend you listen to that a couple of times regardless, to learn all about the process. If you want to make more $$ and provide them an additional service beyond notarizing their signature, you can calculate a fee to drive to the LA office yourself, park, wait in line, pay the fees, etc. and then return the document to them. If they mail it in, it could take at least two weeks to get it back. What they will be willing to pay will depend on the urgency with which they need the document. If you (or they) take it there personally, you may have to wait, but you can get it done on the spot.
If you do it, be sure to charge a substantial fee to adequately cover ALL costs plus a nice profit for your time. The last time I did one of these was for someone outside of the country. We worked out a way to ensure payment in advance, which included notarizing one signature of a local person and costs for me to overnight the notarized doc to Sacramento, then get it to his US client, once I received it back. All inclusive fee was $200. (And I found the cheapest overnight service to get it there and back to me.)
You figure out what works for you in your situation, but once you get the process down (which isn't really that complicated), if you're close to the LA SOS office, this could potentially be another nice income stream for you, if you want to specialize in it. If you know, or network with, lots of people from outside the country, that's more likely to be true. People are busy these days, sometimes time is of the essence, and for some, it's worth it to pay nicely to just have it taken care of properly and quickly. (BTW, a large number of the docs I've notarized that require an apostille have come from India.)
Learn as much as you can about the process and be sure you have a clear understanding of what you can and cannot do as a notary, because you will likely be asked to do a lot of things that aren't legal in this state, like putting your stamp on every page or notarizing a transcript or photo, etc. Keep in mind that once you notarize it, it is going to the SOS, where they are authenticating your commission, so your work will be brought to their attention along side your name... Also, be very careful to not offer anything that can be considered legal advice, as that could get you in trouble. Just get as good as you can get at your notary responsibilities and offer great service.
Good luck!
| Reply by rengel/CA on 3/26/13 4:11pm
Msg #463170
I, myself, prefer
to learn the proper procedures myself rather than relying on people whom I have never met in person and don't know the veracity of their knowledge.
There have been people on this forum who give wild answers not anywhere near the true answer. And, notaries from other states will have different laws and rules than in California. Thus, the reason I prefer to find the answers myself.
That being said, there are a few notaries on this board that I have come to know and respect their experience and knowledge. You just need to learn who you can trust and who you can't.
Give someone an answer and they learn nothing, teach someone how to find the answer on their own and they learn for a lifetime. (rengel/ca)
My .02
| Reply by Yoli/CA on 3/26/13 2:12pm
Msg #463145
See Msg #460899
Process is all laid out on above post.
Seriously though, Raj. Please study your Notary Handbook and visit the CA SOS website. There's invaluable information to be learned. Do yourself and the public a service and learn what a Notary Public can and can't do. It's more than just a notary stamp, notary journal and fingerprint ink.
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