What is Notarization?
Notarization is certifying the authenticity of a document by attesting to appended signatures therein. Notary services are offered by government agents called notary publics or notaries.
Besides notaries, some personal lawyers in Halifax can offer notarization services. Some provinces permit commissioners of oaths to notarize. Notaries are government-commissioned officials; they derive their remuneration from clients and not the government.
What’s the purpose of notarization? Notarization has two main purposes— verifying the genuineness of a signature appended on a document and witnessing or attesting to the signing of documents. In Canada, notarization is mandatory for legal documents like deeds, trusts, and affidavits, among others.
What Services Notary Public Usually Provides
Notary public officers play a vital role in society. By verifying the authenticity of documents, notaries help deter and mitigate the risk of potentially fraudulent transactions. Here are the common services offered by public notaries:
Which Documents May Need to Be Notarized
Following are some common documents that may need to be notarized:
- Affidavits
- Statutory declarations
- Acknowledgments of execution
- Attestations
- Authentications and legalizations
- Sensitive business documents
- International travel consent letters
- Background check documents
- E-certificates
- Letters of invitation
- Marriage contract documents
- Immigration documents
- Passports and passport processing documents
- Real estate mortgage contracts
- Visas
- Assessments or witnessing documents
Notary Public Services in Halifax, Nova Scotia Wagners Provide
Wagners derives the authority to engage in notarization from the Nova Scotia Notaries and Commissioners Act. We offer notary public services in Halifax and Nova Scotia for the following documents:
Consent Letters for International Travel
A consent letter permits children to travel internationally without their parents. This letter is required by immigration authorities and air carriers. A notary public notarizes the consent letter after verifying the parent-child relationship.
Affidavits and Statutory Declarations
Statutory declarations are formal, written, and declarations entered under oath. Giving false information under oath is considered perjury. A notary public can attest affidavits and statutory declarations in person.
Certified True Copy
Certified true copies are verified copies of primary documents. The original document and the copy must be issued to a public notary for comparison purposes.
What You Need for Your Notary Public Appointment
Here’s what you need for your notary public appointment:
- The complete document(s) to be certified or notarized, even if some pages won’t need notarization.
- An official government-issued identification document, including a passport, driver’s license, or citizenship card. The name on the document to be certified must match the names on the IDs.
- Notary fee, which can vary by a notary public. At Wagners, there is no fee for this service.