Selling property abroad but unable to be there in person? Need Power of Attorney legalisation as soon as possible? Get in contact today to arrange express, hassle-free legalisation services!
So, you’ve been informed you need to have a Power of Attorney (POA) legalised – what does that mean? Power of Attorney legalisation steps differ depending on which country you need to use your POA in. Generally speaking, however, your POA will usually require notarisation and then an apostille.
Notarisation
Your POA will need to be signed in the presence of a notary public. The notary public will need to verify your identity via photo identification before witnessing your signature.
The notary public then signs the POA confirming they witnessed your signature, before adding their stamp and seal. Occasionally, a notary may also need to confirm in writing on your document that they verified your identity by your passport number.
We can have document notarisation completed for you within one working day. We can also arrange call-out notarisation appointments where a notary will come to your location, both within and outside of working hours, including on the weekends.
Apostille
After your POA has been notarised, it may then require an apostille from the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. (UK FCDO) This depends on which country the document is being used in. If you’re uncertain whether your Power of Attorney requires an apostille, we would recommend you double check with your receiving party.
An apostille is a certificate that is attached to the back of your POA and signed by a UK FCDO official. The apostille confirms the authenticity of the notary’s signature.
We offer three different speeds of apostille services:
- A same day apostille service, provided the document reaches us before 11 am, Monday to Friday
- A one-week apostille service
- A one-month apostille service
Embassy Attestation
In some cases, after your POA has been notarised and apostilled, it may then require embassy attestation. This is usually the final step of the Power of Attorney legalisation process.
The form that embassy attestation takes varies from embassy to embassy, it’s usually either a wet-ink stamp or certificate that is attached near the apostille and signed by an embassy official.
Embassy attestation speed depends on the embassy and its workload. It can range from 1 working day to 2 – 3 weeks. A member of our enquiries team can advise you on the expected wait time for each embassy.
So, how do we get the process started?
- Send us a scan of the following documents over email or via WhatsApp/WeChat!
- We’ll need a scan or PDF of the POA itself.
- A scan of each signatory’s passport or alternate photo ID such as a driving license.
- Any additional instructions or information from your receiving party.
- A scan of each signatory’s proof of address, which can be a utility bill or bank statement dated within the last three months.Feel free to redact any financial information, we merely need to see your name, address and the date! If you don’t have proof of address such as the above readily available, please get in touch with our enquiries team to see what alternate information you can provide.
2. We’ll review your documents with a notary public and issue you a quote.
- A member of the enquiries team can give you a preliminary quote over the phone if you give them a brief description of the document, however, we won’t be able to confirm a quote until we’ve seen the documents in question.
3. We’ll arrange a notarisation appointment either in-person at our London office or online via a Zoom or WhatsApp call.
- Whether the document notarisation appointment is virtual or in-person depends on your requirements, which differ from document to document and country to country. Where possible, we will offer both options.
- During the appointment, you will need to show your photo ID and sign in the presence of the notary.
4. Had a virtual appointment? You’ll need to post or drop off the signed documents at our London office.
5. We’ll take care of everything from there!
- Notarisation, apostilles and embassy attestation will happen on our end as needed before we return the documents to you, either by post, courier or international shipping.
- You’ll receive a scan of the completed documents as soon as possible, ahead of the documents being returned to you.
Not sure exactly what services you need? Not a problem, we offer free video consultation calls so book a time to speak with a member of our enquiries team today!