Seeing a notary is often essential to validate documents for use overseas or when you need an Apostille, FCDO Certificate or Legalisation.
Seeing a notary is often essential if you want to validate your business or personal documents for international use. Depending on the target country, you may need notarisation, an apostille, FCO Certificate or legalisation. See below a list of typical documents you should get professional help with.
Alternatively you can use our free Legalisation Wizard, which provides instant and clear instructions on what you will need to notarise, apostille or legalise your documents.
Types of Notarised Documents
Documents that usually need a notarial stamp of approval for use overseas include:
Corporate
- Copy and original company documents
- Certificates of Goodstanding
- Companies House extracts
- Shareholder Resolutions and Minutes
- Board Resolutions and Minutes
- Share Transfers
- Mergers and Acquisition paperwork
- Proxies and Powers of Attorney
International Trading
- Bids and Tenders
- Powers of Attorney and Proxies
- Foreign company or branch formation
- Incorporation
- Bills of Sale
- Export / Import documents
- Certificate of Origin
- Tax documents
Commercial
- Contracts, Tenders and Agreements
- Joint Ventures
- Loan documentation
- Intellectual Property Assignments and Licences
- Trade Marks
- Patents
- Letters of Credit
- Promissory Note
- Deeds
- Settlement and Waiver
- Court Proceedings
- Affidavits, Oaths, Statements and Declarations
Other Business Documents
- Property Transactions
- Real Estate contracts and deeds
- Employee Relations – relocation, visa, status, qualification
- Identification Documents
- Aircraft Lease, Sale and Purchase Agreements
- Aircraft Records and Repossession
- Shipping Documents
- Insurance claims and paperwork
- Insolvency, Liquidation and Dissolution process
Aircraft and Maritime
- Brokerage Agreement
- Sale and Purchase Agreement
- Bill of Sale
- De-registration and Registration
- Clearance
- Lease Agreement
- Survey, Valuation and Inspection Reports
- Title search and title documents
- Certificate of Airworthiness
- Logbooks and Maintenance Records
- Identification of aircraft/vessel
- Aircraft financing, including mortgage
- Import documentation
- Release documents
- Operating Agreements
- Charter and Crewing Agreements
- Escrow and Retention Agreements
Employment and Work
- Immigration and Visa (and supporting documents)
- Studying Aboard
- Work Permits
- Education, Qualification and Professional Certificates
- Housing Agreements – leases, licence, short term let
- Financial and Social Security paperwork
- Employment Agreements and Offer Letters
- Director Contracts and Service Agreements
- Consultancy Agreement
- Appointment
- Termination and Resignation
- Compromise and Settlement
- Power of Attorney
- Tax reference or ID application
- Assignment of Design, Trade-Mark or Patents
Real Estate and Property
- Deeds
- Contracts and Agreements
- Transfer and Assignments
- Warranty Deed
- Registration
- Power of Attorney
- Application for NIE / NIF numbers (Spain)
- Letter of Representation
- Leases
- Mortgage, Debenture and Loan Agreements
- Notices, Consents and Licences
- Waivers, Declarations and Affidavits
- KYC – Identity confirmation
Family and Investment Office
- Family Governance Documentation and Compliance
- Articles and Memorandum of Association
- Charter, By-laws, Foundation Deed and Constitution
- Copy corporate documentation
- Letter of Engagement
- Letter of Representation
- EGM and AGM, Resolutions
- Record of Decision
- Repository for family office document record
- Philanthropy and Charitable Giving
- Nomination Documents
- Settling of Assets into Trust
- Charity Formation
- Charitable Foundation Records
- Donor-Advised Fund Documents
- Records of Charitable Donations
Investing in Business
- EGM / AGM
- Proxy, Power of Attorney
- Waiver, ratification and Consent
- Share Certificate
- Stock Transfer Form
- Shareholder and Investment Agreement
- Subscription Agreement
- Partnership Agreement
- Registration
- Dividend and distribution
- Filings
- Letter of Intent (LOI), Heads of Terms / Termsheet)
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
- NDA and Confidentiality Agreement
- Merger Agreement
- Share or Stock Purchase Agreement
- Asset or Business Purchase Agreement
- Transfer, Consent, Assignment
- Tax Covenant or Deed
- Disclosure Letter and Due Diligence Report
- Warranty Schedule
- Shareholder approval documents
- Regulatory Filings
- Merger and anti-trust
Litigation, Insolvency and Distress
- Applications and Motions
- Claims and Counterclaims
- Cross-claim, Defence and Rebuttal
- Expert Witness
- Evidence and Discovery
- Affidavits and Sworn Statements
- Depositions
- Pre-trial (conference, brief, lists)
- Judgment and Orders
- Enforcement
- Notice of Appeal
- Settlement Agreement
- Shareholder and Board Resolutions and Minutes
- Notice of liquidation
- Appointment of administrator / liquidator
- Statement of Solvency
- Application to Strike-off or dissolution
- Creditor notices and claims
- Final accounts
- Liquidator reports
- Asset inventory
- Transaction paperwork
- Regulatory Filings
Revenue, Tax, Banking, Financial and Insurance
- Filings
- Applications
- Bank account opening or changes
- Release
- Tax compliance
- Tax Residence
- Gift records
- Claims and Investigations
- Mortgage, Loan and Debentures
- Promissory Notes
- Tax returns
- Income verification
- Power of Attorney
- Insurance Policies and Certificates
Marriage, Family and Children
- Proof of family
- Passport ApplicatioN
- Visa or sponsorship
- Travel Consent Form / Letter
- No impediment to marry
- Co-habitation Agreement
- Affidavit and Declaration
- Copy official documents (birth, marriage, divorce, death)
- Organ Donation
- Divorce documents
- Separation Agreement
- Family arrangements
- Child custody and financial arrangements
- Adoption applications
- IVF treatment
- Surrogacy Agreements
Trusts
- Trust Deed and Deeds of Appointment
- Declaration of Trust
- Revocable Living Trust
- Irrevocable Trust Agreement
- Trust Funding
- Trustee Power of Investment
- Trust Accounts and Reports
- Proof of Life
- Settling of Assets
- Designation and Nominations
- Termination Dee
- Succession planning
Wills and Inheritance
- Wills and Codicil
- Will Trusts
- Letter of Wishes
- Probate formalities
- Renunciation of gift or legacy
- Deed of Variation
- Affidavits and Declarations
- Proof of succession
- Revenue Authority forms