Notary Public

What is a Notary Public?

A notary public is a New Zealand lawyer authorised to officially witness signatures on legal documents, administer or swear oaths and certify the authenticity of legal documents usually for use in foreign countries. A notary public embosses documents to verify their presence when the documents were signed. Remember to bring your passport or drivers licence to verify your identity. If you make personal or commercial transactions internationally, you’re likely to need a notary’s services.

Situations where you’ll need a notary public:

• Administering oaths and declarations (especially in respect of documents for use in foreign Courts)
• The authentication of documents for use overseas
• Documents necessary to open a foreign bank or trading account
• Original degree certificates and academic records for use overseas
• Documents necessary to complete the sale and purchase of property overseas
• Documents necessary to apply for powers of attorney for use overseas
• Documents to obtain replacement foreign passports