Job Discussion Forums

[reddevil79]

I am looking to get come certificates notarised here in the UK before sending them off to be apostilled at the FCO, and am shocked by some of the prices quoted to me by local solicitors/notaries here in Surrey.

Has anyone got the name/address of any (cheap) public notaries that they have used in the London area? I paid only �6 in 2007 at a notary near the FCO offices before they upped sticks and moved to Milton Keynes.

[artemisia]

I have a vague recollection of going to a local bank manager in the UK to get original documents certified as true copies. I think it was free but this may not be the same as getting a document notarised. I can't remember now but don't think I needed a notary public at the time. I have had documents notarised (not in the UK) and it usually isn't cheap. I had to shop around a few different law firms. I think some banks do offer a notary public service in the UK, though.

[HLJHLJ]

It has to be notarised, not a certified copy, as all the apostille does is confirm that the notary was authorised to notarise it. Lots of banks, solicitors, etc offer notary services, but all they do is send your documents to a notary, and add their commission to the price.

The cheapest quote I got was �25 per document, and it worked out cheaper for me to agree an hourly rate instead.

The topic has come up here a few times, and whenever it does there is a chorus of how I was ripped off and that there are lots of notaries that will do it for �5-�10. However, as of yet no-one has been willing or able to provide the name of one, other than the places near the FCO in Milton Keynes. You have to factor in the costs of travelling to MK then though.

If you do manage to find a cheap notary who offers a postal service, please let us know.

[sharter]

I went through this rigmarole over the summer. The job required a CCR (criminal record check), notarised then apostilled by the FCO. It also wanted my degree original notarised and FCO attested. It took ages. 35 quid for the online CCR check, about a 100 quid for 2 notarised certs, 15 quid per doc at the Kuwaiti embassy, a trip to London to do that and all the recorded post here and there, not to mention the time. All in about $400.

Right pain in the arse and took 12 weeks.