Attestation & Declaration

Statutory declarations, affidavits and sworn statements, witnessed and notarised for overseas authorities.

Attesting to the Execution and Signature of Documents

An authority may request that a notary public is present at the signing of any kind of document, particularly if that authority is outside of the UK. The presence of a notary guarantees that a particular document or contract has been signed by someone whose identification has been verified.

If you require the assistance of a Notary Public to notarise your documents, contact John.

Statutory Declaration

A Statutory Declaration is a formal, written statement to affirm that something is true, to the best knowledge of the person making the declaration. Statutory declarations must be signed in the presence of a person entitled to administer oaths, such as a Notary Public.

A Statutory Declaration will be needed for a legal change of name or residency, a change of gender, or a marriage declaration.

If you require the assistance of a Notary Public regarding a Statutory Declaration, contact John.

Affidavits

Often in legal proceedings, parties must sign and be sworn by an oath or affirmation of written statements of facts which can then be used alongside a witness statement as evidence in court. This is known as an affidavit.

They are a representation of the knowledge of the person offering the affidavit, so they cannot be punished if they do not include information that they were not aware of.

Affidavits are only used in certain circumstances such as divorce proceedings, debt cases or property matters. Other examples can be to verify your address, claim an inheritance and to record business earnings.

If you require the assistance of a Notary Public regarding an Affidavit, contact John.

Oaths

An oath is a written statement from a person, which they swear to be true, invoking a divine witness (i.e. God). This may not be appropriate for people with other or no religious beliefs. A declaration is a non-religious alternative to an oath. The signing of oaths must be witnessed by a Notary Public – or other authorised person.

If you require the assistance of a Notary Public, regarding an oath or declaration, contact John.

Assistance with legalisation (as part of an ongoing matter with us)

The schedule below contains a list of countries which typically accept as valid a document signed in England by an authorised person under English law and which has been Apostilled under the Hague Apostille Convention. John has significant experience in notarising and arranging Apostille against documents for use in these countries, including countries not included that may require embassy or consular legalisation. If you require the assistance of a Notary Public to facilitate this process, contact John.