STATUTORY DECLARATIONS

A Statutory Declaration is a formal statement of facts under oath. A Statutory Declaration must be signed before an individual with the power to witness an oath, usually a Notary Public.

You will often need a statutory declaration when administering the estate, or assets, of a deceased person. For example, financial institutions will likely require a statutory declaration before the transferral of money to those inheriting it, as named in a will. A statutory declaration is also sometimes required for business related endeavours.

For any document that is to be used in a different country to where it is signed, it is usual for the country of use to require the document to be signed in the presence of a Notary Public.

The role of the Notary is to verify the identity of each client, assess their legal capacity as well as their understanding of the document to be signed. The Notary must also check the person signing the document has the appropriate authority if signing on behalf of another party such as a limited company, and administer the oath.

Additionally, if the Statutory Declaration is intended for use in a non-English speaking country, a translation of the document may need to accompany it for use. I can assist with obtaining translations of documents where needed.

After the Statutory Declaration is notarised, it may also need an Apostille, depending on whether its destination country is signed up to the Hague Apostille Convention. The Apostille will allow the foreign country to accept the declaration as a validly signed document. Failure to obtain it when needed may mean your declaration will be rejected for use. I am able to arrange the Apostille for a declaration when necessary after notarisation.

Some countries also require further legalisation at their Embassy in the UK.

If you need to sign a Statutory Declaration in the presence of a Notary Public, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Please contact me on 01244 470339 or at sara@notarychester.co.uk and I will be happy to provide you with a quote and arrange an appointment.

To see my office locations and the areas that I cover, please see the Locations page.