How to Notarize Documents Abroad

STAMP! Image: Unsplash

Notarizing documents abroad can be confusing.

If you are living in another country, you will eventually need to notarize something. Whether it's or your visa application or for your new international mail solution (more about that later!) you will need to get your paperwork stamped + looking official. Here are three options for expats from the US like myself.

1. Local Notary Public

You can use a notary public service in the country where you are living. As an expat you can use a local form of identification or a passport.

The price varies a lot from country to country. In the Czech Republic, I use JUDr. Sylva Kotrbova and she charges less than CZK 200 for basic notarization of one document. She is professional and best of all, super quick about it.

Once I had to get something notarized in London and it was considerably more expensive. I used MD Pryke for GBP 60 after calling around to 6+ notaries whose prices ranged up to GBP 120. Some British notaries public also require an apostille for international documents, which can run double. Yikes. Most of the notaries I found in England were actual lawyers, so maybe that's why the price is high.

2. U.S. Embassy Notarization

Every U.S. Embassy has notaries on staff as part of their American Citizen Services. This is important because for U.S. documentation to be legal, it needs to be notarized by a U.S. authority. If you are submitting federal or state paperwork from abroad, you will likely need a U.S. authorized notarization.

I used this notary service in Bangkok, Thailand back in 2015. I had to write a statement verifying that my BA degree and my passport matched in order to apply for my long-term visa and work permit. You need to get an appointment using their online scheduling form and you're good to go. The same-day procedure takes about 30 mins to complete while you wait. A U.S. Embassy notarization costs USD 50 and can be paid in dollars, local currency, or by card.

3. Online Notary

A new option that I just found today is an online notary. I tried NotaryCam.com and it was super fast and convenient. I wish I had known about it years ago!

I needed to notarize a forwarding address form for USPS. I uploaded a PDF of my document including 2 forms of ID. Then I was connected live via webcam to a notary public based in the United States. The notary verified my identity by looking at my face and then making me hold my passport up to the camera while I stated my name, address, and birth date.

That was it. The notary public confirmed my ID, had me put my e-signature live on the form, and then she closed our video session. Finally, I paid the fee ($25 for US or $79 for International) and we were done. My notarized document with the seal was immediately available for download and also sent to me via encryption over email.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Have you ever had difficulty getting your documentation notarized? What tips do you have to make paperwork easier to handle from abroad?