Public Services

Notaries

Consular officials at any U.S. embassy or consulate abroad can provide a service similar to the functions of a notary public in the United States. Like a notary public, the consular official must require the personal appearance of the person requesting the notarial service; establish the identity of the person requesting the service; establish that the person understands the nature, language and consequences of the document to be notarized; and establish that the person is not acting under duress. In addition to the usual functions of notaries related to oaths, affidavits and acknowledgments, U.S. consular officials authenticate documents, a governmental act, which is not performed by notaries in the United States.