California Notary Forums - Help! Notary Question

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Forums - California Notary Forums - Help! Notary Question

Thread Topic: Help! Notary Question
Topic Originator: Cassandra L'Heureux
Post Date May 13, 2010 @ 12:00 PM

Help! Notary Question

RE: Help! Notary Question

Cassandra L'Heureux
2 Posts
(, AL)

Help! Notary Question

05/13/2010 12:00 PM

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I work for a business manager and he has a client in Vietnam that resides here part time. The client is requesting a "certified copy" of a utility bill. Is this something that I can do? He's not even in the country and I was completely thrown off by the question. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Marian Harmon
273 Posts
(Lancaster, CA)

RE: Help! Notary Question

05/13/2010 2:01 PM

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Simply put --- no, you can't certify the copy.

You could notarize a signature on a document from somebody else who states it's a genuine copy. There are forms out there called "Copy Certification by Document Custodian" that could be used to accomplish this. BUT... it's not YOUR job to tell them this.

In this case, if your manager supplied the form (because he's the one who has the document) you could notarize your boss's signature on his statement -- but YOU are not certifying the copy.

Paul Williamson
103 Posts
(Inverness, FL)

RE: Help! Notary Question

05/14/2010 5:11 AM

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Not only can a CA not make certified copies (with one exception), you need to determine if the document also needs to be authenticated for use in Vietnam. (Many documents required for use in foreign countries need to have an apostille attached, for countries that are members of the Hague Convention, or the document needs to go through a long and arduous process to have the document legalized by the embassy or consulate.) See http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/notary/authentication.htm for more information.