Signature in the presence of the Notary – Guidelines

The following guidelines apply when you require notarial witnessing or certification of documents that must be signed in front of the notary, including (non-exhaustive list):

• Power of Attorney

• Affidavit

• Statutory Declaration

• Consent to Travel (minor travel consent)

• Deed of Assignment

• Declarations and statements for foreign authorities

• Corporate resolutions or authorisations

• Any other document requiring signature authentication

For these documents the appointment is necessary because the signature must be made in our presence. We cannot certify a signature that has already been signed elsewhere.

Why an appointment is required

Unlike copies of certificates, these documents involve the authentication of the signer’s identity, capacity and intention.
The person signing must therefore attend our office and sign before the notary. During the appointment we will:

1. verify identity and address
2. confirm understanding of the document
3. witness the signature
4. complete the notarial certificate

Appointments in London can be booked here:
https://app.marranotary.co.uk/booking

Office address:
107 Fleet Street
EC4A 2AB
London
Att. Francesco Marra

Draft of the document

Unless we have been specifically instructed to prepare the document, the client must send the final draft in advance by email.

Please send before the appointment:

• the draft document to be notarised (Word or PDF format)

• a valid identity document (preferably passport)

• a proof of address

We will review the draft to confirm it is suitable for notarisation and advise if amendments are required before the meeting.
Documents received only at the appointment may need to be rescheduled.

What happens during the appointment

The signer must attend in person and must not sign beforehand.
The document will be signed only once the notary has completed the required checks.

Typical duration: 20–30 minutes

After notarisation

Where required we can also arrange:

• FCDO apostille

• Legalisation at foreign consulates

• Certified translation

Processing times (after signing):

• Notarial act: same appointment

• Apostille: about 2–3 working days

• Translation: about 1 working day (depending on length)

What to bring

For full details on ID and proof of address, see our ID and documents policy. For costs and any other questions, contact us by phone or email or use the chat on this site.