What is a Notary Public?

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• A Notary Public ("NP") is someone that is able to authenticate documents and verify signatures when the document is to be used and relied upon in another country.​

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• A NP can also prepare a Power of Attorney in public form for production overseas.

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• The NP has an official seal that he uses and it is placed on the documents. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) retains a copy of the NP's specimen signature and official seal because in some situations after the document is notarised,  it may be necessary for DFAT to affix an apositille to confirm the authenticity of the NP's signature and seal. Whether or not this is required will depend on the recipient country.

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• In general terms, if the document is destined to go overseas, it is almost certain it will require the intervention of a NP for it to be recognised by the recipient country.

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• Our NP, Tom Mutavdzija is a Fellow of the Society of Notaries of Victoria and a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries.