Who can certify documents?
 

I am soo confused!!!

I've been reading various threads about who can certify documents. It seems this also differs depending on who your assessment provider is.

We will shortly be submitting our ACS skills assessment. We are being told by our agent that the only people in UK who can certify are solicitor, magistrate, justice of peace, notary public and commissioner for oaths.

I thought that it was whoever was able to sign UK passports would do. I don't want to go through this exercise twice so want to make sure whoever signs for our skills assessment with ACS will also be acceptable for the visa application.

Just phoned our magistrates who charge £8 per document :eek: As I need triplicate of the docs, don't think this will my option and want to try and keep costs down as much as possible.

Many thanks

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

I have heard of people using their doctor, bank manager, school principle, local councilor, registered accountant, etc.

Trish

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

That's what I thought, there is a list from the UK Passport agency that says who can sign which includes teachers, post office masters etc.

Just don't want to get all of my docs certified to then find out that this isn't going to be acceptable to ACS and when applying for visa.

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

Hi......I used my Bank Manager......who certified all 58 pages of my visa application for free :thumbsup: He is on the UK passport page of people who are allowed to certify documents in England and Wales.
Beth x

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

I have to admit that we used a notary public and put in a copy of his certification to prove his eligibilty to certify.

He didn't charge us a penny so it's worth shopping around as some are a complete rip off.

Trish

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

I think I'll have to do that. All I have found so far are the notary publics who charge £50 per hour, some that have a minimum requirement of work totalling £150 and my local magistrates in Essex who charge a whopping £8 per document. Might think about becoming a magistrate myself and doing this on the side ;)

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

It has nothing to do with who can certify documents for British purposes. It's who can certify for Australian purposes that counts.
The agency I work for recommends the following people:
Medical doctor
Solicitor
Justice of the Peace
Commissioner of Oaths

We recently had someone send in documents certified by a nurse and they were all returned as invalid by the assessing authority.

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

Call some local solicitors to get a quote.

The normal fee I found was £5 per signature. One of the solicitors I called said £5 a copy, when I said I had 20 signatures required, she said "Thats £100 and sounds a lot...I'll do it as a job lot for £30"

I was there within an hour!

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

We had a few different people certifying our info, depending on where we were when we had the originals to hand. Our friend is a Police Officer so he did some, we were at a Solicitors about another matter so got him to do some, and finally we got a Doctor here in Dubai to finish off the rest! Everything was fine got our visa approved with all that mix! Leann x

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

Hi

I also had to submit stuff to ACS and was advised by my agent to get a solicitor to certify all docs. I had to make sure that they had their company stamp on each page with their contact details included. Apparently it makes it a lot easier because the solicitor is easily traceable shoudl they decide to check up on them.

I found one to do it cheaply after ringing around - my usual solicitor decided he'd like to rip me off for a fiver a sheet!!!

Donna Doo

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

Hi,
We got all our documents certified this morning at our local Magistrates Court for a total cost of £25.

All documents were certified including my photos's and application form for my skills assessment by the Australian Nursingand Midwifery Council.

They were really friendly and efficient, had to ring and make an appointment first.

From there we went on and collected our police check forms from the local police station. AApparentlycosts £10 per person to be checked and can take up to 40 days (that is for Surrey elsewhere maybe different).

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

where did you find a free notary mine wants £100

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

My agent has told us that docs can only be certified by solicitors within the UK, this is for the TRA, so if anyone knows any different and a way it could be cheaper....bearing in mind I have a friend who is a copper and another who was a magistrate, I would be grateful!

Ems x:)

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

In Ireland - sorry he's a neighbour.

Trish

Re: Who can certify documents?
 

A magistrate can certify for TRA. Your copper friend probably could, but TRA and DIAC are getting much stricter with their guidelines.