Sarah_Jayne

I got a letter today from the Home Office in regards to my application for citizenship. They want me to send them a copy of my American passport to prove I have been living here, I guess. The problem is that I am due to go back home for Thanksgiving in mid November and I don't trust them to send it back in time. Not to mention that I don't like the idea of being without my passport in what currently is not my country of nationality.

So, I called them and once they actually answered the phone the woman said I can take it to a solicitor and get them to photocopy my passport and certify it.

Now I am left trying to find a solicitor that won't bankrupt me to photocopy something and is somewhere in the London area.

Anyone have a solicitor they can reccomend?

ssp

I can only advise you NOT to do business with Spiegel & Utrera Ltd. in London. They had to form my new business and completely fucked everything up. Horrible customer support too. Stay away from them..

Good luck with your search.

CuriousToyBoy

Try Meat and Aga at Netpond - they'll throw you in the right direction Sarah.

;-)

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Sarah_Jayne

tell me they are solicitors that sling smut on the side..lol..i'll go ask

roly

i think the particular service you are looking for is performed by a notary. do a search for that on google, it shouldn't cost too much.

LadyNorth

Sarah,
I think a notary pulic would be able to do that, and they usually are not very expensive, at least not here.

ricks

I know in Canada the charge for this is $20 (fixed rate), and most lawyers provide the service on a walk-in basis.

Sarah_Jayne

I called the law society and asked them and they gave me the name of a solicitor nearish to me that was both a solicitor and a notary. I called them and they are charging me £30 with an appointment tomorrow. That isn't so bad. I was afraid it would be hundreds. I would much rather pay the £30 than trust the gov't with my passport.

Sarah_Jayne

They were very specific that it has to be a solicitor.

roly

i think not all solicitors are notarys, but all notarys are solicitors.

Webby

Any solicitor will do for that purpose and no way should it never cost more than 100 UK pounds.

It used to cost 15 Pounds/document, tho some did this service for nothing (presumably in the hope of getting real business). Last top price I heard was 50 pounds.

If it's more than that, threaten to sue em on the way out the door and get the bill rated by the Law Society .

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Gunni

I think it is the other way around, notaries can not do anything in court while a solicitor can act in lower courts (barristers in higher courts). But solicitors can handle paperwork just like notaries

roly

what i meant was most notarys are solictors (as well) at least here in the uk. but in the uk there is only a limited number of notarys (there website says 900) and thousands of solicitors. i think in many circumstances solictors are allowed to do this service, but i remember needing something from the US (a visa or mail box or something) and they were very specific on needing my id etc to be copied by a notary.

Gunni

I think it is the other way around, notaries can not do anything in court while a solicitor can act in lower courts (barristers in higher courts). But solicitors can handle paperwork just like notaries

roly

a notary has to be a solicitor or barrister (and hence can do stuff in court), where as a solicitor or barrister isn't nessarcarily a notary.

from: http://www.thenotariessociety.org.uk/

What is a Notary

A notary public is a lawyer who verifies and certifies documents and events for use abroad (although he is also able to conduct non-contentious legal matters in this country as well). Most important documents or acts or events that have to be verified for a foreign jurisdiction will need certification by a notary public. He does this by adding a certificate with his signature and official seal. The signature and seal of a notary public is recognised in foreign countries where the signature and seal of a solicitor generally is not.

Who is a Notary?

A Notary is a qualified lawyer ? a member of the third and oldest branch of the legal profession in the United Kingdom. He is appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and is subject to regulation by the Court of Faculties. The rules which affect Notaries are very similar to the rules which affect Solicitors. They must be fully insured and maintain fidelity cover for the protection of their clients and the public. They must keep clients? money separately from their own and comply with stringent practice rules and rules relating to conduct and discipline. Notaries have to renew their practising certificates every year and can only do so if they have complied with the rules.

but i do understand what your saying, a solicitor can often certify some documents, but not allways, in which case a notary is required.

Sarah_Jayne

Got it done this afternoon - cost £20