Acknowledgments and Jurats

An Acknowledgement is used to verify the identity of the signer and to confirm that they signed the document. They are not swearing to the truthfulness or validity of the document, they are simply acknowledging that they signed the document. For an acknowledgment in the state of New York, a signer is not required to sign the document in the presence of the notary public, but they are required to personally appear in front of the notary to confirm their signature.

A Jurat is used when the signer is swearing to the content of the document. The notary must administer an oath or affirmation to the signer in order to complete the jurat. A jurat also requires that the signer signs in the presence of the notary. It is possible to glean this information from the jurat certificate itself. The wording states “Subscribed and sworn to before me…” – subscribed meaning “signed” and sworn meaning that an oral oath or affirmation was given. “Before me” means that both were done in the presence of the notary public.

Power of Attorney

A general power of attorney is an instrument that gives the person you name (the agent) wide powers to manage your property and financial matters while you are living. The person granting the agent the power is called the principal and must be signed while mentally competent to understand the nature of the act.

I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification

All U.S. employers must complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens. Form I-9 does not require an authorized notarial act of any kind - therefore we cannot affix a notarial seal impression on it. If we agree to serve as an employer’s Authorized Representative, our worker is not serving as a notary in any capacity.

When our notary signs the form in the capacity of Authorized Representative of the verifying employer, we will indicate “Authorized Representative” as in the title section not “Notary Public.”

Apostille

An Apostille is a certificate issued by the Secretary of State that proves the authenticity of a public official signature and seal.

The Apostille is more than just a seal. It is a full-page certificate that is typically attached to a document destined for use in a foreign country that abides by the Hague Convention. The document is provided as proof that the notary or public official who witnessed the signer’s signature is in good standing with the state government. The Apostille is usually permanently attached to the processed documents and removing the staples is forbidden