Notarization is often a necessary step in legal processes. But each document to be used in the U.S.A needs to be properly handled, and the regular law – that a U.S notary qualified to practice in the relevant state – becomes complicated to carry out abroad. For this, notaries like Rachel Schachar u.s notary in Israel, are best consulted. Learn more about the status of U.S notaries below.
Is there such a thing as a U.S notary abroad?
Technically, no. Of course, a person who is qualified as a notary in the U.S can go abroad, but notary services are supposed to take place within the bounds of the relevant state. The notary is also qualified to work in that state, and that state alone.
However, you may still have seen services advertised as ‘American notaries’ abroad, or something similar. This a misnomer, which the notary uses in order to simplify the legal loophole, and therefore to explain their services clearly.
What the ‘American notary abroad’ actually does is notarize the document as a local notary, and then have it authorized with an apostille to be valid in the United States. This is doable in Israel because it is part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
What are the advantages of ‘American notaries’ abroad
Now that we’ve clarified that American notaries abroad aren’t technically American notaries, but local notaries working through the Hague Apostille Convention, you may wonder why this legal alternative route exists, and what its advantages are.
Israel’s notaries are trained legal professionals, who have passed law school and have ten years’ experience to boot. Alongside this, they take a course with the Ministry of Justice to learn how to notarize. As a result, they know the system extremely well and are capable of navigating even complex bureaucratic situations.
Even so, the extra apostille process adds some extra complication, so an attorney/notary who has specific experience or specialty in notarizing for the U.S may be your best bet.
Going to a private notary is an alternative to notarizing documents through the U.S embassy. This route is preferable, because the Embassy is often busy and it can take months to get an appointment. Because contracts often carry deadlines, this can make the Embassy services irrelevant to many people, and simply inconvenient to others.