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Notary Public

A person who is authorized as Notary Public (Notarius Publicus) can offer special services. Notary Public can, for instance, offer help with verification and witnessing of documents and signatures and can also offer help with apostille.

notarius publicus

This article is in English, for our Swedish readers please press here.

Notary public means public secretary

Notary public is an old tradition from the title that originates from the Latin language. It’s the county administration that select the assignment and the definition is “public secretary”. The assignment mainly includes helping the public with verification of different documents and information to make sure they are authentic. Therefore, Notary public works as an objective inspector.

The county administration can decide that the assignment is time limited or not. It’s supposed to be at least one Notary public in each county and it’s the county administration that decides in which area. It’s usually one municipality that’s picked, but it doesn’t prevent work outside the decided area. Notary public takes out a cost for the assignment.

7 services that Notary Public offers help with

  1. Execute apostille.
  2. Act as witness when rooms for storages opens or closes.
  3. Act as witness when seals are added or wrecked.
  4. Verify lotteries.
  5. Submit other information for observations after investigation or verification.
  6. Confirm that an authority or person is capable to undertake certain actions, has a particular position, competence or permit to represent another.
  7. Confirm that an authority or person is capable to undertake certain actions, has a particular position, competence or permit to represent another.

How does it work?

When you need help you often need to visit the Notary Public in person, especially when the service includes confirmation of signatures. An ID  or passport is usually required. Thereafter confirms and witness the signature. A transcript from Bolagsverket is needed for signatures concerning business authorization that shows which people have the right to sign for the firm. Bolagsverket is a Swedish public authority whose job is (among more) to register new companies.

Apostille works as a certificate for documents who will be shown in other countries that are members in the apostille convention. The apostille label shows that the document doesn’t have to undergo certification again in another country. See this list over the countries that are members in the apostille convention, including for example Chile, China and Australia but not for instance Thailand.

Documents with apostille labels

An apostille is a label on a document that confirms that a signature on the document is authentic. Apostille labels are used for documents who will be shown in another country for members in the apostille contract.

As the document gets labelled it’s exempted to be shown again and doesn’t need an extra approval from a foreign embassy. Therefore, the stamp works as a kind of license and authorization.

It’s only Notary public that are authorized to accomplish apostille stamps and it’s been that way since about 15 yeas back according to Swedish law.

Following are examples of documents that can get an apostille right away

  • Documents by public authorities, for instance documents from Skatteverket, the authority that handles tax questions and Socialstyrelsen, the authority whose task is to handle health and welfare issues including everyone’s right to equal care).
  • Different transcripts and extracts.
  • Legal documents from court, for instance divorce papers.
  • Certificates and grades from schools including university, college and community schools.
  • Documents signed by Notary public or the Swedish chamber of commerce.
  • Translations made from legalized translators.
  • Transcripts from birth and wedding records.

Documents that gets an apostille stamp must also include

  • An original label from the public authority that executed the document and the name of the authority.
  • Both signature and clarification of the person who accomplished the label on the document.
  • The kind of position or employment the person has at the authority.

For private documents

An apostille can first be accomplished after Notary public confirms the party’s signature or competence. An apostille is not needed for some general documents in EU and the North (that includes Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway). These documents concern information and confirmation about birth, death, name, marriage certificate, residence and nationality.

Memory list for an apostille stamp

  1. Make sure that the country the document is headed is covered by the apostille convention.
  2. Make sure that it is the original document.
  3. Make sure that the document has the party’s original signature.

What Notary public is not allowed to do

Notary public is not allowed to execute tasks that belongs to the  Swedish authority’s expertise. Notary public is not permitted to accomplish assignments that are undue or inappropriate or in other ways can be used in an inappropriate way in advertising or comparable. Notary public is not responsible to handle formal notices of lawsuits nor to execute services that isn’t reasonable to be asked.

Who can become Notary public?

To become and perform the assignment as Notary public a law degree is demanded and the person can’t be in bankruptcy or have trustee according to Swedish law. The assignment also demands sufficient language skills and that the person is suitable for the task in general.

Lavendla Law exists troughtout Sweden

Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö or another place. No matter where you are in the country, Lavendla Law is here for you. You choose how do meet, by phone, online or in a personal meeting

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Skrivet av Catharina Looft

Chefsjurist

Catharina har över 20 års praktisk erfarenhet av familjejuridik och har både undervisat på universitet samt haft ledande positioner i flertalet juridiska företag. Som chefsjurist är Catharina ansvarig för Lavendlas jurister och dess utbildning som kvalitetssäkring. Catharina är verksam på Lavendlas huvudkontor i Stockholm.