MD Pryke Notary Public

London Notary Public Matthew Pryke will shortly be undertaking a 191 mile Paris to London cycle ride.  This Notary Public in London is undertaking the charity ride in an effort to raise much needed funds for Crohn’s and Colitis in Childhood.  So far his London Notaries Public practice has helped to raise in excess of £30,000 which will provide fantastic support for this very important charity.  The event is kindly being sponsored by WPP and Hammonds LLP which has allowed all of the funds raised to go directly to the charity. Matthew Pryke would like to thank many of his notary clients who have been so very generous in making donations to this wonderful cause.  London Notary Public Matthew Pryke explains “Crohn’s and Colitis in Childhood is a wonderful charity and I am delighted that we have been able to assist in raising some much needed funds via our London Notary practice. Just the small matter of cycling the distance now! ”

Andy Goodman, who is organising the event on behalf of the charity explains “So far we have raised well in excess of £30,000, which is absolutely fantastic, but let’s see if we can take it a stage further.”  Matthew Pryke and a team of 33 riders will be leaving Paris on the morning of Friday 23rd July and travelling over 3 days back to London arriving in Hampton Court on Sunday afternoon.  Further articles will follow to provide progress reports on how Matthew and the rest of the team cope with this challenge.

Should you wish to make a donation please refer to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/mattpryke or alternatively if you would like further information about this London Notary Public practice or Matthew Pryke please refer to the website www.mdpryke-notary.com.

States that accept the official apostille certificate

The Hague Convention of Jan 1965 decreed that some documents used in foreign states would no longer require further legalisation provided that they had an Apostille certificate attached.  Some countries, however, will still require further legalisation such as China and India amongst others.

This is the second in a series of free articles from MD Pryke Notary Public LLP detailing all aspects of the Apostille process.

Article 1 entitled ‘Apostilles – a brief guide’ dealt with: The need for an Apostille Certificate, the information contained on an Apostille Certificate, and why some countries do not accept them.

Apostille Certificates are accepted by the following states at the time of publishing.

Countries not listed below may still accept an Apostille but often require further legalisation.

A

Albania Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Austria Australia Azerbaijan

B
Bahamas Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Bosnia Botswana Brunei Bulgaria

C

China Colombia Cook Islands Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic

D
Denmark Dominica Dominican Republic

E
Ecuador El Salvador Estonia

F
Fiji Finland France

G
Georgia Germany Greece Grenada

H
Honduras Hong Kong Hungary

I
Iceland India Ireland Israel Italy

J
Japan

K
Kazakhstan Korea

L
Latvia Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg

M
Malawi Macedonia Malta Marshall Islands Mauritius Mexico Monaco Moldova Mongolia Montenegro

N
Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Norway

P
Panama Poland Portugal

R
Romania Russian Federation

S
Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Serbia Seychelles Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Swaziland Sweden Switzerland

T
Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Turkey

U
Ukraine United Kingdom USA

V
Vanuatu Venezuela

For further information on any aspect of the Apostille process, please contact MD Pryke Notary Public LLP on 0207 636 4422.  Apostille Certificates form a central part of our London Notary service and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

As a UK Notary in London, I am often contacted by US citizens requesting a notarial service such as legalising a document, witnessing a document or issuing an apostille.

A UK Notary Public greatly differs from a US Notary however, so at M D Pryke Notary Public LLP we have decided to produce a series of articles illustrating the difference between US and UK Notary services.

1. Notaries Public Status

US Notaries are not regarded as a public authority.

A UK Notary is deemed to be a public official. Therefore, documents which have been notarized by a UK Notary Public can subsequently be legalised.  This process of legalisation is completed by the Foreign and Commonwealth office adding an apostille, or, alternatively, through various UK embassies.

2. Notary qualifications

In the United States of America, a Notary does not have to be legally qualified.  A US Notary may purchase their entitlement for a limited period.

A Notary Public in the UK is most often a lawyer too.  It is technically possible to qualify as a UK Notary without being, say, a Solicitor or Barrister, but one must sit an extensive series of examinations at considerable expense.

3. Notarial Commissions

In the United States a notary will pay a fee to practice for a predetermined length of time.  This period is referred to as the ‘commission’. For this reason, all US Notaries must include a reference to the expiry date of their commission.

British Notaries are qualified for an indefinite period.  Although English Notaries Public are issued with annual practicing certificates by their governing body, the Faculty Office, they are effectively a Notary for life.

To avoid any potential miscommunication, at M D Pryke Notary Public we include the phrase ‘my commission expires with life’ on all notarised documents pertaining to the United States.

For further information on the differences between UK Notaries and their North American counterparts please see other articles in this series, or alternatively contact us through the usual channels.

London Notary Public Practice MD Pryke Notary Public would like to inform all of its clients that on Thursday 26 November 2009, the Legalisation Offices of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be closed.  London Notaries practice M D Pryke Notary Public will therefore provide the usual same day legalisation service from Friday 27^th November 2009.  

London Notaries practice owner Matthew Pryke explains “We understand the Legalisation Office is closed for staff training on 26^th November.  This is unfortunate and as a consequence we will not be able to process legalisation requirements for our London Notaries clients until 27^th November 2009.  However from the 27^th November 2009 and onwards my London Notaries practice will continue to provide a same day service for any Apostille and other legalisation requirements.“ 

Matthew’s London Notaries practice provides a complete range of legalisation solutions and legalisation tips for its London Notary clients for further information please refer to the recent legalisation tips article http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/2009/10/notary-public%20legalisation-tips/

For further information about the Legalisation Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a range of options to obtain an Apostille or other legalisation certificates and stamps please contact London Notary Matthew Pryke at his London Notaries practice website http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/.

London Notary Public Matthew Pryke would like to remind all of his clients that Oxford Circus tube station, which is the closest tube station to MD Pryke Notary Public’s central London Notary offices, will be closed today (3 November 2009) from 16.00.  Transport for London has confirmed that Oxford Circus tube station will be closed due to the need to safely manage the large crowds expected to attend the switching on of Christmas Lights on Oxford Street.  Transport for London has indicated to Notary Public Matthew Pryke that the station will operate as follows:

London Notary Public Office Opening Times – 9:00 – 18:00

Notary Public Matthew Pryke suggests that all London clients attending his Notary Public offices in central London should consider using neighbouring tube stations close to the Notary Public office such as Bond Street, Regent’s Park, Great Portland Street, Warren Street and Tottenham Court Road.  M D Pryke’s central London Notary Public offices are ideally located near to many popular and easily accessible London Tube Stations.

Qualified Notary Public Matthew Pryke commenting on the closure of Oxford Circus tube station explained, “Whilst Oxford Circus tube is closed we would suggest to clients to consider alternative ways of accessing our Notary Public offices in London’s West End. As always our central London Notary Public offices will be open for Notary Public clients during this time.  For further information we suggest that Notary Public clients view the Transport for London website www.thetube.com“.

Notary Public Practice MD Pryke Notary Public is based at One Portland Place and is conveniently located in London’s West End.  Consequently should you require Notary Public services or to receive a quote for fees please contact MD Pryke Notary Public at www.mdpryke-notary.com.

Matthew Pryke, Notary Public London, provides a complete range of notarisation and legalisation services for his Notary Public Clients. His London Notary Public practice is increasingly asked to provide competitive and fixed fee quotes to address legalisation, including obtaining apostilles.  Often London Notary Clients require a range of notarisation and legalisation services based on the deadline and budget for legalisation.  Often legalistion fees can be greater than the notarisation fees and consequently Matthew Pryke, Notary Public London, has produced a short guide and tips for his Notary Clients when determining legalisation fees. 

Notary Public Legalisation Fees Tip 1:  Consider the cost versus time for a Notary Public practice to deal with the legalisation.  Whilst notarial clients can save fees by dealing with legalisation themselves it can be counter productive if significant time is required to deal with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (for Apostille) or London Consulate. Time is money!

Notary Public Legalisation Fees Tip 2:  Determine an appropriate deadline. A number of London’s Consulates and also the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (for apostilles) offer varying legalisation services which can significantly reduce legalisation fees if clients’ requirements are less pressing. For urgent notarial matters this legalisation option will not be possible.  However a good Notary Public practice should provide such options to you as a way of reducing notarisation and legalisation fees. 

Notary Public Legalisation Fees Tip 3:  Seek courier quotes in advance.  As courier fees charged by London Notary Public practices vary greatly it is always advisable to seek a full and detailed fee quote.  Whilst the fees charged by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (for apostilles) and London Consulates will be fixed the courier fees will vary based on the competitive pricing of the legalisation service offer by the Notary Public London.

Notary Public Legalisation Fees Tip 4:  Legalise a number of documents at the same time.  Legalisation courier fees are likely to be incurred each time a trip is made to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (for apostilles) or a London Consulate.  Therefore cost savings can be enjoyed by dealing with several documents at the same time.  This provides the usual economies of scale as part of the legalisation process.

Notary Public Legalisation Fees Tip 5:  Ensure the document can be legalised.  Often legalisation fees and time can be wasted by taking documents to be legalised either to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (for apostilles) or London Consulates when the documents have not been dealt with, for example, via notarisation, and are therefore rejected.  It is always advisable to seek the advice of a qualified and experienced London Notary Public practice to ensure that all legal and procedural steps have been taken prior to legalisation.

London Notary Public Matthew Pryke would like to remind his notary clients that whilst many areas of the country are currently effected by the Royal Mail industrial dispute MD Pryke Notary Public  continues to provide affordable legalisation solutions to its notary clients.   MD Pryke Notary Public would recommend to all its notary clients that, during this uncertain time, they avoid the postal service offered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  London notaries practice MD Pryke Notary Public is able to provide the following legalisation solutions (to obtain Apostilles) which notarial clients can trust.

London Notary Public Legalisation Option 1 – Premium Service

MD Pryke Notary Public offers a same day turn around of notarised documents which are couriered, legalised and returned to clients.  The large majority of notary clients prefer to opted for this legalisation solution as it provides certainty and an efficient service for a slightly increased fee.

London Notary Public Legalisation Option 2 – Hand delivering documents to Norfolk House

MD Pryke Notary Public also offers its notary clients a legalisation service whereby notarised documents are couriered to Norfolk House in Milton Keynes on a daily basis.  Notarial documents will then be dealt with via the “Public Counter” section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices legalisation department.  Notary clients are able to receive their notarised documents back legalised within approximately 24 – 48 hours based on when the notarised document is received by London Notaries practice MD Pryke Notary Public.

London Notary Public Legalisation Option 3 – Legalisation via DX

London Notaries Public practice MD Pryke Notary Public also offers notary clients a service whereby documents can be legalised and dealt with within a week without the need to incur additional courier fees.  MD Pryke Notary Public offers a legalisation service whereby notarised documents can be posted via DX and then legalised at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the same day.  Whilst this process takes a little longer than the premier service and couriering service the cost savings and turn around, in a matter of days, offers a useful and cost efficient legalisation alternative to the London notary clients of MD Pryke Notary Public.

For further details of the legalisation services offered by London Notary Public Matthew Pryke or alternatively to seek a notarisation or legalisation fee quote please visit the website of this London Notaries practice at www.mdpryke-notary.com.

London Notary Public practice MD Pryke Notary Public, based in London’s West End,  would like to provide an update to its notary clients regarding the legalisation service offered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Legalisation Department, which issues Apostilles on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office,  has confirmed to this London Notaries practice that all mail received from Notary Publics up to 9^th October has now been opened.  Consequently the Legalisation Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that applications for legalisation received after this date will be open “as soon as possible“.  Many London notaries, including London Notary Matthew Pryke, fear that the industrial action planned by the Royal Mail is likely to delay the postal application legalisation service offered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  Consequently London Notary Public Matthew Pryke would like to advise all notary clients to consider using alternative ways in which to achieve legalisation of documents.

Commenting on the impending industrial action London Notary Public Matthew Pryke explained, “Notary clients are understandably concerned as to the potential impact that the Royal Mail industrial action may have on their deadlines to obtain Apostilles from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  As a cautionary measure I am advising all of my notary clients to consider using alternative means in which to get documents legalised by utilising London Notary Public legalisation services such as the premium service, DX or using London notary practice couriers to legalise documents via the Foreign and Commonwealth offices “Public Counter”“.

London notarial practice MD Pryke Notary Public offers a complete range of affordable legalisation services which will ensure that notarial clients can continue to get documents legalised to suit any time frame and budget. For further details of the legalisation services offered by London Notary Public practice MD Pryke Notary Public please refer to the London notaries website www.mdpryke-notary.com or alternatively telephone 0207 636 4422.

Today (2 October 2009) London Notary Practice, M D Pryke Notary Public, is pleased to announce the launch of the Google Checkout facility on it website www.mdpryke-notary.com

For further details of this facility or to use Google Checkout please refer to the “Notary Fees” page of this London Notaries website http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/londonnotarypublicfees/. This innovative facility will allow Notary Public clients who use Google Checkout to buy from this London Notary practice quickly and securely, using a single username and password. In addition Notary clients of this London Notary practice can use Google Checkout to process the payment of Notary invoices and charge their credit or debit cards. Google checkout provides fraud protection which covers Notary Public clients against unauthorised purchases made through Google Checkout, and Google are keen to stress that they don’t share purchase history or full card numbers with sellers.

Commenting on the news, Matthew Pryke, a Notary Public based in London’s west end, explained, “Google Checkout provides an entirely new facility to clients of our London Notaries practice. The fraud policy Google offers should also provide our Notary clients with peace of mind to use the facility with confidence.  We hope that clients will find this option appealling and feel sure that more Notary fees will be paid via the Google Checkout facility in the future.”

For further information about Google Checkout and how it works follow this link https://checkout.google.com/seller/what.html?hl=en&gl=GB. To seek further information about the notarial practice of London Notary MD Pryke Notary Public please refer to the website http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/.

London Notary Public, Matthew Pryke has today (8 September 2009) been recognised as a legal expert in the latest edition of The Legal 500.  Matthew Pryke, who is a Partner at Wallace LLP, Notary Public and practice owner of London Notary Public Practice MD Pryke Notary Public has been recognised alongside his Partner John Woodhouse as a legal expert and an authority in the Media and Entertainment industry.  Particular reference was made to Matthew Pryke’s relationships with A1GP and Models 1, who Matthew assists as both a solicitor and Notary Public.

Commenting on the recent article London Notary Matthew Pryke explained, “I am delighted that Wallace LLP and I have been formally recognised as experts in Media and Entertainment Law by The Legal 500.  It further cements Wallace LLP’s position as the lawyers and notary practice of choice to the Media and Entertainment Industry“. 

The Legal 500 is generally considered to be the number one client guide to the best law firms, lawyers and notary publics. For details of the inclusion of London Notary Public Matthew Pryke in The Legal 500 please refer to the following link http://www.legal500.com/firms/3446-wallace-llp/offices/543-london.  Alternatively to seek further information about the notarial practice of London Notary MD Pryke Notary Public please refer to the website http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/.