FAQs
- frequently asked questions |
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What
is a Notary Public? |
What
is a Signing Agent? |
How
much does a notarization cost? |
How
much does a signing agent earn from one signing? |
Why
are documents notarized? |
May
any document be notarized? |
May
a Notary give legal advice or draft legal documents? |
May
a Notary notarize or prepare Immigration papers? |
Does
notarization mean that a document is "true" or "legal"? |
May
a Notary refuse to serve people? |
How
do I update my information? |
How
do I check my membership status? |
How
do I renew my membership? |
How
do I pay by PayPal? |
How
do I contact PayPal support? |
How
long before my information shows up in the directory? |
Why
was my posting deleted? |
Where
do I report illegal or improper acts by a Notary? |
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What
is a Notary Public? A
Notary Public is a person of proven integrity appointed by the
government to serve the public as an impartial witness in taking
acknowledgmements, administering oath and affirmations, and performing
other acts authorizing by law.
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What
is a Signing Agent? A Notary Signing Agent is a Notary
with distinctive expertise in notarizing loan document signings.
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How
much does a notarization cost? Fees
vary - as much as $10 in some states and as little as 50 cents
in others - according to state law.
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How
much does a signing agent earn from one signing? This
can very from region to region but the averages usually fall between
$50.00 and $125.00 per signing.
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Why
are documents notarized? To deter fraud. An impartial
witness (the Notary) ensures that the signers of documents are
who they say they are and not impostors. The Notary makes sure
that signers have entered into agreements knowingly and willingly.
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May
any document be notarized? For a document to be notarized,
it must contain: 1) text committing the signer in some way, 2)
an original signature (not a photocopy) of the document signer,
3) a notarial "certificate" which may appear on the document itself
or on all attachment. The Notary fills in the certificate, signs
it, then applies his or her seal to complete the notarization.
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May
a Notary give legal advice or draft legal documents?
Absolutely not. A Notary is forbidden from preparing
legal documents for others or acting as a legal advisor unless
he or she is also an attorney. Violators can be fined or jailed
for the unauthorized practice of law.
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May
a Notary notarize or prepare Immigration papers?
Only a few immigration forms need to be notarized, such
as the Affidavit of Support (1-134), but U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) regulations state that no one may
prepare or file another person's immigration papers unless he
or she is all attorney or a U.S. Justice Department-approved "accredited
representative." Non attorneys can provide clerical, secretarial
or translating assistance with INS forms, as long as no advice
is given. However, courts have held that even the selection of
which forms to complete can constitute the practice of law, since
the filing of INS forms creates legal consequences having a substantial
impact on the applicant.
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Does
notarization mean that a document is "true" or "legal"?
No Notaries are not responsible
for the accuracy or legality of documents they notarize Notaries
certify the identity of signers. The signers are responsible for
the content of the documents.
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May
a Notary refuse to serve people? The Notary shall,
as a government officer and public officer and public servant,
serve all of the public in an honest, fair and unbiased manner.
Only if the Notary is uncertain of a signer's identity, willingness
or general competence, or has a good reason to suspect fraud.
Notaries should not refuse to serve anyone because of race, religion,
nationality, lifestyle, or because the person is not a client
or customer. Discrimination on any basis is not a suitable policy
for a public official.
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How
do I update my information?
- see the update page
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How
do I check my membership status?
contact us here |
How do I contact PayPal support?
PayPal
Help Center
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How
long before my information shows up in the directory?
Your information will be posted within 24 hours after payment
is received.
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Why
was my posting deleted? SEE
POSTING GUIDELINES
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Where
do I report illegal or improper acts by a Notary? Any
wrongdoing or illegal activity should be reported to the police
or appropriate state Notary-regulating office (secretary
of state, governor, lieutenant governor or attorney general.)
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