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18th December 2023

Getting married in the Dominican Republic?

Congratulations!  In order for your day to go smoothly your wedding planner will have given you instructions for some paperwork that must be completed and Apostilled within 3 months prior to your wedding day.  It can be confusing, but your notary can help.

You will each need to complete a single status declaration confirming you are free to marry.  Your wedding planner may provide you with a template but, if not, your notary may have experience of drafting such a document and can provide it for you.  This must be sworn in front of the notary.  The declarations, together with your birth certificates and any previous decree absolute or deed poll, must be Apostilled at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, who will seal the document. Your notary can arrange this and return the documents to you. 

The documents then need translating and certifying by the Dominican Republic Embassy in London.  You can use a commercial translator or the Embassy can carry out both translation and certification services directly: https://www.dominicanembassy.org.uk/consular-services/marriage/.  Clients have found that the documents can be dropped off and collected in person at the Embassy.  They do accept documents by post, although please bear in mind the time factor if it is getting close to your dates of travel.  I understand that collecting the documents needs to be done by you in person.

 

24th April 2023

Getting married in Cyprus? 

Some recent good news for couples getting married in Cyprus.  Cyprus requires an Apostilled official copy of any previous decree absolute for those getting married following a previous divorce.  The UK courts now issue their orders in pdf format but the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which issues Apostilles in the UK, will only Apostille a court order with a wet signature or seal on it, not a printed version of a pdf.  While these can be ordered from the court, they can take weeks to arrive.  Until now this has proved to be an insurmountable problem for those getting married in Cyprus in the near future.  However, a printed version of a pdf decree absolute, which I accompanied by a notarial certificate, was recently accepted by the marriage registrar in Cyprus.  One happy couple and a possible breakthrough on the pdf court order front!

 

24th February 2022

More trees sponsored!

Thank you to all my clients again for adding to the number of acts I have completed this year.  We've sponsored a further 20 saplings to add to the annual total.

 

23rd February 2022

Spreading the Notarial story

Delighted to have had the opportunity, thanks to Kent Law Society, to talk to the great group of students at University of Kent Law School about being a Notary.

 

8th September 2021

We have sponsored 14 saplings!

Thank you to all my clients this year.  I have donated to the National Trust Woodlands Appeal to sponsor the planting of 14 saplings in the UK.  We have made a small difference to the woodland cover in this country for future generations.

In another environmentally friendly move, I am also keeping my records mainly in digital format and reducing my usage of paper.

 

27th July 2021

Is my Validate UK Proof Card good ID?

In the UK, Validate UK is a private company issuing proof of age and ID cards.  These are wallet sized cards, similar to a photo driving licence or a national identity card issued by other countries.  They give details of your age and name and can be used in some places as a valid proof of identity and age. 

Such cards are not universally accepted, however.  As they are not issued by a government authority, it is up to the person asking for the proof of identity whether they accept it or not.  Validate UK have recently put a notice on their website to say they have ceased trading and cannot replace expired cards.  This will call into question the value of the current cards being used as they will no longer have the backing of a trading company.

If you are in any doubt as to whether your Validate UK card will be accepted, there is no better proof of age and identity than a valid UK passport or photo driving licence.  These are universally accepted in the UK.  They are easily recognised and can be verified.