Visiting scholars, postdocs and international faculty in Westwood often get a request from home: sign a power of attorney, an affidavit or a bank form, notarized, maybe apostilled. You can do it here in 90024 without a trip to your consulate, if the office back home accepts a U.S. notarization.
First: what does the office back home accept?
- A U.S. notarization plus an apostille? This is common for countries in the Hague Apostille Convention.
- Consular legalization instead? Some countries outside the Convention need this. See apostille vs. authentication.
- Only a document signed at your own consulate? Some countries let their citizens sign certain documents there, which may be simpler for those.
Your passport is your ID
A valid foreign passport works as ID with a California notary; it must be current or issued within the last five years. A UCLA ID card alone isn’t enough.
Documents in your language
A document in Chinese, Korean, Spanish or another language is fine, as long as we can communicate with you directly. The notarial certificate is in English, and some recipients also want a translation. See foreign-language documents.
Where we meet
At your apartment, a building lobby on or near campus, or an office in Westwood Village. Tell us the nearest parking structure; campus parking is paid and busy.
We can’t advise on immigration matters or the law of your home country. Your department’s international office or an attorney can. More on our Westwood notary and Westwood mobile notary pages.
Need a notary? We come to you anywhere in Los Angeles County, 24/7 by appointment. Book online or call (424) 484-9268.