What Is a Notary Public?

A Notary Public is a legally authorized professional who verifies identities, witnesses signatures, certifies copies of documents, administers oaths, and authenticates legal documents for domestic and international use. The primary purpose of notarization is to help prevent fraud, ensure the authenticity of documents, and provide confidence to governments, courts, businesses, universities, embassies, and financial institutions that the document was properly executed.

Whether you are applying for a visa, purchasing property overseas, opening a foreign bank account, establishing an international business, studying abroad, or submitting legal documents to a foreign government, you may be required to present documents that have been notarized by an authorized professional.

Although the term Notary Public is recognized worldwide, the legal framework varies from country to country. In some jurisdictions, Notaries are government-appointed public officials. In others, they are highly qualified legal professionals with extensive authority over legal transactions.

In Thailand, notarization is carried out by a Notarial Services Attorney—a licensed lawyer who has completed specialized training and has been authorized by the Lawyers Council of Thailand to perform notarial services.

Understanding how notarization works is essential for anyone dealing with international legal documents. This guide explains the role of a Notary Public, the differences between countries, the legal position in Thailand, and the situations in which notarization is commonly required.

Quick Summary

A Notary Public is responsible for verifying identity, witnessing signatures, certifying copies of documents, administering oaths, and helping prevent fraud in legal transactions.

In Thailand, these services are provided by Notarial Services Attorneys, who are licensed lawyers authorized by the Lawyers Council of Thailand.

Notarization is commonly required for:

• Visa applications
• Immigration documents
• Overseas employment
• Foreign universities
• International business transactions
• Powers of Attorney
• Affidavits
• Embassy submissions
• Corporate documents
• Property transactions

Why Is a Notary Public Important?

Every year, millions of legal documents are exchanged across international borders. Governments, banks, multinational corporations, universities, and courts must rely on documents originating from different legal systems.

Without an independent verification process, it would be difficult to determine whether:

• the person signing the document is genuine;
• the signature has been forged;
• the document has been altered;
• a copied document accurately reflects the original; or
• the declaration was made voluntarily.

This is where a Notary Public plays a vital role.

A notarized document provides an additional level of credibility because an independent legal professional has confirmed the identity of the signer and followed established legal procedures before issuing the certification.

Although notarization does not automatically prove that every statement within a document is true, it does verify critical legal elements that help establish trust between parties.

For this reason, notarization has become an essential safeguard in international commerce, immigration, education, finance, and cross-border legal matters.

The History of Notaries

The profession of Notary Public has existed for more than two thousand years.

Its origins can be traced to the Roman Empire, where specially appointed officials known as notarii recorded legal agreements, governmental acts, and important transactions.

These officials developed a reputation for accuracy and impartiality. Their written records became accepted as reliable evidence before Roman authorities and courts.

As Roman law spread throughout Europe, the concept of notarization evolved alongside different legal traditions.

Today, almost every country recognizes some form of notarization, although the qualifications and authority of Notaries differ considerably.

In many civil law countries, such as France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, Notaries are highly specialized legal professionals with extensive responsibilities in property transfers, inheritance matters, and corporate transactions.

In common law countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, the scope of authority varies depending on local legislation.

Despite these differences, the fundamental purpose has remained unchanged:

to establish trust, authenticity, and legal certainty in important documents.

What Does a Notary Public Do?

Although responsibilities vary internationally, most Notaries perform several core functions.

1. Verifying Identity

Before notarizing any document, the Notary confirms the identity of every person signing the document.

Acceptable identification normally includes:

• Passport
• National Identification Card
• Government-issued Driver's License
• Other official photographic identification

Identity verification helps reduce fraud and ensures that documents are executed by the correct individual.

2. Witnessing Signatures

Many legal documents require signatures to be made in the presence of an authorized witness.

The Notary confirms that:

• the signer personally appeared;
• the signer understood the document;
• the signature was made voluntarily; and
• the identity of the signer was verified.

This process strengthens the evidential value of the document.

3. Certifying True Copies

A Notary may certify that a photocopy is a true and accurate copy of the original document.

Examples include:

• Passports
• Educational Certificates
• Birth Certificates
• Marriage Certificates
• Corporate Registration Documents
• Professional Licenses

Many foreign authorities prefer certified copies instead of original documents for security reasons.

4. Administering Oaths

Certain legal documents require an individual to swear or affirm that the contents are true.

Examples include:

• Affidavits
• Statutory Declarations
• Witness Statements
• Written Testimony

The Notary administers the oath and certifies that the declaration was properly made.

5. Authenticating Legal Documents

A Notary may also authenticate documents intended for use abroad, including:

• Powers of Attorney
• Commercial Agreements
• Corporate Documents
• International Contracts
• Board Resolutions
• Company Affidavits

These documents are often submitted to embassies, foreign government agencies, financial institutions, or multinational corporations.

Common Situations That Require Notarization

Notarization is frequently required in both personal and business matters.

Immigration and Visa Applications

Many immigration authorities require notarized supporting documents such as declarations, sponsorship letters, or certified copies of passports.

Studying Abroad

Universities often request notarized copies of:

• Degree Certificates
• Academic Transcripts
• Identification Documents
• Financial Statements

Overseas Employment

Employers may require notarized:

• Employment Contracts
• Professional Qualifications
• Criminal Background Documents
• Identity Documents

International Business

Companies frequently notarize:

• Board Resolutions
• Powers of Attorney
• Commercial Contracts
• Corporate Certificates

before conducting business overseas.

Property Transactions

Buying or selling property abroad may involve notarized authorizations, declarations, and identity documents.

Is Every Document Required to Be Notarized?

No.

Not every legal document requires notarization.

Many domestic documents are legally effective without notarization.

However, foreign governments, embassies, universities, banks, and international organizations often require notarization because they cannot independently verify documents issued in another country.

Whether notarization is required depends on the laws and regulations of the receiving country or institution.