New York Chinese Notary Public Remote/On-site Notarization Phone 518-956-5673

 

What does a notary public in the United States notarize? Simply put, they only notarize your signature. The most basic version of notarization by a notary is: "On a certain date, so-and-so signed his/her name in my presence." Then the notary stamps the document. The notary is only responsible for your signature and does not need to be accountable for the content of the notarized document.

Most notaries in the United States are independent individuals, often working part-time. There are no large institutions like "notary offices" in the U.S., and notaries do not become civil servants. Often, a small sign saying "Notary" posted on the window of an intermediary agency indicates that notarization services are available there. In Chinatown, a sign saying "地保" (dibao) or similar posted outside a small shop indicates the presence of a notary. If you need notarization, just go inside and find them.

Why do Chinese people refer to notaries as "地保" (dibao) or "地保官" (dibaoguan)? There is no specific written record or explanation for this; it is simply a convention.

Some government agencies have notaries on staff. Banks, law firms, and real estate companies also employ notaries for convenience. Becoming a notary in the United States is a straightforward process.

Each state manages notaries in a similar manner. In some states, becoming a lawyer automatically qualifies you as a notary. To become a notary, you simply need a clean background, attend a few hours of training, pass an exam, and submit an application.

Once you become a notary, the process of notarizing for clients involves the client presenting identification, the notary verifying it, the client signing, and the notary signing and stamping. This entire process takes only two to three minutes, without the need to wait three to five working days to collect the document.

Notaries also do not comment on the content of the document, as it is not their responsibility. Each notarization costs between $5 and $25. Notaries cannot notarize documents for their immediate family members or themselves.

I am a notary myself, but this is not my full-time job; it is simply for convenience in handling documents. For documents requiring notarization, I verify the client's identification, the client signs, and I notarize it, merely certifying that it is the client's signature. I am responsible for the client's signature but not for the content of the document.

The signer is responsible for the document. If there are any legal issues with the content, you should contact the signer, not me. However, if you question the authenticity of the signature, you should contact the notary.

As for the "Single Status Certificate" required for American Chinese or Americans to marry in China, it is essentially a "Single Status Declaration" that must go through three levels of notarization, which Chinese people refer to as "三级公证" (three-level notarization).

This "three-level notarization" is easier to explain among Chinese people, as it is difficult for Americans to understand. Regardless of the number of levels, the notarization only certifies the declarant's signature, while the content remains the responsibility of the declarant.