I’ll come to Starbucks to Notarize your documents – The Coffee is on me!

I’ll come to Starbucks to Notarize your documents – The Coffee is on me!

Sometimes it’s not always convenient to meet my clients at their home or office – they have busy schedules and who doesn’t enjoy a cup of coffee during the day for a quick pick me up?

My business service is is mobile so I’m happy to travel and meet you at a convenient place. I am also happy to come to your home or office but because of the sensitive nature of many of the documents I notarize, my client may not want to have their documents notarized in the presence of friends, family or co-workers, so finding a neutral location to meet is sometimes important

Can You Provide Me With a Power of Attorney?

Can You Provide Me With a Power of Attorney?

As a California Notary Public I am often times asked to help with legal matters. However, since I am not an attorney and can not provide legal advice, I must refer my clients to a competent legal professional.

Power of Attorney Notarized

One document I am presented with most often is a Power of Attorney. While I can not provide forms for my clients or help them make any changes to the document, I am very familiar with various forms and variations of Power of Attorney documents and can provide the needed signature notarization.

As is often the case, this document is needed when a loved one is ill or near death and the family members looking over the signer’s affairs need to gain access to banking, medical or real estate services as an advocate for the Power of Attorney signer.

Just as in notarizing any document it is important that I obtain the correct and valid identification from the document signer. In most cases that means the signing party would provide a valid state issued Drivers License, ID card or a federally issued Passport. However, when the signer is elderly, often times they have relinquished their Drivers License and don’t have a valid ID card or Passport.

What to do?

If a signer does NOT have the proper valid legal identification, there is another option. The signer may present to me, the notary public, two witnesses who can vouch for the identity of the signer. The two witnesses must have valid Identification cards themselves and they MAY NOT be mentioned in the document being signed, or have anything to gain by it’s signing.

A Recent Client

I recently helped a family who’s father did not have a valid Identification card. However, he was able to present two witnesses who could vouch for his identity. When choosing witnesses in this situation, it is best to avoid using family members as they may be able to be linked to benefiting from the signing of the Power of Attorney document. I often recommend that my clients find neighbors or co-workers who have known the signer for several years and who feel comfortable vouching for the identity of the party being notarized.

Call for Help

While I can not provide legal advice, I can answer many questions about the notarization process and am always willing to discuss your situation with you. Feel free to call or email me any time! I also have a network of attorneys who I can refer you to as well for any specific legal questions.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

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It’s Time to SPRING Forward!

It’s Time to SPRING Forward!

Tonight is the night to set your clocks FORWARD one hour as we move into the warmer weather and longer days of spring! Did you know that once we enter day light savings time we are now 3 hours ahead of Hawaii?

Even though you’re losing an hour today, Bay Area Mobile Notary is always available to meet you – day or night at your home or office to help with any document notarizations you might need.

The Signature Notary Process

Remember, that we travel to you for a minimal charge of $20 + notarization fees ($10/signature).

Questions about what is required to notarize your document? Give me a call, I can answer many basic questions over the phone saving you time and money.

When you’re ready to meet, I’ll schedule a 15 minute appointment with you – most document notarizations take less than 5 minutes!

If you need more time or have additional questions once I arrive, that’s ok too! My goal is exceed your expectations!

Call me today at: 444.444.4444

Bay Area Mobile Notary, Notary Public Provides Mobile Notary Service Throughout Silcon Valley

Bay Area Mobile Notary Service

I provide on-site notary services throughout Silicon Valley and the South Bay Area.

There’s never a need to come to me – I’ll do the traveling and come to you when you need me.

My schedule is very flexible and can usually accommodate evening, weekend and holiday appointments.

For more information about my services please call or email me any time for more information.

Direct Cell – 444.444.4444

Please leave a message I typically return calls within 15 minutes!

Email – info@bayareamobilenotary.com

Do You Need a Document Notarized? I’ll Meet you at Peet’s Coffee!

Do You Need a Document Notarized? I’ll Meet you at Peet’s Coffee!

Often times, I’ll get a call from a client looking to get a few documents notarized who will ask where we can meet.

Because the basis of my business service is that I’m mobile and will travel, I suggest that I can meet them either at their home or office as long as they are within my ~20 mile travel radius. Because of the sensitive nature of many of the documents I notarize, the client may not want to have their documents notarized in the presence of friends, family or co-workers, so finding a neutral location to meet is sometimes important.

Getting a Passport for your Child? – You may need to see a Notary

Getting a Passport for your Child? – You may need to see a Notary

The neighborhood I live in has a Yahoo discussion group setup so that we can all keep in touch with each other on local happenings as well as share references for high quality trades people and local businesses. I’ve gotten to know quite a few of my neighbors because of this group and I’m always available to serve their mobile notary needs.

Today I received a call from one of my past clients asking if I could swing by to notarize a couple of documents for him so that his wife could get passports for their children. He and his wife recently got divorced and she is no longer living in the home. However, because of upcoming overseas travel plans in Spring 2012, they need to get a U.S. Passport for their two kids.

U.S. Department of State Passport Applications

Overseas kidnapping by divorced parents has risen dramatically over the last 10 years, so in an effort to control the situation where one parent is unaware of the other parent’s desire to take the child or children overseas, new passport regulations have been introduced. The Department of State & U.S. Passport offices now require that when applying for a minor child‘s passport, both parents must be present at the time of application, as well as the child or children.

Since this is often not possible, the Passport Agency has provided a work around via form DS-3053. When this form is signed by the absent parent and notarized, it provides proof of consent to the U.S. Department of State that both parents agree to the processing of the minor child’s passport application.

The DS-3053 is very straightforward and my client had most of it filled out upon my arrival. After witnessing him sign the document it only took a few minutes to complete the needed notarization.

Convenient Service At Your Home

I often tell my clients, you don’t need a notary public very often, but when you do they are often hard to find or to schedule. He was very glad that he could work from home on a Monday morning *and* get his documents notarized with little hassle or cost.

The passport form DS-3053 is just one of many standard documents that I see in my daily travels as a California Mobile Notary Public. If you have any questions about document notarization or need to schedule an appointment just call us at 444.444.4444 or email: info@bayareamobilenotary.com

International Adoption: Notary needed onsite

International Adoption: Notary needed onsite

As a professional service provider, I love meeting many different people each day and helping to notarize many different types of documents. A large part of my business however, comes from one source in particular – clients wishing to adopt children internationally from outside of the United States.

I have worked with clients of many different agencies, the one I help the most is a local agency in Mountain View: Bay Area Adoption Services (or BAAS for short). Bay Area Adoption Services is not related to Bay Area Mobile Notary in any way, other than we both share a passion for helping families wishing to adopt internationally.

FAQ: Can you notarize my pictures?

FAQ: Can you notarize my pictures?

From time to time I get requests to notarize one or more sets of pictures. Often times this relates to documents being sent overseas for immigration or adoption purposes. While in other countries notarizing pictures may be a common practice, in the State of California it is not allowed. As a California Notary Public I am only able to notarize signatures, not “things” (such as pictures).

However, there is an acceptable way of handling this problem that will not only solve the client’s needs, but will still stay within the guidelines set forth by the Secretary of State in California.

Stop! Don’t Notarize that Will

Stop! Don’t Notarize that Will

Thinking about death isn’t such a pleasant thing – but being prepared for it is. Part of that process is making sure that you have an updated and accurate Last Will and Testament. Because there are many legal resources available online for low or no-cost many people will choose to prepare their own Will and Testament to save a few dollars, rather than paying an attorney. It seems like the obvious thing to do, once the Will is complete, it should be taken to a Notary Public so that it can be notarized to “prove” the intentions of the signer.

As part of the comprehensive training that all California Notary Public’s go through now, I will ask you to seek the council of an estate planning attorney before requesting me to notarize your Will. An improperly created Will that is notarized can in face be null and void.  While I can not provide you with ANY legal advice, I will only notarize your Will if you give me specific directions that your attorney has instructed you to do so. If you seek to have your Will notarized, you should be able to provide your notary with the name, address and phone number of the attorney who advised you to seek notarization of your Will. Only then should a California Notary Public proceed with the notarization process of your Last Will and Testament.

Even Attorney’s Need A Notary Sometimes

Even Attorney’s Need A Notary Sometimes

Today was a busy day – my phone kept  ringing off the hook with folks looking for a notary to come help them with their documents. It’s like that a lot in the mobile notary business – when it rains it pours! I’m not sure why this is – perhaps everyone was trying to finish up all their outstanding business before heading out to enjoy the 4th of July Holiday weekend?  But what ever the case – I always try to help as many clients as I possibly can.