NOTARIAL SERVICES INFORMATION

The United States Embassy only notarizes documents
which will be used in the U.S.
Please review our Security Procedures prior to your visit.

THE U.S. EMBASSY ANNOUNCES A NEW PROCEDURE FOR VISA AND NOTARIAL SERVICES

As of October 1, 2007, the U.S. Embassy Consular Information Service (CIS) will no longer require the public to purchase a Personal Identification Number (PIN) at Banco Provincial for visa and notarial services. Instead, the Consular Information Service will be accessible via a new Credit Card PIN. (Complete text)

PUBLIC HOURS

Notary services are available to the Public from the American Citizen Services Section at the Embassy in Caracas on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (No notary services are provided on Wednesdays.) U.S. citizen customers who are the principal signers on a document do not need an appointment and may come at 1:00 p.m. for notarial services.

IDENTIFICATION

All persons intending to sign a document must be present in person and must present current government issued identification with a photograph, such as a current passport or laminated “Cédula”. Mutilated, altered, or damaged identifications will NOT be accepted as proof of identity. The ID must match the name on the documents. If marital status is listed on the ID as single and document has a married name, the customer needs to provide a marriage certificate or vice versa.

Any person signing in a corporate capacity must provide both personal ID and corporate identification, such as letters of incorporation or “Estatutos” that show the position of the individual at the company.

All persons signing the document must understand what the document says. The consular officer cannot notarize a document unless the consular officer is certain the signer understands what the document means. The consular officer cannot explain the document to the customer.

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

If you are signing a document as an Attorney in Fact (Power of Attorney), the document must state that a POA is being used. You must also submit the notarized Power of Attorney. Affidavits must be signed personally by the affiant. They cannot be signed by an Attorney in Fact.

CLIENTS MUST PROVIDE OWN WITNESSES

If any witnesses are required to witness your signature on the document, you are responsible for having them present at the time of your appointment. Witnesses must be 18 or over and may not be family members of the persons signing the document. Witnesses also need a valid government-issued photo ID. Mutilated, altered, or damaged identifications will NOT be accepted as proof of identity. Consular section employees cannot act as witnesses.

NO LEGAL ADVICE

The Consular Section does not provide legal advice in any instance. The Consular Section does not prepare or recommend formats for legal documents. Legal documents should be prepared by competent counsel, in accordance with legal requirements of the U.S. jurisdiction where they will be used. Each U.S. state has different formats and requirements for legal documents. It is the responsibility of the customer to prepare the document in an acceptable form and language. Documents can be either in English or Spanish depending on the requirements of the location where it will be used.

All documents must be completely filled in. All schedules or exhibits that are supposed to be attached to a document must be submitted. Documents cannot be signed in advance.

The Embassy does not require extra copies.

LIST OF ATTORNEYS

A list of local Venezuelan attorneys, some of whom have U.S. expertise, is available upon request. Provision of this list does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the Embassy of the lawyers therein.

PUBLIC TRANSLATORS

A list of Spanish-English translators published by the Venezuelan Civil Association of Public Interpreters is available from the Consular Section web page.

The Consular Section does not endorse or recommend any Venezuelan public translators; nor does it maintain a signature registry of same for authentication purposes. If a customer needs the translation of a document to be notarized by the Embassy, the translator must bring the original document and the translation along with a valid photo ID in order to have a translation notarized. The translator must sign the translation in the presence of the consular officer.

CERTIFIED COPIES

(Legalized Documents) Venezuela implemented the Hague Convention on Legalization in March 1999, therefore public documents issued in Venezuela with an "Apostille" granted by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry are acceptable in the United States without further action by the Embassy.

The Embassy does not authenticate copies of Venezuelan public documents such as birth certificates, passports, marriage certificates, school transcripts, etc. You must obtain an “Apostille” from the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry. The Consular Section does NOT provide certified true copies of documents, except for IRS Tax form W-7.

Persons requesting certified copies of their passport for the W-7 form must bring the completed W-7 form, original valid passport, and a copy of the biographical information including renewals, from their passport.

If you require a certified copy of a document originally issued in the United States, such as academic documents, birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc. you must request it with an “Apostille” from the State in which it was issued.

LAST WILL OR TESTAMENTS

The consular section may notarize wills, but no member of the consular section staff may serve as a witness for the signature of a will. If you require witnesses to your signature, you will need to provide them.

If you intend the will to be executed in the United States, you may wish to consult an attorney in the United States to ensure that the will is acceptable in the jurisdiction in which it will be used.

FEES

The fee for the first notary seal and signature on oaths/affirmations and acknowledgements is $30.00. Each additional notary seal and signature is $20.00. Each service must be paid in CASH, in either dollars or Bolívares (exchange rate 2150Bs) or with a CREDIT CARD that accepts dollar denominated charges.

All notary fees are paid at the Embassy during the appointment. An itemized receipt is issued for each service.

LOCATION

Limited parking is available on a first come first serve basis for the Notary Service Customers in the Consular Parking lot. The Consular Agency in Maracaibo is open on Mondays from 8:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
You do not need an appointment to request a notarial at the Consular Agency in Maracaibo.

We also offer Notary Services at our Consular Outreaches to various cities in Venezuela. You do not need an appointment for notary service at the Outreaches throughout the year. We conduct approximately 10 such outreaches per year.

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