# Certifying documents in the UK



## AmyinLondon (Sep 8, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I have hunted around for an answer to this question but I am getting myself confused. I wonder if anyone can tell me who can actually certify original documents in the UK? 

We are applying for a defacto partner visa through the London office and I am submitting originals of our bank statements (reprints mostly) and certified copies of originals like birth certificates, passports etc. I wanted to check if it is just a solicitor or a notary/jp who can certify things in the UK or can we get someone equivalent from the list on the stat dec form 888?

Any help would be much appreciated if anyone has any experience with this issue.

Many thanks!


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

I'd expect Amy that the UK govt. have a list of people a bit like we do in Australia and it'll just mean checking with the HO or if a question was asked at somewhere like a PO or PS they would probably be able to advise.
Are you close to Sun Hill and The Bill!
But all the Oz govt. does is accept certification by who other countries' govt. authorises.

*edit* A quick search finds


> a local business person or shopkeeper
> a librarian
> a professionally qualified person, for example, a lawyer, teacher or engineer
> a police officer
> ...


Or http://www.teachers-uk.co.uk/candidates/downloads/Certifying-your-documents.pdf with a link.


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## AmyinLondon (Sep 8, 2010)

Thanks Wanderer, I think I found the same article when I was researching too  . But then I got myself confused thinking who can witness the stat dec is not the same as who can certify an official document like birth certificate/passport etc. I know I can get a notary to sign it which means they most probably wouldn't have known me for 2 years but I have called around and no one seems to be able to tell me what the norm is here in the UK, only who can witness a passport here which again is a little different. Couldn't see a list on their Att. Gen website here either. Very frustrating! There should be a decisive list for people to refer to for each country as this has to be a common question.

Think I'll email Australia House here and see if they can tell me! Many thanks for your help


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Getting a stat decln. witnessed is different to having a copy certified from what I've seen of sites for the UK, it could be either a solicitor or a magistrate.
I'd pop along to the local magistrates court for if they're anything like here in OZ they'll have an admin counter and you may find that some senior magistrates clerks are authorised for it or they ought to be able to advise.


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## AmyinLondon (Sep 8, 2010)

Thanks again, wanderer - I contacted the local Magistrates court a couple weeks ago and they want to charge £20 per document!

Immig. came back to me actually really quickly and these are the people they say can certify documents in the UK: Solicitor, Magistrate, Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths, Position/agency recognised by the law of country to certify documents, Officer of a Court appointed by a Judge to take affidavits.

So hopefully I can track down a friend of a friend who is a solicitor to do it on the cheap


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## Zultan (Jul 11, 2010)

Wanderer's list is out of date. From the Australian High Commission website: dima_cert - Australian High Commission


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## suki (Apr 30, 2011)

AmyinLondon said:


> Immig. came back to me actually really quickly and these are the people they say can certify documents in the UK: Solicitor, Magistrate, Notary Public, Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Oaths, Position/agency recognised by the law of country to certify documents, Officer of a Court appointed by a Judge to take affidavits.
> 
> Hi AmyinLondon,
> 
> ...


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## headinghome (Sep 20, 2011)

Hi, am i right in saying...

*'Copies Certified' * are important legal documents (birth cert, passport) which need to be certified by a notary, solicitor, JP etc

*'Stat decs which require witnessing'* this would by someone of good standing in the public (pharmacist, police officer, dr etc who have known you for at least 2 years) 
This 'witnessing' would include all your additional paperwork (evidence, bank accounts, statements from friends and family etc)

As im confusing myself too about which one is which..

Do you think it would be ok to provide photo copies of all the bank statements, and have them witnessed by someone of good standing? As i dont really want to send in the originals...

Thanks


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## SarahM (Feb 8, 2011)

headinghome said:


> *'Stat decs which require witnessing'* this would by someone of good standing in the public (pharmacist, police officer, dr etc who have known you for at least 2 years)
> This 'witnessing' would include all your additional paperwork (evidence, bank accounts, statements from friends and family etc)


Hi, no that's not right.

When you get a statutory declaration witnessed, it can be done by the same people who have the write to certify a copy. They don't have to know you, you just have to sign the document in their prescence and they verify that you are the person who signed.
Evidence such as bank statements, ect *does not get witnessed*, only signatures are witnessed.

Statutory declarations: must be singed in front of a witness (not just your friend, the relevant authority)

Certified copies: photocopies of important documents (passport/birth certificate) that have been 'stamped' by someone who is allowed to verify that it is indeed a true copy.

Immigration does not want originals, the *only document* of which you will provide the original is the police check/clearance. For everything else, just make photocopies. Only important photocopies need to be "certified" - photocopy your bank statements and get them certified. Don't certify unimportant things such as receipts/letters/emails, ect.

I think you should read the partner migration booklet, and page 27 is all about "certified copies":
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/1127.pdf


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