# Notary public attestation on statutory declaration.



## jewelthief (Feb 7, 2015)

Hello!

I am going for skill assessment from Australian computer society. Most part of my work experience is from a company which is unwilling to give me an experience letter so I am going for Statutory declaration option. I have an obtained experience certificate from a senior colleague who supervised me for most part of my stay at this company (although we are at the same designation now). Anyway as he is going to print SD at a stamp paper and he will sign it along with a witness but I dont understand about the following guidelines from ACS:

_The following Statutory Declarations or Affidavits are NOT suitable:
- Does NOT contain words to the effect "Sworn Before" or "Signed Before" or "Witnessed Before".
- From a junior colleague
- Stating the referee agrees with what the applicant has written in another document
*- Stamp and signature of Notary Public doesn't state that the referee's signature is witnessed
- Signature of Notary Public only states "Attested Copy".*_

I don't understand last two points (in bold) especially the second last. In my country, Notary signs and stamps the document. In this case, What else Notary exactly has to do?

Any help would be appreciated.


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

It's saying the document is NOT suitable if the notary public DOESN'T stamp it, sign it and state that the signature was witnessed. The document is also NOT suitable if the Notary's signature only states "attested copy." 

So the document IS suitable in the opposite situation - the notary stamps & signs the document, and says they've witnessed your signature. That's what they want, and it sounds like that's what's going to happen?


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## jewelthief (Feb 7, 2015)

Thanks a lot for a quick reply. So this means that Notary will write an additional sentence with his stamp and signature that he has witnessed the signature. Should it also be a printed sentence or Notary can write it in his hand writting?


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## CollegeGirl (Nov 10, 2012)

Sorry, I don't know. Might not make a difference - hopefully someone else will know for sure.


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## jewelthief (Feb 7, 2015)

One more question: Notary public generally is authorized witness also. So does this mean that I need not sign the SD from a separate authorized witness? Only Notary public will do?


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## Homesickaussie (Oct 16, 2014)

jewelthief said:


> Thanks a lot for a quick reply. So this means that Notary will write an additional sentence with his stamp and signature that he has witnessed the signature. Should it also be a printed sentence or Notary can write it in his hand writting?


The notary that you go to should be able to answer these questions based on the law in the country you are in.


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## Engaus (Nov 7, 2013)

jewelthief said:


> Thanks a lot for a quick reply. So this means that Notary will write an additional sentence with his stamp and signature that he has witnessed the signature. Should it also be a printed sentence or Notary can write it in his hand writting?


The notary should be writing that in their own hand writing. It is part of authenticating the document as a true copy.


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## murtza4u (May 19, 2013)

jewelthief said:


> Thanks a lot for a quick reply. So this means that Notary will write an additional sentence with his stamp and signature that he has witnessed the signature. Should it also be a printed sentence or Notary can write it in his hand writting?


I am also facing the same problem. So how did you solve this? I asked from Notary but they don't have any stamp saying "Sworn Before" or "Signed Before" or "Witnessed Before". Have your Notary wrote with their own hand writing? or have you printed these words and got signed by the Notary? How you did it?

It is actually very inconvenient to ask a colleague (who now work in a different company) to come to court and make/revise the declaration again and again :-(


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## Engaus (Nov 7, 2013)

The stamp does not say any of that. It will simply be a stamp with their details. Then they write in their own handwriting and sign the document. This is how it's down in the UK anyway.

Anyone who claims to be a notary should really know how to do this. It's not any different to how they would normally witness a document.


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## anshul89 (Mar 19, 2015)

Hello Everyone,

I am applying for Subclass 189 visa from India and need to undergo skill assessment by ACS. This query is regarding the correct authority in India to sign the statutory declaration on Employment reference after it is signed by a colleague from the organization on a supervisory level.

I came across the following statement somewhere on the Australian Immigration website and want to be double sure to avoid any ambiguity.

*If you are outside Australia
"If you are outside Australia and are unable to get an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident to complete a statutory declaration in support of your relationship with your partner, you may obtain statements from people who know you and your sponsor. Such statements are not statutory declarations under Australian law. However, in accordance with policy, they should be witnessed or certified according to the legal practices of the relevant country. Failing that, they should be witnessed by a person whose occupation or qualification is comparable to a person included in the prescribed persons list on pages 28-29. This person should sign, date and specify their occupation or qualification at the bottom of the statement."*

My queries:

1. Can this statutory declaration on Employment Reference be signed by a Class 1 Gazetted Indian Officer other than notary public? What is the cost of the stamp paper to be used for each statutory declaration?

2. Who are the other set of people with designation to sign this declaration in India?

Thank you.


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## Cris9343 (Oct 10, 2016)

*Statutory declaration in Bahrain*

Hi,

I am currently residing in Bahrain and required to do a statutory declaration for my job description for the skills assessment.

I cannot find anyone who is Australian certified or connected to Australia from the list of witnesses and there is no Australian embassy or consulate in Bahrain.

Please advise on how I can go about this process.

Thanks,


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