Notarization

Unraveling The Confusion

So you've gathered all your dossier documents! Congratulations, that is a *huge* step!

Before your documents can be submitted by your agency to the CCAA, they need to go through a three step process: notarization, state certification, and Chinese authentication. We will discuss the first two on this page. Once you have built your dossier, , each document in your dossier (except for the photos and passport copies) need to be notarized. The notary should have at least 9 months left on his or her commission; the notary needs to be valid when your documents arrive at the CCAA!!

• There are several states that have special notary wording and requirements. For example, if you live in the states of CA, FL, GA, NC or MA, you need to talk to your secretary of state about the specific requirements. In fact, you should always check with your SoS to verify notary requirements. It would be a shame to notarize all your docs only to find out they aren't acceptable by your state!

Note: Vital records like your certified marriage license and birth certificates are considered already notarized. You can skip this step for those records.

Your police clearances, medical forms, financial statement, employer letters, etc.... all need notarization. Something simple like the following is what is commonly used:

State of ___________

County of ___________

Subscribed and sworn before me this ______ day of

________________, 20____.

(seal or notary stamp goes here)

____________________________________

Notary Public

My Commission Expires: ____________________

Statement of Authenticity

For example, have your doctor fill out the medical form and sign it. Later in the week, attach a statement of authenticity to the document, go before a notary, and sign the statement before him/her. This is also called attestation and is very common in the legal world.

Again, please note that NOT ALL AGENCIES are OK with this. Some are very 'by the book' agencies (that's not all bad) and won't let you do a statement of authenticity. I happen to think it's helpful and am glad my agency allows it, but please check with yours about this issue.

Notary Checklist

• Make sure the notary that signs your documents has at least 6-9 months left on their commission.
• Make sure the notary signs his/her name EXACTLY the way it's written on their stamp.
• Make sure the notary uses their stamp on your document!

Note: Before notarizing anything, check with your secretary of state to make sure there aren't any specific requirements for notary wording.

State Certification

You can access a complete list of all fifty secretary of states here. Click on the states your documents are from to see a list of state government offices, including the secretary of state!

• Each document must be state certified in the state where the notary was licensed. For example, if you have a Nebraska birth certificate, that document must be sent to the Nebraska secretary of state for certification. If your medical form was notarized in Alabama, that document must go to the Alabama secretary of state for certification.

There are a handful of states that require you to certify at the county level before you go to the state. Ask your agency if your state is one of them. If so, you will need to certify your documents in the county in which the notary was registered. Very few states have this requirement though, so most people do not need to worry about it. Ask your agency for help with this step.

IMPORTANT

• Some states call it authentication, or the Great Seal. Most states also offer apostilles for documents (a different form of certification). YOU DO NOT WANT APOSTILLES FOR DOCUMENTS GOING TO CHINA! China does not accept apostilled documents. When sending in your request to the secretary of state, make SURE you specify that you are adopting from China and do NOT want an apostille!

The Process

On each state's SOS website, instructions can usually be found about how to apply for state certification or authentication. Some states supply you with an application form, while others just want you to write a letter with the appropriate information included. All states charge a fee for each document certified. It can be as low as $3 or as high as $30! Check with your state. Make sure to follow whatever instructions are listed on the website carefully! You will need to send your original document(s) along with the application form or letter and fee. It is a good idea to send these important documents via UPS or Fedex so you can track their progress. Some states also require a self addressed return envelope or pre-paid mailing label for the return of your certified documents.

The Certification Page

The authentication department will staple a certification page to each original document you submit. It is VITAL that you do NOT unstaple these pages, even to copy them! Do not alter or unattach the state certification page or it can be rendered in-valid.

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