Notary

Who a notary is

In Georgia a notary is a private practitioner who holds powers granted by the state and is supervised by the Notary Chamber.

The notary is neutral between the parties: they check identity, intention and that each party has understood the text.

Our role

We are not a notary or a law firm. The text is prepared by a licensed lawyer we work with, and the notarial act is performed by the notary.

We choose the notary, translate the text, arrange the visit and provide an interpreter.

When you need a notary

The law requires notarial form for some transactions and not for others. Sometimes the parties choose a notary simply for peace of mind.

A bank, the registry or a foreign authority often asks for a notarised document.

Before we plan a visit, we check whether this step really needs a notary.

Language and the interpreter

Notarial acts are carried out in Georgian. If a party does not know Georgian, an interpreter is required.

The interpreter translates the whole text in the notary's presence and signs it as well.

As a rule, the interpreter must not have an interest in the transaction - so a relative or a business partner cannot take this role.

Translating the text in advance

We translate the text a few days before the visit and send it to you.

That way you ask your questions early and do not meet an unfamiliar word for the first time at the notary's desk.

Changes are always possible at the notary, but every change makes the visit longer.

A bilingual text

Sometimes the document is prepared in two columns: Georgian and your language side by side.

This is especially convenient if the document will also be used abroad.

Which text prevails in case of disagreement is written into the document itself.

Proof of identity

The notary checks identity with a valid passport. Nothing is done on an expired one.

The Georgian transliteration of a foreign name must be the same in every document.

So before the visit we check how your name is spelled in the registry, at the bank and in earlier documents.

A power of attorney in Georgia

With a power of attorney someone else acts on your behalf: registers a company, opens an account, buys or sells property.

Georgian authorities accept a notarised power of attorney without difficulty.

Often the smartest route is to sign it during one visit and then fly home.

The wording of a power of attorney

A power of attorney must be precise: what rights you give, for how long, and whether the representative may pass them on to someone else.

A very broad power of attorney is risky, and a very narrow one may fail at one important step.

The lawyer drafts the text for the specific task, not from a general template.

A power of attorney from abroad

If you cannot come to Georgia, the power of attorney can be signed in your own country, before a local notary.

Such a document usually needs an apostille or legalisation, and in Georgia a notarised translation into Georgian.

We send you the text in advance so that the notary there certifies it in the form our authorities accept.

The consular route

Some Georgian consulates abroad perform notarial acts.

Such a document needs no apostille, because it has already been issued by a Georgian authority.

But the queue or the booking at a consulate can be long, so we compare both routes.

Revoking a power of attorney

You can revoke a power of attorney at any time. The revocation is also done at a notary.

What matters is that the representative, and the authorities where the power of attorney was presented, learn about the revocation.

When a project ends, we always remind you to revoke it.

Certifying a signature

Often the notary does not certify the text, only that the signature really is yours.

Applications, company decisions and some bank forms are certified this way.

You must sign in the notary's presence - they cannot certify a signature made beforehand.

Certifying a copy

The notary confirms that a copy matches the original. You bring the original to the visit.

Such a copy is often accepted instead of the original, and the original stays with you.

We work out in advance how many copies you need, so that you do not need a second visit.

Certifying a translation

In Georgia a translation is certified by the notary certifying the translator's signature.

The translator proves their language skills to the notary with a diploma or certificate.

A notarised translation becomes an official Georgian document.

Company decisions

A decision of the partners' meeting or of a sole owner often needs its signature certified before it goes to the registry.

A change of director, an amendment to the charter, a new address - each step has its own document.

When the partners live in different countries, we collect the signatures in stages.

Selling a share

Buying or selling a share in an LLC is done by a contract that is then registered in the registry.

Certifying the signatures or using notarial form is often part of the process.

Before you sign, the lawyer checks the company's debts and any restrictions in the charter.

Buying property

In Georgia a real estate purchase is often made in simple written form and registered in the Public Registry.

A notary is not always required, but when buying by proxy or in instalments it gives extra protection.

Before the purchase the lawyer checks the extract, any seizure and any mortgage.

Loans and leases

A private loan agreement or a long-term lease is often signed before a notary.

The notarial form gives the parties stronger evidence.

In some cases it also makes it easier to enforce a debt quickly.

The writ of execution

For some notarial contracts, when the debt is undisputed, the notary can issue a writ of execution.

This allows enforcement to begin without going through the courts.

This option must be built into the contract in advance - the lawyer will advise you on it.

A will

A will is most reliably made before a notary. It is kept in the notary's archive.

If your property is in several countries, the will must take the rules of each of them into account.

That is why we compare a Georgian will with an adviser in your own country.

Inheritance

An inheritance is accepted at a notary within the period set by law, and the notary issues the certificate of inheritance.

An heir living abroad does not always need to come for this - a power of attorney is enough.

The deadline is strict, so we gather the documents without delay.

Consent for a child's travel

When a child travels with one parent or without the parents, notarised consent from the other parent is often needed.

The consent states the country, the period and the accompanying person.

If the parent is abroad, the consent is made there and then translated.

Deposit

Some notaries accept money or a document on deposit, to be handed to the other party once a condition is met.

This is useful when the parties do not yet know each other well.

The conditions are written precisely: what is handed over, when, and on presentation of which document.

Recording a fact

A notary can record a fact in a protocol: for example, the content of a website or the handing over of a document.

Such a protocol can later serve as evidence in a dispute.

When evidence could disappear, it is better to record it at once.

A notary who comes to you

If you cannot get to the office - hospital, age, time - a notary can come to your home or hotel.

A visit away from the office is agreed in advance and paid separately.

The interpreter comes to the same place, and we fit everything into one appointment.

Planning the visit

We plan the visit so that the text, the interpreter and all parties are in place at the same time.

If you are coming for a short trip, we book the notary for the first days, so that there is time to fix any mistake.

The bank and the registry are often added on the same day.

How the visit goes

The notary first checks your passport and asks what you want to do. Then the text is read aloud and the interpreter translates it into your language.

If anything is unclear, this is the moment to ask - a change after signing means a new act.

After signing, the notary enters the act in the register and hands you the copies.

What banks ask for

Banks often ask for their own form when a representative opens or manages an account.

Some banks accept a power of attorney only if it clearly states the banking powers.

So we agree the wording of the power of attorney with the bank before you go to the notary.

Documents of a foreign company

When the owner of a Georgian company is a foreign company, its documents are needed too: an extract, the charter, a decision of its board.

These documents usually need an apostille and a notarised Georgian translation.

We draw up the list from the forms of your country's registry, so that you order nothing you do not need.

How recent a document is

Some authorities accept only a recently issued extract or certificate.

If you bring an old document, you may have to order it again - and that means a new apostille too.

So we check how recent a document the authority accepts before you order it.

What to bring

A valid passport, all original documents and, if needed, earlier powers of attorney.

When acting for a company - the registry extract and the document showing your authority.

We send you the list in writing before the visit, in your language.

Timing

A simple certification is often done the same day. A complex contract needs preparation.

Most of the time goes into agreeing the text, not into the visit to the notary.

An apostille and translation of a foreign document need their own time.

The electronic register

A notarial act is entered in the register and receives a unique number.

Its authenticity can often be checked electronically, and foreign authorities do this too.

We check every document before we hand you a copy.

Duplicates and the archive

The notary keeps a copy of the act in the archive.

If a document is lost, a duplicate can be issued.

The duplicate is requested from the notary or the archive where the act is kept.

An apostille on a notarial document

The notary does not issue apostilles. If a Georgian notarial document is going abroad, the apostille is issued separately.

This is often done within a few days of the notarial act.

We allow for it when planning the visit, if the document has to fly home with you.

A document for use abroad

If the document will be used in your country, we check in advance what form the authority there requires.

Some accept a bilingual text, others only a local translation.

This question has to be settled before the visit, not after it.

Choosing a notary

When choosing a notary we look at experience with foreigners, location and how quickly they respond.

Some notaries speak English or Russian, but that does not change the requirement for an interpreter.

For a complex matter we choose a notary who often certifies transactions of that kind.

Notary and lawyer

A notary is neutral and does not protect the interests of either party.

Protecting your interests - checking the text, assessing the risk - is a lawyer's job.

So for a complex transaction it is the lawyer first, then the notary.

Parties in different countries

When one party is in Georgia and the other abroad, one side often acts through a power of attorney.

Sometimes the signatures are made separately in two countries and then brought together.

We choose the route according to which country's authority will receive the final document.

A statement for a foreign authority

Sometimes an authority in your country asks for a written statement with a signature certified by a notary: for example, about your address, family status or income.

The notary certifies the signature, while you are responsible for the accuracy of the statement.

We prepare the text from the template of the authority that will receive it, and make it bilingual.

Common mistakes

Different transliterations of a name in different documents. An expired passport. A relative as the interpreter.

A power of attorney that is too general. Forgetting the apostille on a document that is going abroad.

A short check before the visit avoids all of this.

What we need from you

What needs to be done and which authority will receive the document.

A copy of your passport, the documents you already have and the other party's details, if there is one.

When you will be in Georgia and which language you want the translation in.

Price

Notary fees are regulated and depend on the type of act.

The cost of the lawyer, the interpreter and our coordination are separate lines, agreed in advance.

We add nothing to the notary's fee.