You may need a copy of your document that a notary public has certified and verified. This copy is called a true certified copy. The notary public stamps and signs the true copy of your original document, and this way, your true copy becomes legalized and able to present in different organizations. A notarized or certified true copy must be an accurate and readable copy of the real document unless a notary public can’t verify it.
Copies of passport, birth certification, driving license, and other identification are among the most common true copies that people ask for their notarization. Clients mostly use a certified true copy for immigration application forms and personal certifications.
How a Notary Public Certifies Your True Copy?
Examining the original document is the first step a notary public does to certify or verify a true copy since the notary public should first get convinced that the original document’s photocopy is real. So S/he compares the copy and the document precisely and must be satisfied that it is true and accurate of the presented document.
If convinced, the notary public verifies that the copy is a true one of the original one by putting a printed statement on it. The notary public confirms that the copy is true by this printed statement, then seals and signs it. A notary public’s sign and the seal may require authentication by the government if they want to apply the certified copy in a jurisdiction in other countries than Canada.
Does a Notary Public Have to See the Original Document?
The answer is sure, yes! The notary public must first compare the copy with the original document and then perform the verification or certification process. So, you must have the original document with you in your appointment with the notary public if you need a certified true copy. A picture or a scan of the document will not certainly be sufficient.
When You May Need a Certified True Copy?
A person may be out of Canada and need the original document, which is in Ontario. In this case, you can ask one of your relatives and friends to show the original document and its copy to a notary public for verification.
Besides, suppose you are in Ontario and need the original document that is in another country. In that case, you must ask somebody in that country to send the original document to you. Then you can take the original document and its copy with you to a notary public and obtain the certified true copy of it.
Why a Certified True Copy?
The certification process done by a notary public guarantees that your document photocopy is true and accurate. Sometimes the original document is not available to present to a specific organization, or you don’t want to take the original document with you to prevent it from being lost. In this case, you can take a true copy certified by a notary public.
