What is a notarized copy of a document
This is the act by which a notary public authenticates the copy and its conformity to the original. Usually such a copy has the same legal effect as the original. A notarized copy includes all pages of the original, and if only a few are needed, such an action is called an "Extract". BetterLetter provides both of these services. Having in your hands a certified copy or an extract, you will be able to show them instead of the original when applying for a temporary or permanent residence permit and citizenship of the Russian Federation, as well as to put an Apostille on it in the Ministry of Justice or undergo Consular legalization for any country.
How to make a notarized copy
To order this service, it is necessary to provide original papers, already made photocopies or scans can not be used – this is one of the requirements of the law, as the notary must personally verify the compliance with the original. If you are unable to do this, write to us and we will try to find a way out. Usually the whole process does not take more than one working day, but for urgent orders we will make notarized copies in two hours. If you cannot make it to our office, our couriers can pick up the originals and then deliver the finished papers.
Document requirements
A notarized copy can be made if the document meets the requirements of the law "On Notariate", namely, if it:
- is issued by a Russian body, organization or individual in Russian language or is fully duplicated in it: for example, the diploma of Moscow State University and several other universities is issued in two languages. Papers in foreign languages are not subject to this action;
- contains no unspecified corrections, erasures or additions;
- is in good condition: shabby, torn, worn out documents are not suitable;
- is not laminated: a popular way to prolong the life of a birth certificate unfortunately renders it invalid;
- does not contain medical, military secrets and other confidential information that may harm the interests of the Russian Federation.
When receiving documents through Gosuslugi, the EDS (electronic digital signature) system is often used. To have such documents validated by a notary public, you need to provide a signature sample file, which are sent along with the PDF itself.
