Notarial Services

Please note: The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on the following lists. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information.

Appointments are now required for all notary services. To make and cancel an appointment, please visit the ACS Appointment System or e-mail us at caparamar@state.gov .

U.S. Consular Officers may provide specific notarial services authorized by relevant U.S. law and Department of State policy for all U.S. citizens. In addition, they can provide services for any person regardless of nationality so long as the document being notarized is required for use within the jurisdiction of the United States and is authorized by relevant U.S. law.

Services we CAN provide

Acknowledgement of signature
An Acknowledgement of signature verifies that a particular person signed a given document such as a deed or bill of sale. We can notarize only the signatures of those who are present to sign in front of a Consular officer.
Affidavits
An affidavit is a sworn statement of facts, made voluntarily, and confirmed by the oath or affirmation of the person making it. Note that we can assume no responsibility for the truth or falsity of the representations that appear in the affidavit. Only the identity of the individual making the statement is validated.
Powers of Attorney
A power of attorney allows you to designate someone to take legal action on your behalf, such as authorizing someone to buy or sell a property in the United States in your name while you are abroad.
Certified true copies of U.S. passports.
Certified true copies of foreign passport for use with individual tax number applications.
Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent for issuance of a U.S. passport to a minor (No fee required)

Services we CANNOT provide

U.S. law precludes the provision of notarial services in certain cases. Among others, consular officers may not provide notarial services in connection with:

Authentication of public documents issued in the U.S. such as birth, residency, marriage, divorce, and death certificates; commercial records, driver’s license and other credentials. Such documents must be authenticated in the U.S. for use overseas; for additional details, please visit the Department of State’s Notarial and Authentication Services or the Office of Authentication, or call 1-800-688-9889.

Please visit the National Center for Health Statistics webpage Where to Write for Vital Records for state specific information on how to request copies of vital records.

Academic credentials, transcripts or degrees. Contact the educational institution which issued the document. For further information visit the Department of State’s website Authentication of American Academic Credentials for Use Abroad.
Certified true copies of non-U.S. documents such as Surinamese birth certificates
U.S. Apostilles. Information on Apostilles can be found on the Department of State webpage Judicial Assistance – Notarial and Authentication (Apostille).
Signature or Medallion guarantees. A Medallion Signature Guarantee is not a notarial service, but rather a special procedure related to securities, which can only be performed by an authorized representative of a financial institution participating in a medallion program approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Statements beyond the consular officer’s knowledge, e.g. that a document satisfies specific legal requirements or that a person is the spouse of another or the employee of a certain business or corporation.

For documents to be used in Suriname or French Guiana please consult a local notary public.

Notarial Services Checklist

In order to receive notarial services from the Consular Section, please:

Bring a valid U.S. or other Government-issued document which consists of your name, photograph and signature, such as a passport, as proof of identity. Please be sure to bring another identification that matches the name on the document;
Make sure you understand your document. Consular staff cannot explain or advise you in any way regarding the form or content of your document;
Make sure your document is complete and organized sequentially;
Clearly tag the pages where you need the notary signature and seal;
Completely fill in all blank spaces on the document;
Do not sign your document until requested to do so by a Consular Officer.

Note: If you wish to have your signature witnessed as well as notarized, you will need to provide your own witnesses. ACS employees are NOT allowed to act as witnesses for notarizations.

Refusal of Notarial Services

Please be aware that notarial services may be refused when:

It is prohibited by U.S. law, treaty or foreign law;
The document is blank or incomplete;
The officer believes that the document is suspicious, potentially illegal, or detrimental to the best interests of the United States.;
The officer does not understand the document, due to language or any other reason;
The officer believes the customer does not understand the document or is acting under duress;
The officer providing the notarial service has a disqualifying interest;
Invalid, inadequate or insufficient proof of identification is presented, or proof of a corporate title or position is lacking or inadequate.

Fees

The current fee for a Notarial seal is US$50. For each additional seal required whether it is within the same document or a separate document, the fee is an additional US$50 per seal. Fees are payable in USD or SRD equivalent.

You are encouraged to pay your fees with Surinamese dollars (SRD). Due to Surinamese bank restrictions, the U.S. Embassy in Paramaribo is unable to accept U.S. dollar banknotes of any year which are worn, torn, or defaced. If you intend to pay with U.S. dollars, please ensure the banknotes are in good condition.