Hi, I need to notarize a Power of Attorney in favor of our lawyer in the US.

I went to the US consulate webpage, where they specify they do not notarize such documents.

Common sense tells me I shoud go to Cancillería and have it Apostilled, right?

Saludos and thanks in advance.

Mercedes

I don't think the Apostille is recognized in the US, but if you want something notarized in BA, try the US embassy:

http://argentina.usembassy.gov/other-services.html

Notarial Services

Thanks Steve,

I've already checked the US Consulate webpage and they specify they do not notarize Powers of Attorney.

Regarding the Apostille, I am sure it is recognized all over the world. The U.S. Dept. of State does it. It was specifically created as a kind of "universal seal" to be accepted everywhere (like Mastercard ).

I would like to know if anyone else has done this and, since the Power of Att. is in English, will a translation be required?

Common sense tells me it is just the signature which needs to be notarized, and therefore, no one should care which language the document uses, right? Wrong?

Help!

Saludos,

Mercedes

First, the Apostille is not recognized all over the world but only in states party to the Hague Apostille Convention. It is not a notarization, it is a kind of legalization. How I did it: Went to see an escribano, got the poder, went to the colegio de escribanos to get the Apostille. I do not know whether the document has to be in Spanish or not but the Apostille will most probably have to be translated to English. Here's a useful link
http://www.argentina.gov.ar/argentin...8&tramite=1501

Dear Mercedes,

Please reread my post. I copied and pasted from the US embassy website.

If the power of attorney is for your US attorney it will be valid for those powers you specifically grant him in the US, not in Argentina. That's what you are asking for, isn't it?

If so, it would need to be in English, and I think the embassy would only notarize such a document that as written in English in the first place.

If your attorney performs actions (signs or obtains documents) for you in the US, then those documents would need to receive the seal of the Apostille, and then translated into Spanish if they are to be accepted in Argentina.

Nativeexpat: An Apostille is essentially a verification of a signature, but it is different than a notary in that it is the verification of an official public signature by the designated state (literally state not federal government in the US, while I assume federal government here) authority authorized for apostilles. For example, we were married in Washington, DC. Our marriage license is signed by the Deputy Clerk of the Marriage Bureau of the Superior Court of Washington DC. The Apostille attached to it is signed by the Secretary of the District of Columbia (the authority in Washington DC that signs all Apostilles for the District of Columbia). It says

This public document has been signed by XXXXXXXX
acting in the capacity of Deputy Clerk, Marriage Bureau
bears the seal/stamp of Superior Court of the District of Columbia

This is followed by the signature/stamp/date/number of the Secretary of the District.

You can get an apostille on a notarized document, as the apostille certifies that the notary signature is official, not your signature.

I have not idea whether desertrose's advice is right or wrong. Sounds plausible.

PLEASE TRY READING IT AGAIN...

Documents that ARE NOTARIZED by the U.S. Embassy.
Real estate documents
Affidavits
Powers of attorney
Forms for U.S. courts
True copies of the W7 form (ONLY)
Saving bonds

Sorry, right you are. I read it at least two times, and still ended up reading it wrong. I'll delete the bad information from my previous message so as not to confuse anyone.

I know exactly what you mean! I think it's easy to make this mistake based on the fact that the word NOTARIZED begins with the three letters N-O-T!!!!!

Steveinbsas: you are right! I was so sure I had read NOT. . (I must admit I even thought "is this guy tonto?" when you posted your first answer (sorry, humble empanada for me...)

Gracias a todos!