An affidavit is based upon either the personal knowledge of the affiant or his or her information and belief. Personal knowledge is the recognition of particular facts by either direct observation or experience. Information and belief is what the affiant feels he or she can state as true, although not based on firsthand knowledge.
An affidavit is a written statement of facts voluntarily made by an affiant under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law.
To become a Notary Public, you must: be a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted for permanent residence. be a resident of Illinois for at least 30 days or be a qualifying Non-Resident. be at least 18 years of age.
Effective Jan. 1, 2024: New and renewing notaries are required to take a minimum of three hours of training and take a 50-question final exam with a passing score of 85%. There will be an approved list of course providers on the Illinois Secretary of State website.
92.4(b) provides that these services may be performed for any person regardless of nationality so long as the document in connection with which the notarial/authentication service is required is for use within the jurisdiction of the United States.
One of the most common mistakes that notaries make is not printing or signing their name exactly as it appears on their notary commission.
Illinoisans who need a notary public can now access those services online through a new “E-Notary” portal launched by the secretary of state's office. This process is one of the latest initiatives of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias' ongoing effort to modernize the office and its services.
Do I have to be a United States Citizen to become a notary? The United States Supreme Court, in the case of Bernal v Fainter, decided in 1984, that a notary applicant does not have to be a United States citizen. The resident alien notary applicant must be in the country legally, however.
To become a non-resident notary public, you must be a resident of a qualifying bordering state, which includes Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, and Wisconsin. You must also have worked or maintained a business in Illinois for 30 days before this application.
If you wish to obtain a Notary commission in another state, always check the laws of the state you reside in as well as the state you wish to be commissioned in to make sure it is permissible in both jurisdictions and you meet all eligibility requirements.
California. California has some of the most stringent application requirements for Notaries in the U.S. — including a required education course and background check — and the mandatory exam is among the most challenging in any state.
