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.
We recommend you find an attorney or a notaire (list of English-speaking notaires in France) who might be able to assist you in resolving the matter. However, the U.S. Embassy can notarize a sworn statement with the seal of the federal government, which hopefully will help with the French administration.
So, can a notary public notarize out-of-state documents? The short answer is yes, notary publics are legally allowed to notarize documents from any state as long the notarial act is conducted within the geographical boundaries of the notary's state of commission.
Yes, as long as it does not render illegible any information or signatures on the body of the document, you may write notarial language in.
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.
Generally, state laws do not expressly prohibit the Notary from notarizing a document that is not in the English language. However, depending on the circumstances, it may be inadvisable to notarize such foreign-language documents. The danger, of course, is that the document is being misrepresented to the Notary.
The short answer is yes, notary publics are legally allowed to notarize documents from any state as long the notarial act is conducted within the geographical boundaries of the notary's state of commission.
