Notarial services

Due to country agreements, you may sometimes be required to produce legal documentation in Costa Rica or in the UK such as a certified copy of a document, a legally witnessed signature, or a certificate of non-impediment.  

We can help you with these arrangements by offering a range of documentary(notarial) services.  What we cannot do though is to give you legal advice or translate documents however we can provide you with a list of both sworn translator and solicitors.

Some of the services we offer are:

• Consular Certificate ¢32.500
  
• Non-Impediment - Affidavit ¢47.500
  
• Power of Attorney ¢47.500
  
• Legalisation ¢25.000
  
• Certified Copies ¢32.500 (over 5 copies add ¢ 4.500 each page)
  
• Witnessing a Signature ¢19.000
  

What is a "Non-Impediment" - Affidavit?

This document may be required, for example, when a British National intends to marry a Costa Rican. The local notaries will ask for this statutory declaration where the person has declared him or herself free of marriage.

Documents required:

• For British Nationals: current passport, name of parents, local address and civil status (single, divorced or widowed)

Power of Attorney

Documents required:

• Original ID document with photo and signature
• Proof of local address

What is a legalisation?

This is an official confirmation that a signature seal or stamp appearing on a document is genuine.  Having a document legalised does not mean that the content of a document is accurate, or that our British Embassies or Consulates approve it.  You may need this document if you need to use an official Costa Rican document overseas, for business or personal reasons, to ensure that foreign authorities can officially accept them.  If you are not sure what documents need to be legalised then you should contact the authority of this organisation that required the documents.

What are"Certified Copies"?

These are documents issued by one of our Consular officers upon the presentation of an original document.  They are used for different purposes, such as to open a bank account in the UK or to register in an UK university and in other similar situations that require a proof that the person is the holder of the original document.  

Documents required:

• The original document to be certified (we cannot certify a copy of a document).

What is a"Witnessing a Signature"?

This is where our Consular officers witness a person signing a document. 

Documents required:

• Original document with the person’s photo and signature.

What is a "Good Conduct or No Criminal Record"?

This document is proof of a person’s "conduct" in the UK. They may be required for example when a British national is applying for residency in Costa Rica, or when a Costa Rican national lived in the UK for more than one year.  You will need to apply for this document through the Metropolitan Police Service in the UK,as we cannot issue this document. Once obtained, you will then need to have it legalised by the Costa Rican Consulate in the UK and officially translated into Spanish for it to be accepted by the Costa Rican authorities.  If you are a Hong Kong national, then you will need to contact the Hong Kong Police Department.

For further information, please check out the FCO website at: www.fco.gov.uk/legalisation or send an e-mail to their legalisation office .