Power of Attorney
A power of attorney allows you to empower someone to act in your place. Blank Power of Attorney forms can be downloaded from the internet, or you may use one supplied to you by your attorney, bank or company. Please fill out the form before you come to our office, but DO NOT sign it in advance.
Affidavit
An affidavit is a sworn statement, made by you. Using a blank form, write out the statement you wish to make, but DO NOT sign it. We cannot advise you on the specific language needed in your affidavit; please consult a lawyer or other legal advisor for that type of assistance before coming to us to notarize the document.
Sworn Statement
An administration of oath is used on documents that require a sworn affidavit.
Acknowledgement of Execution
An Acknowledgement of Execution is used for legal agreements, business documents, etc. It is also used when more than two signatures are required, but not all of the parties who must sign the document are present. We can only acknowledge [notarize] the signatures of those present to sign the document in front of us and verify that they have signed the document.
Medallion Signature Guarantees
Consular officers are not authorized to provide a signature guarantee/medallion guarantee service. A Medallion Signature Guarantee is not a notary service, but 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 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission may be contacted at http://www.sec.gov/answers/sigguar.htm
Certified copies for ITIN Tax Application
In connection with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for the IRS, a certified copy of your passport is required. To obtain a certified copy of your national passport when applying for an ITIN, please set up an appointment for a notary service at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki.
Apostille
The apostille is a validation stamp ensuring that a particular document is recognized in certain foreign countries (countries that signed The Hague Convention as of October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents). Examples of this are U.S. birth certificates.
The Embassy is not authorized to provide apostilles or assist in obtaining them.
If you have a document which needs an apostille, you should contact the relevant authority in the State where your document was issued. The National Association of Secretaries of State can provide additional information. (http://www.nass.org/state-business-services/apostilles-document-authentications/)
Please note that when both countries have signed the Hague convention, the apostille procedure must be followed. Finland and the United States are both signatories to the Hague convention.
Notarizations at a Finnish Notary
If you have a Finnish public document which you want legalized, you should contact the competent local authority who will affix a certification (apostille) on your document.
Public notaries or Digital and Population Data Services Agencies are located in almost every city in Finland. They are able to notarize all public documents to be used in the United States, or in any other country which is a signatory to the Hague Convention. The public notary can affix the apostille which will legalize the document for use in the United States. If you plan to use a document in the United States, you should affix an apostille to the document prior to exiting Finland.