NOTARIZING DOCUMENTS - How does one Notarize Documents for someone needing something OFFICIALLY NOTARIZED for back in the U.S. when they're living in Costa Rica•abroad

Need a Notary to Notarize some U.S. documents for you while you’re in Costa Rica
You will NEED to visit the U.S. Embassy in Pavas (at $50 to Notarize EACH PAGE and with an appointment [see below])
(with this said - SOME U.S. documents will be ok to have a Tico Notary sign so double check as it will be LOTS cheaper!!)


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In Costa Rica and need a Notary for Costa Rica Purposes?
You will go to a Costa Rica Notary which is actually a step ABOVE a lawyer (how TOTALLY different than in the U.S.)
I use and share with MANY - Flor de Moreno in Escazu.  She does NOT speak English but she understands a fair amount if you talk slowly with her there and she does NOT charge gringo rates!!

LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/01/notary-escazu-costa-rica-flor-de-moreno.html


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In the U.S. and need a Notary for Costa Rica Purposes?
Make an appointment at the Costa Rican Consulate office in the U.S.

CostaRica-embassy.org/index.php?q=node/131


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Need a U.S. notary for NON-Costa Rica purposes IN Costa Rica - MAYBE you can use NotaryCam.com  •  facebook.com/NotaryCam

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From EVERYTHING I've read, the ONLY one that is OFFICIALLY AUTHORIZED to notarize documents in Costa Rica / from abroad - that are valid in the U.S. - is the U.S. Embassy.

HOW DO I GET SOMETHING NOTARIZED IN COSTA RICA

You MUST do this AT the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica which is in Pavas.  For some info on them and their services check out:

LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2013/02/renewing-your-us-passport-cr.html

Like ALL the services at the U.S. Embassy these days, the 

FIRST thing you MUST do is MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

to get your document(s) Notarized!

You do that at:
 REQUEST / CANCEL AN  APPOINTMENT HERE
 Evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=SNJ&appcode=1#top

(this literally is CONSTANTLY CHANGING - GRRRRRRR!!!)

When I first looked at this site there were appointments for the FOLLOWING week.  The last time I checked (2 days ago), the soonest I could get in with an appointment was in 2 days but I NEEDED to have the document in the U.S. in 2 days AND the overnight delivery service wouldn't get it there for 2 ADDITIONAL days - so I took a chance and went in since it was URGENT!!!

So on January 8, 2013 for some family situation that HAD to be in the U.S. in 2 days but I couldn't get an appointment for 2 more days, so I just went in at 9:45am on a Wednesday and it was a BREEZE!!!

The PROCEDURE:

After entering the Embassy and walking back to the Citizen Services building.

Go up to Window 3 (the "Caja" - payment window).

Hand them your passport • the document(s) to be notarized and 

$50 for each page that needs to be stamped. 

Next - have a seat and wait for someone to call your name.

My name was called 6 minutes later.

I walked up to Window 4, he asked me to raise my hand and swear that what was on the document they were notarizing was true.

I signed it, he gave me the document along with a copy of my passport and returned my passport.

And I was outta there in 20 minutes from when I first/last cleared the Security entrance!! 

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DO YOU NEED TO OVERNIGHT SAID DOCUMENT??

In the past the Embassy gave us EASE by having a DHL counter ON-premise and I believe it was discounted rate at that - BUT - not no more!!! 
Though DHL is closer to the U.S. embassy in Pavas, Costa Rica - their prices were $25 MORE ($75) to send a 1 page document AND they quoted me a 2 day delivery - vs a 1 day (if you get it in BEFORE 12pm/NOON) delivery and cheaper $50 that Fed. Ex quoted me!!

Read about it at:

LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2014/01/OvernightDeliveryToUSFromCR.html

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LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2014/01/USNotaryInCR.html

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