Powers of Attorney for Use Abroad
Phoenix Notary assists individuals and businesses with the notarisation of Powers of Attorney for use overseas.
A Power of Attorney allows you to authorise another person to act on your behalf, for example in connection with a property transaction, inheritance matter, company business or other legal or commercial matter abroad.
The requirements vary considerably between countries, so we recommend sending the document and any instructions you have received to us for review before arranging an appointment.
When might I need a Power of Attorney?
Powers of Attorney are commonly required where you need someone overseas to act on your behalf without you being physically present.
This may include:
Buying or selling property abroad
Managing an overseas property or other assets
Inheritance and estate matters
Appointing a lawyer or other representative overseas
Commercial transactions
Authorising someone to act on behalf of a company
Trade mark and intellectual property matters
Other legal or administrative matters abroad
Do I need to obtain the Power of Attorney first?
Where the Power of Attorney is intended for use in another country, it will usually need to comply with the law and requirements of that country.
For this reason, we generally recommend obtaining the document from the lawyer, notary or other adviser dealing with the matter overseas. Once you have the final document, please send it to us together with any instructions you have received so that we can review the notarial requirements before you sign it.
Do not sign the document in advance where your signature is required to be witnessed by the Notary.
Signing on behalf of a company
A Power of Attorney may also be executed by a director or other authorised representative on behalf of a company or organisation.
Where this is the case, we may need to verify the company and the signatory’s authority to execute the document. The documents required will depend on the company, the nature of the transaction and the requirements of the receiving authority.
What will I need to provide?
Before the appointment, please send us:
The Power of Attorney in its final form
Any instructions from your overseas lawyer, notary or receiving authority
Details of the country where the document will be used
A copy of your valid passport or other suitable photographic identification
Any relevant company or authority documents if you are signing on behalf of an organisation
We will confirm if anything further is required after reviewing the documents.
Apostille and legalisation
A notarised Power of Attorney may also need to be legalised before it can be used overseas. Depending on the destination country, this may involve an apostille and, in some cases, further embassy or consular legalisation.
Learn more about Legalisation →
Ready to proceed?
Send us your Power of Attorney together with the country where it will be used and any instructions you have received. We will review the documents and confirm the requirements, fees and available appointment options.