A Notary, or Notary Public, can authenticate or legalise any document. A Notary can also provide legalisation or an apostille, if needed. You will normally require the services of a Notary Public when you have documents which are needed to be used abroad. The Notaries signature and seal will verify to the authorities in that country that the relevant checks have been carried out.
The need for a notary public is dictated by the requirements of the country where the document is to be used. For example, if you wish to buy a property abroad, it is often necessary to give your overseas lawyer power to deal with the purchase. This can be done by means of a power of attorney, which is signed by you in front of a notary. The notary public will confirm your name and identity and sign the document and seal it with their official seal. Often, an apostille is needed to verify the signature and seal of the notary