Hello. I am a notary public for Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania. Russian is my primary language and I’ve got a Russian client who needs to notarize and apostille the documents in the Russian language.
Does anybody know if the secretary of state can apostille the doc that is in the Russian language?
I’d be surprised if the PA Secretary of State cared what language the document is in, but probably cares what language the notarial certificate is in. The apostille basically certifies that the notary had an active commission at the time the apostille was done, and that the notary’s signature looks just about the same as the signature on file.
One problem is whether the notarial act that the Russians want is one of the ones that a PA notary is allowed to perform.
Another problem is whether the Russians want the notarial certificate written in Russian or English. If they want English, you can just use one of the short certificates that PA issued after RULONA was passed.
But if the Russians want the notarial certificates in Russian, the PA SOS might not be willing to issue an apostille. Also, you would pretty much have to be a lawyer in both PA and Russia to figure out what Russian wording would convey the same meaning, in a legal context, as the English wording.
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You are so awesome! I can say that you are an experienced and knowledgeable professional, because you have touched the heart of the problem.
I have notarized the document with the Russian wording. The client sent it to Harrisburg for an apostille. Then it all came back to him in 2 month as “declined” due to the notarial wording was in the understandable language. Although my signature and my stamp are exactly how they have been recorded.
If I write the wording in the English language, then it will be apostilled but Russia will not accept it.
Is it allowed if I write two wording side by side in both languages or what should I do???
From the PA SOS:
“The certificate of notarial act on notarized documents must be worded and completed using the English language. The certificate may be simultaneously worded and completed in another language that is understood by the notary public and must be immediately adjacent to the English-language certificate.”
Hope this helps