What is a Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act or CANA? Why do you need it?
A Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act is a certificate issued by the Regional Trial Court which verifies the authority of the notary public and the authenticity of the official seal and signature of the notary public who was in charge of having your documents notarized. The Executive Judge or the Vice-Executive Judge who has jurisdiction over the corresponding notary public where the document was notarized shall be the one who shall issue that said certificate.
Besides the Apostille, which verifies the authority of the signatures present in the document, the CANA also serves as a verification for the authority of the signatories therein.
If you will have notarized documents that must be apostilled, you must also have the Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act as an accompanying document. Some of the notarized documents that are required to have a CANA for authentication or Apostille by the Department of Foreign Affairs are contracts, affidavits, special power of attorney, employment certificates, other documents issued by a private entity which is employment-related, among others- all being notarized by a reputable notary public.
To reiterate, for every notarized document that shall be apostilled or authenticated, the CANA is a must. This is to ensure that the documents that you have with you can actually be used abroad, as it is duly verified and authenticated.
To be able to secure a Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act, you must go to the Authentication Division of the Office of the Clerk of Court or at a Court Branch, depending on the situation of the location where you shall secure the CANA from. The documents that you need to present to be issued the CANA are the notarized document in its original, as well as the photocopies of the document that has been notarized. Bring with you, as well, the necessary fees for the processing of the certificate. The amount to be paid for the processing of the certificate shall depend upon each trial court, however.
For those who shall process the issuance of the Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act through an authorized representative, note that the representative must have with him or her the photocopy of the ID of the applicant and his or her own photocopied ID, showing their name and signature. The authorized representative must show as well, a special power of attorney authorizing him or her to process the application on behalf of the applicant. The special power of attorney should contain the specific government agency to which the request is addressed to, as well as the specific name of the documents to be submitted to them.
Need further information and assistance regarding the certificate of authority for a notarial act in the Philippines? Talk to our team at FILEDOCSPHIL to know more about the requirements and process. Call us today at (+632) 8478 5826 or send an email to info@filedocsphil.com for more information.
