公证员可以对非英语文书做公证,因为公证员的职能仅和签名有关,和文书内容无关。公证员需要知道被公证文书的种类,用于填写公证簿。如果公证员无法识别文书的种类,那么在公证簿中需要特别标注(例如:”a document in a foreign language(非英语文书)”)。公证员需要注意文书的完整性,并且不得公证非完整的文书。公证员需要填写公证文书或宣誓文书。在进行公证的时候,公证员必须可以和签字人进行有效的沟通,确保签字人可以进行有效的宣誓或确认公证的执行。公证服务不可以通过翻译员完成,因为有可能遗漏重要信息。如果公证员无法与签字人有效沟通,那么公证员可以介绍签字人所使用语言的公证员进行公证。
Foreign Language
A notary public can notarize a signature on a document in a foreign language with which the notary public is not familiar, since a notary public’s function only relates to the signature and not the contents of the document. The notary public should be able to identify the type of document being notarized for entry in the notary public’s journal. If unable to identify the type of document, the notary public must make an entry to that effect in the journal (e.g., “a document in a foreign language”). The notary public should be mindful of the completeness of the document and must not notarize the signature on the document if the document appears to be incomplete. The notary public is responsible for completing the acknowledgment or jurat form. When notarizing a signature on a document, a notary public must be able to communicate with the customer in order for the signer either to swear to or affirm the contents of the affidavit or to acknowledge the execution of the document. An interpreter should not be used, as vital information could be lost in the translation. If a notary public is unable to communicate with a customer, the customer should be referred to a notary public who speaks the customer’s language.