The Document Diva Expands

The Document Diva is proud to offer an expanded list of services as of September 2008. We are now offering adoption dossier and document courier services.

An adoption dossier is a collection of legal documents that must be authenticated and translated which are used in international adoption cases. Specific dossier requirements vary from country to country but in general the dossier includes complete medical and health histories, proof of income and assets, birth and marriage certificates, and police and fingerprint clearances.

Document courier services to consulate and embassy offices in Los Angeles are offered to help in the processing of documents, visa applications and passports. A trip to a consulate office is never an easy process so let us take care of it for you!

I look forward to working with clients to meet their needs when it comes to processing international documents.

*Note - Apostille & Certification services are also offered.

So What's Next?

For any notary that made their living as a loan signing agent the word is officially out, times have changed. In the last year thousands of banks, mortgage companies, escrow offices, title companies and real estate offices have closed their doors for good. All of this upheaval affects us, the notary.

Working as a loan signing agent has allowed many notaries to discover an industry they enjoy, independence from the traditional 9 to 5 and an opportunity to take charge of their income. If they can't earn a living notarizing loans what do they do now? The idea of returning to the work place is distasteful to many.

I have recently researched my options. What services can I offer my clients under The Document Diva umbrella that complement the notary work? I have already begun to offer general notarizations and the processing of international documents but with the steady decrease of loan work I need something to replace the lost income.

Below is a list of a few services that I have found that coordinate well with notary services:

Messenger, courier, attorney services, such as court filings, process server, private investigator, copier/reproduction services, legal document assistant, paralegal, wedding officiant and bail bondsman.

The list above is by no means exhaustive. In order to conduct your own research pay a visit to your local court, Secretary of State or county recorder to inquire into their services. If they offer a service there is a company that offers to do the work for you!

The transition may not be easy but it can be done. I wish everyone much success as 2008 closes and we embark on 2009.

Free Forms Available For Download

As a public service, free forms are now available for download on my website, TheDocDiva.com. Some of the forms are Advance Health Care Directive, CA Jurat, CA Acknowledgment, Minor Travel Consent and Power of Attorney.

If you need help with the preparation of any document consult an attorney or other professional for advice.

Painlessly Order Your Vital Records Online

Looking for a certified copy of a vital record? You can easily order your marriage, birth, death or divorce record from any state across the U.S. and Puerto Rico from VitalCheck.com.

The service that VitalCheck offers is especially helpful for Amerian citizens residing out of the country but who now require an Apostille or Certification of their record. According to the website, once the order is placed it can be delivered to a U.S. address or abroad in less than a week.

*Note - I've never used the service. It is always best to do your own research prior to using any service.

L.A. County Recorder Posts Useful Forms

I am happy to report that the L.A. County Recorder's office has officially come into the 21st Century and is posting for download some of the most common forms relating to real property transactions.

On their website you can find such forms as power of attorney, grant deed and quitclaim deed. This is a really convenient service and I hope they continue to use the web to its full potential.

If you are unable find the form you're looking for you can also view the County of Riverside's County-Clerk website.

Bride or Groom Unable to Appear?

Your wedding day is a joyous and memorable occasion but sometimes getting to that day takes a little more effort for some than for others.

The extra steps are incurred when the bride or groom is unable to appear due to hospitalization or incarceration. If you wish to marry an inmate or a hospital patient in Los Angeles County there are three main steps that must be followed.

First, an Inability to Appear Package must be obtained from the L.A. County Registrar Recorder's Office at their department headquarters in Norwalk or any of their six branch locations. Second, the inmate or patient's signature must be notarized on the Inability to Appear form.

Lastly, an officiant must be contracted to perform the actual marriage ceremony. The notary who notarizes the inability to appear form cannot be the same notary that notarizes the marriage license.

The inmate notarization can usually be completed during a court date or at the facility where they are incarcerated. L.A. County jails have professional visiting hours during the week so the notarization can be completed pretty painlessly.

Notary services @ (562) 314-4319

Popular Notarized Forms

When you're asked to notarize a document you never know what it will be. Some of the most popular forms I am asked to notarize are living trusts, grant deeds, parental permission to travel, powers of attorney, copy certifications, affidavit of custodian records, Apostilles, Certifications and affidavit of inability to appear.

For a full list of my mobile notary fees & services click here.