Eligible U.S.-connected documents can often be notarized online while the signer is abroad through a secure live video session, supported identification, and biometric identity verification.
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed September 18, 2026
Yes. Eligible U.S. documents may be notarized online while the signer is outside the United States. Being abroad does not, by itself, prevent an online notarization. The identity-verification method still has to succeed, and the receiving organization still has to accept the document and notarization method.
Apostille and authentication are separate steps after notarization. They are not part of the online session. Some domestic workflows use credential analysis plus knowledge-based questions. Some eligible international workflows may use biometric identity verification with credential analysis, and a foreign passport may be usable when the platform can verify it.
International sessions commonly start at $50 for one signer and one notarization. Request the session from the international online notary hub after the recipient confirms the method is acceptable.
Eligible U.S. documents may be notarized online while the signer is outside the United States. Signer location alone does not decide eligibility. Continue at the international online notary hub, review international session pricing, or start a session request when the document looks eligible.
The signer and notary meet by live audio-video communication. The signer presents a current supported government-issued identification document—often a passport—completes identity verification, signs electronically, and receives the completed notarized document electronically.
International online notary sessions start at $50: a $25 base online notary session plus a $25 International Session Coordination Fee for signers located outside the United States. Additional signers ($10 each), additional seals ($15 each), and iRemoteNotary-provided witness service ($15 per witness) are charged separately when applicable. That starting total is not a guarantee that every document qualifies.
Remote online notarization is not appropriate for every document or transaction. Consular notarization under federal authority, a local foreign notary, and apostille or authentication procedures are separate pathways. The receiving organization should confirm what form of execution it will accept before the signer chooses a pathway.
Most international requests are for a specific U.S. document, not a general notarization. Use the short guides below, then confirm what the receiving agency, title company, school, or other recipient will accept before the session. iRemoteNotary notarizes eligible documents. It does not issue passports, prepare deeds, or guarantee that a recipient will accept the finished package.
A parent outside the United States may be able to notarize the State Department's child-passport consent form online when current instructions allow it for that country. Sign during the live session, not before. Form DS-3053 parent overseas guide.
A U.S. Social Security number is not required for the supported international workflow when identity can be verified another way. A foreign passport may be usable, and verification is not guaranteed. Online notarization without a Social Security number.
A current foreign-government passport may be the photo ID for an eligible signer abroad, subject to credential analysis and identity proofing. Using a foreign passport for a U.S. document.
Banks, title companies, and courts often ask whether a power of attorney signed abroad can be notarized online or must go through a U.S. embassy. Confirm the recipient first. Power of attorney online notarization and embassy appointment versus an online power of attorney.
Sworn statements used for U.S. agencies, schools, or businesses may be notarized online when the recipient accepts that method. U.S. affidavit notarized overseas.
Deeds, seller affidavits, and related closing papers can sometimes be signed from abroad. The title company and county recorder still decide recording. Notarizing U.S. real estate documents abroad.
A U.S. embassy or consulate remains the right path for some acts. For others, a commissioned online notary may be the practical session. U.S. embassy versus online notary.
Some documents need witnesses in addition to the notary. Location rules depend on the document and the recipient. Witnesses in different countries.
Notarization is the notarial act. An apostille is a later government certification and is not included in the notary session. Can an online notarized document be apostilled?
Online notarization may be an option when the document is connected to a U.S. transaction, property, court, agency, business, school, financial institution, family matter, or other U.S. purpose and the receiving organization accepts remote online notarization.
Signer citizenship is a separate eligibility question from being physically abroad. See online notarization for non-U.S. citizens when the signer is not a U.S. citizen.
When the document is Form DS-3053 for a child's U.S. passport, follow the dedicated DS-3053 child passport consent guide for embassy-country rules, printed-copy submission, and 90-day timing.
A properly commissioned online notary may be able to perform an online notarization when the signer or witnesses are located elsewhere, including abroad, when the notary follows the law governing the notary's commission and the requirements of the approved platform. 22 CFR Part 92 does not authorize state-commissioned remote online notarization; that pathway depends on the notary's commissioning-state law and platform rules.
The location of the signer does not remove document-specific requirements. A power of attorney, deed, court filing, estate document, real estate document, or government form may require particular witnesses, certificates, language, originals, recordability, or additional authentication.
Read our guide to witnesses joining an online notary session from different countries.
U.S. consular officers and other Department of State notarizing officers may perform specified notarial functions under federal authority in 22 CFR Part 92. Under § 92.4, notarizing officers may administer oaths and affirmations, take affidavits, and perform other authorized notarial acts—including acknowledgments as addressed in §§ 92.30–92.31—within their consular district when treaty provisions or local law permit the service and the document is for use within U.S. federal, state, or territorial jurisdiction as described in that section. Oaths, affirmations, and affidavits are addressed in §§ 92.18–92.23.
Consular notarization is a separate pathway from state-commissioned remote online notarization. Part 92 describes overseas consular and related Department of State notarial services; it does not create a worldwide remote-online-notary commission and does not control every embassy appointment, every document type, or every destination country's acceptance rules.
Availability, appointments, identity checks, fees, and local-post procedures vary by embassy or consulate. A U.S. embassy or consulate is not necessarily the only way to notarize a U.S. document while abroad. Under § 92.9, a notarizing officer may refuse a request when the act is not authorized where the officer is stationed or when other refusal grounds in that section apply.
Confirm current post instructions on Travel.State.Gov or the specific post website before traveling to an appointment. Compare pathways in the U.S. embassy versus online notary guide.
Ask the organization that will receive the document whether it accepts remote online notarization and electronic signatures. Also confirm whether witnesses, a particular notarial certificate, an original paper document, an apostille, an authentication certificate, or recording is required.
Provide the complete unsigned document for review before the session. The document should contain the correct names, dates, capacities, and transaction information before notarization. A notary cannot prepare legal language, select a notarial act for a signer, or decide whether a document is legally sufficient.
International signers commonly use a current passport. A foreign-government passport may be usable for an online notarization when the signer is outside the United States, subject to the law governing the commissioned notary, the platform's credential-analysis support, and successful identity verification.
The identification must be clear, current, and supported by the remote online notarization platform used for the session. Additional identification or eligibility checks may apply.
The signer completes the identity-verification process required by the RON platform and the law governing the commissioned notary. For iRemoteNotary's international workflow, this may include credential analysis and biometric identity verification. That operational workflow is distinct from any statutory knowledge-based authentication minimum that may apply under a particular commissioning state's RON rules.
A U.S. Social Security number is not required for this international identity-verification workflow. See online notarization without a U.S. Social Security number.
Credential analysis examines the identification document for indicators of authenticity. Biometric verification may compare the signer's live image with the photograph on the identification document. The exact process depends on the approved platform, commissioned notary, signer, and identification document. Foreign-passport support does not guarantee verification success.
The signer joins the session from a supported device with a camera, microphone, reliable internet connection, and access to email. A laptop, desktop computer, or tablet generally provides a more reliable signing experience than a phone.
During the session, the notary confirms identity, communicates with the signer, witnesses or acknowledges the signature as required, and completes the electronic notarial certificate.
After the session, the completed electronic document is delivered securely. Review it promptly and follow the receiving organization's instructions for submission, recording, apostille, authentication, or other next steps.
Submit the unsigned document, signer information, witness needs, and preferred session time through the secure request form.
Eligibility depends on the document and receiving organization, but international signers often request online notarization for:
Some documents require witnesses, special certificates, original paper delivery, recording, or legal review. Certain documents may be excluded from online execution under applicable law or the receiving organization's rules. For affidavits and sworn statements, see whether a U.S. online notary can notarize an affidavit for someone overseas. For business and corporate documents, see whether a U.S. business document can be notarized online when the signer is overseas.
A current passport is generally the most practical identification for a signer located outside the United States. A supported U.S. driver license or state identification card may also be usable when current and accepted by the platform.
A foreign-government passport may be accepted for an eligible principal located outside the United States, subject to the law governing the commissioned notary, credential analysis, platform support, and successful identity verification.
Learn when a foreign passport may be used for online notarization of a U.S. document.
The signer should provide the exact identification intended for the session when scheduling. Expired, damaged, unclear, unsupported, or inconsistent identification may prevent the notarization from proceeding.
Signers outside the United States commonly evaluate four related but distinct pathways: remote online notarization, U.S. embassy or consulate notarial service, a local foreign notary, and later apostille or authentication. Choosing one pathway does not automatically satisfy recipient, recording, or foreign-use requirements.
Remote online notarization is performed under the law of the online notary's commissioning state, using live audio-video technology and platform identity proofing. It may fit eligible U.S.-connected documents when the recipient accepts that format.
U.S. embassy or consulate notarial service is a federal consular pathway under 22 CFR Part 92 and post procedures. Many consular notarial services involve an in-person appointment. For affidavits, § 92.23 requires the affiant’s personal appearance; for acknowledgments, § 92.31 requires the grantor’s personal appearance and states that an acknowledgment should not be taken by telephone. Do not assume remote or virtual service is available—confirm the selected post’s current appointment, appearance, document, identification, and payment instructions.
A local foreign notary may notarize under the host country's rules. That act is not the same as a U.S. state or consular notarization. Using a foreign notarial act for a U.S. purpose may raise separate authentication, legalization, translation, or recipient-review questions.
An apostille or authentication certificate is a later government certification of an official signature or seal for use abroad. It is not a substitute for choosing the correct notarial pathway and does not itself prove that the receiving organization will accept the document.
A U.S. embassy or consulate remains an important option, but it is not the only possible path for every eligible U.S. document.
| Topic | Remote Online Notary | U.S. Embassy or Consulate |
|---|---|---|
| Legal authority | Commissioning-state online-notary law and platform rules | Federal consular authority under 22 CFR Part 92 and post procedures |
| Appearance | Live online audio-video session | Many services use an in-person appointment; CFR requires personal appearance for affidavits and acknowledgments |
| Location | Signer may participate from an eligible location abroad | Signer travels to the embassy or consulate when the post requires in-person appearance |
| Appointment | Based on online-notary availability | Embassy or consulate appointment procedures; confirm current post instructions |
| Identity | Supported government ID, credential analysis, and identity verification | Identity and document requirements set by the post; confirm current instructions |
| Delivery | Completed electronic document | Consular notarial service and seal |
| Fee | International sessions start at $50: a $25 base session plus a $25 International Session Coordination Fee; additional services may apply | Consular fees follow the applicable Department of State fee schedule; amounts and payment methods may vary by post—confirm before the appointment |
| Remote option | Yes, for eligible documents and signers when recipient accepts RON | Do not assume remote or virtual consular notarization is available; confirm the post’s current instructions |
The best option depends on the document, receiving organization, signer's location, timing, identification, commissioned notary or post, and any authentication or apostille requirement. Ask the recipient before booking either pathway.
No. Notarization and apostille or authentication are separate steps.
A notarization confirms the performance of a notarial act, such as acknowledging a signature or administering an oath. An apostille or authentication certificate verifies the authority of the official whose signature and seal appear on the document for use in another country.
Notarization does not eliminate apostille, authentication, legalization, recording, witness, wet-ink, or original-document requirements. The destination country and the type of document determine whether an apostille or authentication is required. The receiving organization should identify the required process before the document is notarized because document format, certificate wording, county certification, state authentication, or federal authentication requirements may affect the next steps. See also whether a U.S. online notarization will be accepted in another country. and whether an online notarized document can later be apostilled.
A completed remote online notarization is not the same as recipient acceptance. Ask the bank, title company, court, school, agency, recorder, or other receiving organization these questions in writing before you book.
Will you accept a U.S. remote online notarization for this exact document?
Must the document be signed electronically during a live audio-video session, or do you require wet-ink originals?
Do you need witnesses, a specific notarial certificate, or particular wording?
After notarization, do you also need an apostille, authentication, recording, certified copy, or paper delivery?
If the signer is outside the United States, does that change your acceptance rules?
If the recipient cannot confirm acceptance, pause before the session. For identity workflows when you do not have a U.S. Social Security number, see online notarization without a U.S. Social Security number. When you are ready to submit an eligible request, start an online notary session or use the international intake form.
After the notary session, the next step depends on where the document will be used. Completing the online notarization does not choose that next step for you.
Apostille or authentication: often needed when a U.S. document will be presented to a foreign authority. An apostille or authentication certificate is issued by a competent authority after notarization; it is not the notarization itself. See the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications guidance and whether an online notarized document can later be apostilled.
Local recording or filing: often needed for deeds, mortgages, and some court or county filings inside the United States. Recording rules are separate from the notarial act. Confirm the county recorder or filing office format before you sign.
Recipient-only submission: many banks, schools, and companies accept the completed electronic notarized PDF without an apostille or recording step—but only when they say so.
If you are still deciding whether remote online notarization is the right execution method at all, see wet-ink vs. online notarization for international signers.
Banks, title companies, courts, government agencies, and foreign institutions set their own acceptance policies. A valid U.S. remote online notarization under the online notary's commissioning-state law does not force every institution to accept the document.
Accepted usually means the organization will rely on the notarized document for its internal process—opening an account, completing a closing package, or placing a file.
Recorded usually means a county recorder or similar office enters the document in public land or court records. Recording offices can reject a package for format, witnesses, certificate language, or electronic-submission rules even when a notarial act was completed correctly.
Ask which of those outcomes the recipient needs. Do not assume that “notarized online” equals “ready to record” or “ready for foreign use.”
For real-estate recording and clerk or court filing questions, see whether a county clerk or court may accept a remotely notarized document and notarizing U.S. real estate documents abroad.
Remote online notarization does not guarantee that a document will be accepted, recorded, filed, enforced, or recognized for every purpose.
Before the session, confirm:
iRemoteNotary cannot provide legal advice or determine whether a document is legally sufficient. Contact an attorney or the receiving organization when legal interpretation or document preparation is required. If you have not yet signed, see when remote online notarization may not be the right execution method for an international signer.
iRemoteNotary provides centralized intake and secure online-session coordination for eligible customers across the United States and for many signers located abroad.
International workflows are built around supported identification, credential analysis, biometric identity verification, live communication, clear pricing, and properly commissioned remote online notaries using approved platforms.
International online notary sessions start at $50: a $25 base online notary session plus a $25 International Session Coordination Fee for signers located outside the United States. Additional signers ($10 each), additional seals ($15 each), and iRemoteNotary-provided witness service ($15 per witness) are charged separately when applicable.
Explore the international online notary hub, review acceptable identification for online notarization, learn about international identity verification, and read guides for power of attorney online notarization, minor travel consent online notarization, and notarizing U.S. real estate documents abroad. Learn more About iRemoteNotary and our service standards.
A properly commissioned online notary may be able to perform an online notarization when the signer is abroad if the notary follows the law governing the commission, the approved platform's requirements, and all document-specific rules. The receiving organization should confirm acceptance before the session. Not every U.S. document can be remotely notarized.
No. 22 CFR Part 92 addresses notarial and related services performed by U.S. Department of State notarizing officers, including consular officers. State-commissioned remote online notarization depends on the notary's commissioning-state law, platform requirements, and recipient acceptance — not on Part 92.
Not necessarily. iRemoteNotary's international workflow may use supported identification, credential analysis, and biometric identity verification rather than relying on U.S.-based knowledge questions. Eligibility depends on the platform, commissioned notary, identification document, and successful verification.
A current foreign-government passport may be usable for an eligible signer located outside the United States, subject to the law governing the commissioned notary, credential analysis, platform support, and successful identity verification. Support for a foreign passport does not guarantee verification.
No single notarization method is guaranteed to be accepted for every document or purpose. Acceptance can depend on the receiving organization, document type, transaction, jurisdiction, electronic-signature rules, recording requirements, and any apostille or authentication process. A Florida or other state RON is not automatically accepted by every recipient or jurisdiction.
Not always. A U.S. embassy or consulate is one option under federal consular authority, but an eligible U.S.-connected document may be completed through remote online notarization when the receiving organization accepts it. Many consular notarial services involve an in-person appointment, and the CFR requires personal appearance for affidavits and acknowledgments. Do not assume remote or virtual consular service is available—confirm the selected post’s current instructions. Posts do not perform every requested act in every case.
No. Completing a consular notarial act does not guarantee that a bank, court, recorder, school, foreign authority, or other recipient will accept the document. Confirm recipient requirements before the appointment.
Witnesses may be able to join remotely when the document, applicable law, platform, commissioned notary, and receiving organization allow it. Each witness must meet identity and participation requirements. Some documents require witnesses to be physically present or satisfy additional rules.
No. The notary session and an apostille or authentication certificate are separate legal steps. iRemoteNotary coordinates eligible notarizations. The customer should confirm any required apostille, authentication, legalization, recording, wet-ink, or original-document process with the receiving organization and the appropriate state or federal authority.
Only if that bank’s current policy accepts a U.S. remote online notarization for the specific document. A completed session does not force acceptance. Confirm with the bank in writing before you book, including whether it needs wet-ink originals, witnesses, or later authentication.
Sometimes. An apostille or authentication certificate is a separate government step that may be required when a document will be used abroad. Ask the receiving organization whether notarization alone is enough or whether an apostille, authentication, recording, or paper original is also required.
An embassy or consulate may be the better path when the recipient requires a consular notarial act, when the post’s process is mandatory for that document, when remote online notarization is not accepted, or when current post instructions are the only workable option for timing or identity. Compare pathways before you book either option.
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
22 CFR Part 92 — Notarial and Related Services(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Government Publishing Office — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
Accessed September 18, 2026
Notarial and Authentication Services at U.S. Embassies and Consulates(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State
Accessed September 18, 2026
About the Office of Authentications(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State
Accessed September 18, 2026
Apostille Requirements(opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications
Accessed September 18, 2026
Florida Statutes § 117.265 — Online Notarization Procedures(opens in a new tab)
Florida Legislature
Accessed September 18, 2026
Remote Online Notary Public(opens in a new tab)
Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations
Accessed September 18, 2026
Upload the unsigned document and provide the signer's location, identification type, witness needs, and preferred session time. iRemoteNotary will review the request and provide the next steps for an eligible session.