[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 22, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 22CFR92.1]

[Page 373]
 
                       TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS
 
                     CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
 
PART 92--NOTARIAL AND RELATED SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 92.1  Definitions.

    (a) In the United States the term notary or notary public means a 
public officer qualified and bonded under the laws of a particular 
jurisdiction for the performance of notarial acts, usually in connection 
with the execution of some document.
    (b) The term notarial act means an act recognized by law or usage as 
pertaining to the office of a notary public.
    (c) The term notarial certificate may be defined as the signed and 
sealed statement to which a ``notarial act'' is almost invariably 
reduced. The ``notarial certificate'' attests to the performance of the 
act by the notary, and may be an independent document or as in general 
American notarial practice, may be placed on or attached to the 
notarized document.
    (d) For purposes of this part, except Secs. 92.36 through 92.42 
relating to the authentication of documents, the term notarizing officer 
includes consular officers, officers of the Foreign Service who are 
secretaries of embassy or legation under Section 24 of the Act of August 
18, 1856, 11 Stat. 61, as amended (22 U.S.C. 4221), and such U.S. 
citizen Department of State employees as the Deputy Assistant Secretary 
of State for Overseas Citizens Services may designate for the purpose of 
performing notarial acts overseas pursuant to section 127(b) of the 
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994-1995, Pub. L. 
103-236, April 30, 1994 (``designated employees''). The authority of 
designated employees to perform notarial services shall not include the 
authority to perform authentications, to notarize patent applications, 
or take testimony in a criminal action or proceeding pursuant to a 
commission issued by a court in the United States, but shall otherwise 
encompass all notarial acts, including but not limited to administering 
or taking oaths, affirmations, affidavits or depositions.
    The notarial authority of a designated employee shall expire upon 
termination of the employee's assignment to such duty and may also be 
terminated at any time by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Overseas 
Citizen Services.

[22 FR 10858, Dec. 27, 1957, as amended at 60 FR 51721, Oct. 3, 1995]