British consulates in the United States are not the place to sign a power of attorney. They do not provide routine notarial or documentary services, and a document destined for the United Kingdom follows the ordinary path: signed before a U.S. notary, then apostilled by the state that commissioned that notary.
Quick facts
The wording matters more than the formalities. English and Scottish practice differ, and a lasting power of attorney for property or health has a prescribed form that cannot be improvised from abroad.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. notarisation | $5–$25 per signature | Bring the document unsigned |
| Apostille | $3–$25 per document | Secretary of State of that state |
| UK solicitor’s drafting fee | Agreed with the firm | Essential for prescribed forms |
| Registration of a lasting power | Set by the UK office of the public guardian | Required before it can be used |
| Witnesses | No fee | You must arrange your own |
An ordinary power for a single transaction, such as a house sale, is much simpler than a lasting power, which has to be registered in the United Kingdom before anyone can act on it.
How to do it
- Ask the solicitor, bank or registry in the United Kingdom exactly what form and wording they need.
- Have the document prepared there and sent to you, unsigned.
- Arrange your own witnesses if the form requires them. A notary cannot act as your witness.
- Sign before a U.S. notary public, following the signing order the form specifies.
- Send the notarised original to the Secretary of State for the apostille.
- Courier the completed document to the United Kingdom, keeping a copy and the tracking record.
Required documents
- Valid photo identification for every signatory.
- The unsigned draft, complete, with no blank fields.
- Full names and addresses of the attorneys being appointed.
- Property title numbers, account details or case references.
- Witnesses where the form prescribes them.
- Payment for the notary and the apostille.
Where consulates fit in
Missions assist in emergencies, issue emergency travel documents and provide information. For document execution they signpost to local notaries and to the apostille service.
No offices currently listed.
Additional notes
Signing order
Prescribed forms specify who signs first and who witnesses whom. Getting the order wrong invalidates the document, and it is the most common reason one is rejected in the United Kingdom.
Scotland is different
Scottish powers of attorney follow their own rules and are registered with a different office. Ask which jurisdiction applies before drafting.
Property transactions
A power used for a conveyance is checked by the land registry and by the lender, both of which are exacting about wording and about how recent the document is.
Revocation
A power is revoked by a further document executed the same way, with notice to the attorney and to anyone relying on it.