With no consulate in the United States, a power of attorney letting a relative act in Nauru is usually the only practical way anything moves. Agree the certification route with a lawyer there before drafting, because the consular step does not exist here.
Quick facts
Land in Nauru is the decisive issue and it is unusual even by Pacific standards. It is held by Nauruan families and clans and cannot be sold to non-Nauruans, and phosphate royalties have historically attached to landholding, which makes ownership questions consequential and contested.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. notarisation | $5–$25 per signature | First step |
| State and federal certification | $3–$25 plus $20 | Where required |
| Consular step | Not available here | Ask what substitutes |
| Lawyer’s fees in Nauru | Agreed with the firm | Drafting and completion |
| Courier | Carrier’s charge | Slow and expensive |
Because landholding can carry income, inheritance questions involve more parties than an overseas relative might expect. Establish who has an interest before drafting anything.
How to proceed
- Ask a lawyer in Nauru for the wording and the acts to authorise.
- Ask how the document should be certified, given there is no post here.
- Establish who holds an interest in the land concerned.
- Collect the identity details of everyone named.
- Complete the U.S. certifications once the route is agreed.
- Courier the original and keep a scan.
Required documents
- Nauruan passport or identity document.
- The wording supplied from Nauru.
- Full details of the person receiving the authority.
- Land or case references as they appear in the records.
- Evidence of relationship for family matters.
- Correspondence confirming the certification route.
Where to enquire
At the Permanent Mission in New York, and with a lawyer in Nauru.
Additional notes
Land cannot pass to outsiders
Any plan assuming otherwise needs rethinking with a lawyer in Nauru.
More interests than you expect
Landholding has carried income, so inheritance questions often involve a wide family.
Agree the route before drafting
A document that cannot be certified is worthless.
Revocation
Revoking requires a further instrument through the same slow route, so keep the authority narrow.