Certified copy

[pjwillcox]

My wife needs to have a certified copy made of her passport details to prove her identity to open a savings account with NSI (she's about to go away so doesn't want to send in her actual passport). I don't know how to go about this - who would do certified copies? Solicitors perhaps? Gtfl advice. Tks.

[tamborine]

Make a copy of passport ID details on your printer or PO/bank printer, ask staff to witness the rear of copy with their name/occupation/address/date & post to NSI.

[pjwillcox]

Many tks yr suggestions triggerhappy and tamborine

[Barquentine]

You pop into a solicitor's firm and ask at reception if anyone is available to do a certified copy. They should only charge you £5. They have to make the copy themselves (don't take a photocopy with you). They have a rubber stamp saying 'Certified Copy' and the firm's name and the solicitor is supposed to sign it with his/her name and date it. Only a solicitor has the power to certify that a document is a true copy of the original. This means it can be admitted in court (if ever needed) as if it were the original. This is the only exclusive power that a solicitor has but there is widespread confusion nowadays with the belief that other professionals can do this. They cannot.

[factor-fiction]

Won't a PO branch sort this out? Either ask a PO to copy it and sign it as a true copy or take a copy in together with the original and ask them to sign it /stamp it as a true copy. That's the way it works with banks, anyway.

[dzug2]

If they are doing it 'officially' POs charge these days too

and as to 'only a solicitor can do it' - total rubbish. Anyone acceptable to the person who wants the copy can do it. Some may specify solicitor only, others have a wider list.

[scotman]

Agree with dzug. The organisation requesting the certification should provide a list of acceptable people(stops you wasting your time and money). I am going through this myself and got such a list of 'approved' people to use.

[factor-fiction]

Hi dzug2-i suggested the Post office because I thought they were involved in the NSI product, so I wouldn't expect them to charge in this case if they want the business.
I agree with scotman- NSI should provide guidance

[Eve]

Does this help?

http://www.nsandi.com...n-faqs-proof-identity

It explains who can certify a copy.

[factor-fiction]

The link above says "We may also ask you to send us documents to confirm your identity and address. If so, we will write to you with a list of the documents needed."
Did their letter give more details of what was needed?