An international online notary is a US-commissioned notary who notarizes your document over a live, recorded video session while you are outside the United States or don’t have US identity records. You can usually use one when three things line up: the document relates to a US matter, you can show a valid passport, and the law of the notary’s commissioning state allows signers located abroad. The notary stays in their own state. You join from wherever you are, subject to the rules explained below.
This guide covers who qualifies, how identity checks work without a US credit history, which documents are eligible, what it costs on BlueNotary, and what to do if the document then needs an apostille.
Who can use an international online notary?
Most signers outside the United States can use a US online notary if the document has a genuine US connection and signing it is not prohibited where they are located. Citizenship is not the test. The rules come from the state where the notary is commissioned, so the exact conditions depend on that state.
Remote online notarization (RON) means a notary commissioned in one state notarizes your signature through audio-video technology while you are somewhere else. For signers outside the country, many states that follow the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts add two conditions.
Condition 1: the document must connect to the United States
Washington’s law is a typical example. Under RCW 42.45.280, a signer located outside the United States qualifies when the record is to be filed with, or relates to a matter before, a US court, public official or government entity, or when it involves property in the United States or a transaction substantially connected with the United States. Pennsylvania uses nearly identical wording in 57 Pa.C.S. § 306.1.
Condition 2: signing must not be prohibited where you are
Those same laws require that making the statement or signing the record is not prohibited by the foreign country where you are located. Minnesota takes a slightly different approach: under Minn. Stat. § 358.645, the notary must have no actual knowledge that the act is prohibited there, and you confirm the document’s US connection. New York requires you to confirm the US connection verbally during the recorded session under 19 NYCRR § 182.4.
Some states write the rule more broadly. Texas allows online notarization regardless of where the signer is physically located (Tex. Gov’t Code § 406.110), and Florida’s statute says the same for principals and witnesses (Fla. Stat. § 117.265). Even so, a broad state rule does not override a platform’s own policy or the receiving party’s requirements.
BlueNotary’s own policy matches the US-connection principle. Its How It Works page states that if the document pertains to matters based in the United States, it can help notarize it even without a Social Security number, using biometric verification.
Which documents qualify, and which do not
Documents headed to a US bank, court, agency, title company or other US recipient are the best fit. Documents meant for a foreign government or embassy often need a different route, and some document types are excluded entirely.
Common US-bound documents that international signers notarize online include:
- Powers of attorney that let someone in the US act on your behalf with a bank, a property sale or a business matter
- Deeds and other real estate documents for property located in the United States
- Affidavits and sworn statements for a US court or agency
- Bank, brokerage and account-change forms from US institutions
- Parental consent forms, such as the DS-3053 for a child’s US passport
According to BlueNotary’s help article on what documents can be notarized, the platform does not notarize documents submitted to foreign embassies, codicils and testamentary trusts, or Form I-9.
Acceptance is always the receiving party’s decision. Before you book, ask the organization that will receive the document whether it accepts a remote online notarization and whether it needs anything extra, such as an original wet-ink signature or an apostille.
How identity verification works without a US credit history
Online notaries must verify your identity through technology, not just by looking at an ID on camera. Most states require a government-issued photo ID, automated credential analysis of that ID, and a separate identity-proofing step. For signers without US records, the identity-proofing step is where problems usually appear.
Why KBA is hard for international signers
Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) is a timed quiz built from your personal history. Florida’s rule in Fla. Stat. § 117.295 is typical: at least five questions, at least five answer choices each, a two-minute limit, and at least 80 percent correct. Minnesota’s statute says the questions are identifiable to the signer’s Social Security number or other identification information (§ 358.645). If you have little or no US credit or address history, the system may not be able to generate questions at all.
The passport and biometrics alternative
BlueNotary’s help article on types of identity authentication says non-US citizens can verify with a passport book and a biometrics scan (a live facial scan) instead of KBA, because KBA is likely not available to them. BlueNotary’s biometrics guidance notes that whether biometrics is permitted depends on the notary’s state.
State law supports this in several places. Florida allows a foreign passport without a US immigration stamp to serve as the ID for an online notarization of a principal located outside the United States (Fla. Stat. § 117.201). Virginia lets notaries combine several identity methods, of which KBA is only one (Va. Code § 47.1-2).
How to notarize a US document from abroad, step by step
The process takes a few preparation steps and one live session. Plan for time zones, because a notary in the United States will join you by video.
- Confirm the document’s destination. Ask the US recipient whether it accepts remote online notarization and whether it will need an apostille or other certification.
- Check your ID. Use a current passport book with a readable photo page. Make sure the name matches the name on the document.
- Prepare a clean digital copy. Upload the complete, unsigned document as a PDF. Do not sign it in advance.
- Set up your device. Use a computer or phone with a working camera, microphone and stable internet, in a quiet, well-lit room.
- Choose the verification method. Select the passport and biometrics option if you don’t have a US credit history.
- Meet the notary on video. The notary confirms your identity, checks that you understand the document, and watches you sign electronically.
- Download the notarized file. You receive the electronically notarized document to send to the recipient.
BlueNotary’s guide on how long RON recordings are kept explains that every remote online notarization session is recorded and that retention periods depend on state law.
Online notary, US embassy or local notary: which route fits?
Each route solves a different problem. An online notary suits US-bound documents and signers who can’t travel. An embassy or consulate suits documents that need a US consular officer. A local notary suits documents governed by the country where you live.
| Route | Where you sign | Typical cost | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US online notary (RON) | Anywhere with internet, by video | $25 for one notarial certificate on BlueNotary | US-bound documents such as POAs, deeds and bank forms | State-law conditions for signers abroad; recipient acceptance |
| US embassy or consulate | In person at the embassy | $50 per consular seal, per the US Department of State | Signers who prefer or need a US consular officer | Appointments required; no remote or virtual service |
| Local foreign notary | In person, under local law | Varies by country | Documents used in your country of residence | A US recipient may reject it or ask for extra certification |
The State Department says embassy notarial appointments are open to customers of all nationalities, but you must appear in person. For more on that route, read our overview of notarizing documents at American consulates.
What happens after notarization: apostilles and foreign use
If your notarized document will stay in the United States, you are usually done. If it will be used in another country, that country may require an apostille, and not every state will issue one for a remotely notarized document.
An apostille is a certificate from a designated authority, usually a state Secretary of State, that authenticates the notary’s signature and seal for use in countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. Notaries cannot issue apostilles themselves, as our guide on whether a notary can apostille a document explains.
State policies on apostilles for remote notarizations vary:
- Texas will apostille online notarizations when presented with the required ledger and certificate, but warns that some countries do not accept online notarized documents (Texas Secretary of State).
- Virginia currently cannot authenticate an electronic notarization with an apostille (Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth).
- Delaware does not accept remotely or electronically notarized documents for apostille (Delaware Division of Corporations).
States also generally authenticate only their own notaries. Florida, for example, will only apostille documents notarized by a Florida notary (Florida Department of State). If you need an apostille, confirm the notary’s commissioning state and that state’s policy before your session. You can check whether the destination country is a member in our Hague Apostille country list.
What it costs and what to have ready
BlueNotary’s published fee schedule (checked September 2026) lists $25 for a notarization with one stamp, $8 for each additional stamp and $5 for each additional signer. Witness as a service costs $10. See the pricing page for current plans, including business options.
Before you start, run through this checklist:
- A current passport book with an undamaged, glare-free photo page
- The complete document as a PDF, unsigned
- Written confirmation from the recipient that remote online notarization is acceptable
- The names and email addresses of any co-signers or witnesses
- A decision on whether the document needs an apostille, and from which state
- A quiet, well-lit space and a device with a camera and microphone
Have a question about your document or your country before you start? Email BlueNotary at [email protected] and the team will help.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a US online notary from another country?
Often, yes. Many states allow notaries to serve signers abroad when the document relates to a US matter and signing isn’t prohibited in the signer’s country. The exact conditions depend on the state where the notary is commissioned.
Do I need a US Social Security number?
Not necessarily. KBA usually depends on US records tied to a Social Security number, but BlueNotary offers passport and biometric verification for non-US citizens when the document concerns US matters.
Can a non-US citizen living in the United States use an online notary?
Yes. Citizenship is not a requirement for notarization. What matters is proving your identity with an acceptable ID and completing the identity check the notary’s state requires.
Which USA online notary services work for expats?
Look for a service whose notaries are commissioned in states that permit signers abroad and whose identity process accepts a passport without US credit history. Also confirm the recipient accepts remote online notarization before you book.
Will another country accept my online notarized document?
It depends on the country and the organization. Some countries do not accept remotely notarized documents even with an apostille, as the Texas Secretary of State notes. Ask the receiving authority before you notarize.
Can I get an apostille after an online notarization?
Sometimes. The apostille comes from the notary’s commissioning state, and state policies differ. Texas issues apostilles for online notarizations with supporting records, while Virginia and Delaware currently do not.
Ready to notarize a US document from abroad? Start your online notarization with BlueNotary and choose passport and biometric verification if you don’t have a US credit history.
