Notarial Services
The Consular Office performs — exclusively for Italian citizens who are abroad either permanently (having duly registered within the jurisdiction of the Italian Embassy in the Philippines) or temporarily (provided that the request is of a genuinely urgent nature and the applicant can demonstrate the reasons preventing them from attending a notary in their place of residence) — certain notarial functions provided for under Italian law.
These functions essentially include the drafting of public deeds (such as powers of attorney and wills), sworn statements, certifications, and the authentication of signatures on private documents.
Consular Offices may provide various notarial services, the most commonly requested of which include:
- Special and general powers of attorney
- Authentication services
- Public deeds and delegations
These documents are drawn up in Italian. Applicants are therefore required to have knowledge of the language and must appear in person, with a valid identity document, at the Consular Chancery of the Italian Embassy in Manila.
PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING A POWER OF ATTORNEY
A power of attorney is a legal instrument by which one person authorises another to act on their behalf and to carry out the necessary acts to achieve a specific purpose (e.g. to sell, purchase, manage, make a donation, accept a donation, establish or dissolve a company, request marriage banns, etc.). There are two types:
- General powers of attorney: these grant the representative authority to manage all present and future affairs of the principal. They are issued for an indefinite period.
- Special powers of attorney: these grant authority limited to specific matters. They cease to have effect once the particular task for which they were issued has been completed.
Given the complexity of the matter, it is advisable to consult in advance with a legal adviser experienced in powers of attorney or with a trusted notary in Italy who will receive the document signed at the Consular Office. They may provide guidance on the required content and, where appropriate, supply a draft.
The content of the document to be prepared (i.e. the text of the power of attorney) must always be sent to the Consular Office by email (consolare.manila@esteri.it) IN WORD FORMAT.
Applicants must provide the following details for the preparation of notarial deeds, which will be drawn up as public instruments by the Notarial Office of the Consular Chancery:
- PRINCIPAL (the person granting the power): Surname and name, place and date of birth, place of residence (city, street/square, number), Italian tax code, passport details used for identification (passport number, issuing authority — Questura, Embassy or Consulate — date of issue and expiry date). A scan of both the personal details page and the page indicating the issuing authority is required. Current marital status must also be provided.
- ATTORNEY-IN-FACT (the person receiving the power): Surname and name, place and date of birth, place of residence (city, street/square, number), Italian tax code.
- SUBJECT MATTER OF THE DEED
The Consular Office email address is: consolare.manila@esteri.it
Once the power of attorney has been prepared, the applicant will be contacted to attend the Embassy (with their passport) to sign the document, pay the consular fees, and collect it (on average after approximately four weeks).
Please ensure that the text is sent in Word format in order to proceed with the request.
FEES: Consular fees, payable in local currency (Philippine pesos), are as follows:
- General Power of Attorney — issuance, amendment, or revocation (per document): €80.00, plus €16.00 for each additional copy requested (the original remains in the notarial archives of the office);
- Special Power of Attorney — issuance, amendment, or revocation (per document): €56.00
AUTHENTICATION SERVICES
Authentication is normally carried out by a consular officer, though it may also be performed by an अधिकारी delegated to notarial functions. In particular:
- Signature authentication: this consists of the certification by a public official that a document has been signed by the person concerned.
To proceed, the individual must appear in person at the Notarial Office with a valid identity document and their Italian tax code. - Photograph authentication: for this, the individual must appear in person at the Notarial Office with a valid identity document and three identical photographs