I’ve been asked to notarize documents for a couple from Mexico who only has their Matricula Consular cards for identification. They brought in friends to identify them, but they also have only the Matricula Consular cards, and I don’t know either party. What should I tell them? -J.T., Orange, CA
California Notaries cannot accept the Matricula Consular card for identification. Federal authorities view the identification issued by Mexican consulates as highly susceptible to fraud. If your signer cannot produce an acceptable form of identification or credible witnesses that possess acceptable identification, you have no other choice but to refuse the notarization. To date only two states, Nevada and Illinois, allow Notaries to accept Matricula Consular cards as satisfactory evidence of identification.