Can Notaries accept foreign passports or consular cards as proof of a signer’s identity? — D.C., Texas
Yes and no. A Texas Notary may accept a foreign passport as proof of a signer’s identity only when notarizing residential real estate transactions. A Texas Notary may not accept a matricula consular card to identify the signer. The relevant law requires IDs to be issued by the federal (U.S.) or state government. A matricula consular card is issued by neither which is why Notaries can’t accept it. See Texas Administrative Code provision (1 TAC 87.1[1]).
Please see our article on unusual signer IDs for information on other state rules regarding Notaries accepting consular identification cards as proof of signer identity.
Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors
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