Must the person sign the document in my presence?

If the document is an affidavit, verification or other document requiring an oath, the person must be properly sworn in and sign the document in your presence. if the document requires acknowledgment, it is sufficient for the person to appear before you and acknowledge execution of the document. if the document requires witnessing, you must personally see the person sign the document. never notarize an unsigned document, and never notarize a document outside the presence of the person. Do not notarize a document in which the notarial certificate contains untrue statements. You cannot take a notarization over the phone. You cannot notarize a document just because someone else assures you that the signature is genuine. You cannot take an acknowledgment just because you recognize the person’s signature.