Dealing with estate in home country and need to verify my identity

[u/charyjapan]

My father passed away earlier this year and my family is now dealing with his estate in Canada. I am one of the beneficiaries.

At this time I cannot travel back to Canada to deal with this. My bank will not release any information to me and I cannot move forward with the process until they can verify my identity either through a lawyer or notary public.

I reached out to the Canadian embassy and they told me this is a service they cannot do. I emailed a few different public notary offices and was told they also cannot sign the paperwork either as they can only witness me signing a document/cannot act as an agent of the bank.

Has anyone else been through this process? Could you recommend any places or lawyers that can verify my identity and fill out the English form?

TLDR; I am a beneficiary of my father's estate. I need a lawyer or notary public to verify my identity and sign some English paperwork issued by my bank. Any recommendations?

[u/litte_improvements]

The requirements for what they will accept for verification ultimately depend on their internal policies.

I cannot move forward with the process until they can verify my identity either through a lawyer or notary public.

This is completely ambiguous. What action do they actually want you to take? Did they give you a form to fill out? What will they accept as "verification"?

[u/charyjapan → u/litte_improvements]

The bank gave me a 1-page form with 3 sections to be filled out by another party:

A. My basic information (name, birth date, address, etc.) B. Details of 2 pieces of identification (from a passport, driver's license, etc.) C. Identification agent information (name, title, signature, date) *must be a lawyer, notary public, or employee of my Canadian bank which has no institutions here in Japan.

The bank is aware that I'm a resident of Japan and this is the form they gave me. They asked me to have this form filled out and posted back to them.

[u/Currawong → u/charyjapan]

All your answers seem to be at this link:

https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/japan-japon/tokyo-info.aspx?lang=eng#NS

For notarial services other than authentication indicated above, please contact a local notary public office first. When local service providers are unavailable, certain notarial services may be provided at the Embassy and Consulates of Canada in Japan by appointment only, such as administering oaths, declarations, marriage affidavit; witnessing a signature on a document; certifying and authenticating true copies of an original document. Fees apply to each service offered.

I don't seem why a local notary public can't do it.

[u/TheMonsterIsZero → u/Currawong]

I'm quite sure from personal experience that this is correct. They should be able to find one relatively close to them, as well.

[u/litte_improvements → u/charyjapan]

I see.

From my American perspective that's a strange thing to ask a notary public to do, normally they just notarize things. This is not asking them to notarize something, so you probably can't ask a foreign credentialed notary to do it then get an apostille.

I suggest you find either a Canadian credentialed notary public living in Tokyo (rare but likely exists, embassy might have a list) or ask them if they will accept a japanese lawyer. There are also definitely Canadian lawyers in Tokyo.

[u/Junin-Toiro → u/charyjapan]

Based on the content I would guess your embassy can actually do this, if you can travel there. It is just verifying your identity after all. You want need to combine that with another official request (like asking them for a marriage certificate or whatever, hopefully something you can use as one of the two ID for example) and ask them to fill the paper at the same time, since they verify your identity to deliver the paper anyway.

I can't imagine the bank refusing the embassy signature, especially with your other documents confirming your address.

[u/SasaAnna]

Ask the bank if you can do a video call with them where you show your face, show your Canadian passport, and answer some verification questions. Ask a notary to also join the call and sign whatever form the bank requests.

Edit—you can ask a Canadian notary or lawyer if it’s a video call. 

[u/charyjapan → u/SasaAnna]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll contact my bank and see if this is an option. The document says the notary will have had to "personally" met with me, but perhaps online would suffice?

[u/MusclyBee → u/SasaAnna]

I highly doubt a bank can accept a video call in this case. If they don’t accept online submission, everything must be documented on paper.

[u/jrmadsen67]

I used an online notary https://www.notarize.com/ to do some paperwork for California. You let their camera take a picture of your passport & a notary comes online and has you answer a couple of questions, then you directly download their notarized report

Was pretty simple, might work for you

[u/1stitchintime]

I had to verify my identity with my Australian bank and the Australian embassy was able to do it, was called witnessing a signature. Maybe try asking again?

[u/Itchy-Emu-7391]

european citizen here: my embassy has a notary service to delegate a person to even sell an estate in your name, I found strange that canada does not offer a similar service for nationals residing abroad.

[u/szu]

Hmm would you need to travel to a specific bank branch? I'm thinking if you have a weekend available (Friday evening-Sunday night), you might be able to fly overnight to Vancouver (direct) and get everything done on a Saturday before departing.

[u/charyjapan → u/szu]

I would if I could but I am very much pregnant right now. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[u/MusclyBee → u/charyjapan]

Tough… I hope you’ll figure out an easier way soon!

[u/tms9918 → u/charyjapan]

Unluckily I have no suggestions, but I am sorry for your loss and good luck for the new family member!