# Garda - Certified Copy



## blucey (12 Dec 2006)

So, having sold some shares i need a certified copy of my passport or other id. Off I trot to the local GS, where they refuse, point blank, stating that they dont know me. Passport, driving li, credit cards, bus pass, staff card, xtravision membership all to hand. Nope. The odd thing is that my wife had had a copy of a doc certified there the previous week and the young un on the desk stated flatly that that could not have happened. 
Two questions
1) Are they not required to actually do this and 
2) If they aint, why the hell do the banks request this? 

Maybe some garda reading this could tell us how to get this done? Or what to do?


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## jhegarty (12 Dec 2006)

When I got it done the guard didn't even look at the passport....


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## CCOVICH (12 Dec 2006)

It seems to vary from station to station-if you search you will see that there are threads where others have described the same experience.

Maybe try another station or ask to speak to someone more senior.  Of course if you know any solicitors or accountants, they are able to certify documents as well.

Failing all of the above, can you just provide the broker with the original docs?


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## blucey (12 Dec 2006)

CCOVICH said:


> It seems to vary from station to station-if you search you will see that there are threads where others have described the same experience.
> 
> Maybe try another station or ask to speak to someone more senior. Of course if you know any solicitors or accountants, they are able to certify documents as well.


 
Knowing someone aint the point. If they should do something, they should do it. Not as a favor, as a service. Hell, charge for it. 

And why does it vary from station to station. Dont we have a national police force?


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## blucey (12 Dec 2006)

where was that?


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## CCOVICH (12 Dec 2006)

Sorry, I'm not a member of the Gardai, and have no idea if they are obliged to certify anything, especially if you are not known to them.

Just passing on what I know.


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## Decani (13 Dec 2006)

If it's just a single doc, any reasonable commissioner for oaths should do it for free. We had to get a raft of docs certified and used a solicitor (acting as commis for oaths) but we had one follow up doc where we went to a more local CfO and he did it gratis.

WRT Garda stations, it does seem to vary from station to station. Certifying a doc is just that. You don't need to _know_ the person. We copied the photo page of passport and, on the back, pre-printed "I hereby certify this to be a true copy of the original". They just sign and stamp it. No brains required. As long as they see the original and the copy, that's enough. You could get a certified copy of a Cornflakes box.

If you want.

The flip side is that no one is obliged to certify a copy. Even a Garda. There are certain people listed who can certify but I'm not sure of the complete list. It may include bank managers, priests, commis for oaths, etc. Maybe MOB or others here might give a list of 'freebie' certifiers.


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## Guest122 (13 Dec 2006)

Check out this link

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=288796#post288796

BB


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## Guest120 (13 Dec 2006)

Maybe if you rang ahead explain what you need done and make an appointment with a Garda to have it done rather than turning up unannounced you might get a better result.

 I wouldn't be so presumptuous that something like this is done at a whim, regardless of what you know has been done in the past.


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## CCOVICH (13 Dec 2006)

The issue is discussed at length in the thread that Breffini Boy2 linked to above, with a process for raising the issue with the Gardai detailed.


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