A signer offers a valid passport issued by their country of citizenship. What is the notary's position?

Satisfactory evidence of identity under California law is a document-based test, and the question is always whether the specific document meets the statutory criteria rather than where it came from. The paper must be current, or issued within the past five years, and must contain a photograph, a description of the person, the person's signature, and an identifying number. A passport issued by a foreign government is on the list of documents that can qualify — subject to the statute's own conditions — so the analysis is the same as for any other acceptable identification: examine the document against the required elements and accept or decline on that basis. Two distractor patterns recur. One invents a translation requirement, which does not exist; the notary examines the document's elements, not its language. The other invents a corroboration requirement, which confuses this route with the credible witness route, used only when the signer has no acceptable identification at all.

Satisfactory evidence turns on whether the document meets the statutory criteria — current or issued within the past five years, with a photograph, description, signature and identifying number.

California defines satisfactory evidence by reference to specified identification documents that are current or issued within the past five years and contain a photograph, description of the person, signature and identifying number.

Check the Elements. Photograph, description, signature, number — and current or within five years.

California's statutory list treats some foreign passports specifically, so check the list rather than reasoning from the general elements alone.

• •Inventing a translation requirement
• •Asking for a second document to corroborate acceptable identification
• •Applying the general elements without checking the statutory list