Rhode Island General Laws Title 34. Property § 34-12-9. Validation of prior acknowledgments before foreign notary public

Any acknowledgment taken or made prior to April 27, 1928, of or upon any instrument used in conveying, directly or indirectly, any interest in real estate in this state, including power of attorney, and any other instruments heretofore acknowledged prior to April 27, 1928, before any notary public in any foreign country or territory without the United States, which instrument appears of record to have been duly recorded in any of the records of land evidence in this state, and the acknowledgment therein appearing was taken before a notary public outside the United States, which notary public was duly commissioned in the foreign place where the acknowledgment was taken, to take the acknowledgment, and the acknowledgment is accredited, approved or affirmed, or the commission of the foreign notary public is attested or certified by any ambassador, minister, chargé d'affaires, consul general, vice-consul general, consul, vice consul, or consular agent of the United States, or any commissioned officer in active service of the armed forces of the United States with the rank of second lieutenant or higher in the army, air force, or marine corps, or with the rank of ensign or higher in the navy or coast guard, or with equivalent rank in any other component of the armed forces of the United States, duly establishing the fact that the notary public was at the time of taking the acknowledgment duly authorized by the law, rules, or regulations of his or her particular country or territorial section thereof, in which the acknowledgment was taken, to duly administer oaths or take acknowledgments, then the acknowledgment and conveyance in connection with which the acknowledgment was taken shall, for the purpose of the acknowledgment and execution thereof, be deemed a valid acknowledgment, and shall have the same effect as if acknowledged before a notary public in this state.