Who is prohibited from notarizing the application?

The correct answer is that anyone with a financial interest in the application is prohibited from notarizing it. This rule is in place to maintain the integrity and impartiality of the notarization process. Notaries are expected to act as neutral witnesses to the signing of documents, and if they have a financial stake in the outcome of the application, their ability to remain unbiased is compromised. This potential conflict of interest could lead to fraudulent activities or coercion, undermining the legitimacy of the notarization.

In contrast, while a family member of the applicant might seem to present a potential bias, the key issue is whether they have a financial interest that would affect the notarization process. Notaries who are public officials can still perform notarizations as long as they adhere to the ethical guidelines of impartiality, making choice C not applicable. Additionally, individuals who have previously rejected applications might not be automatically disqualified from notarizing; their prior actions do not necessarily affect their ability to provide a neutral notarization unless they are otherwise conflicted. Therefore, the focus on financial interests is crucial in determining who can authenticate the application properly.