Refund policy
Last updated: October 12, 2026
Civil Documents, a trade name of Crabeye Corp, provides independent third-party administrative, research, document procurement, and related assistance services.
Our customers pay for professional time, expertise, research, investigations, administrative work, coordination, and reasonable efforts undertaken on their behalf, rather than for a guaranteed outcome.
Professional service fees are generally non-refundable once earned through authorized work, regardless of whether the desired result is achieved.
This policy explains our cancellation and refund conditions and forms part of our Terms of Service. It should be read together with those Terms.
1. Cancellation Before Services Begin
Customers are generally entitled to a full refund when cancellation occurs before professional services have commenced and before any external costs have been incurred or irrevocably committed.
Service authorization may be provided through written or electronic confirmation, acceptance of a quotation, express instructions to proceed, or payment where the customer has been clearly informed that payment authorizes commencement of work.
Once authorized work begins, professional service fees become subject to the non-refundable conditions outlined below.
2. Non-Refundable Professional Service Fees
All professional service fees charged by Civil Documents are generally non-refundable once earned through the commencement or performance of authorized services, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Professional service fees compensate Civil Documents for its time, expertise, administrative activities, research, investigations, document procurement assistance, coordination, and reasonable efforts.
These fees may incorporate internal operating expenses, local agent and contractor compensation, and other costs associated with providing the agreed services.
Our professional fees are not conditional upon successfully locating, obtaining, issuing, authenticating, legalizing, accepting, or delivering a particular document or record.
This principle applies to all Civil Documents services, including civil document procurement, government record searches, archival research, historical investigations, police clearance assistance, authentication, legalization, and related administrative services.
An unsuccessful search, unavailable record, government refusal, application rejection, third-party failure, or inability to obtain a requested document does not, by itself, constitute a failure by Civil Documents to perform its services.
Customers acknowledge that they are paying for the agreed professional services and reasonable efforts, not a guaranteed result.
Fees earned through authorized professional work remain non-refundable where the customer cancels, declines further assistance, or does not achieve the intended outcome.
This section does not exclude refunds or remedies required by applicable law, including where Civil Documents materially fails to perform its own agreed obligations.
3. Additional Work, Expenses, and Customer Authorization
Customers acknowledge that the full requirements, complexity, duration, and costs of an administrative service, document procurement request, investigation, or research assignment may not be known when the original quotation is prepared.
Additional requirements or expenses may arise after work has commenced, including:
- Extensive or additional government record searches.
- Archival research or investigations beyond the original scope.
- Additional visits to government departments, archives, registries, or other institutions.
- Travel, mileage, accommodation, and local agent expenses.
- Additional contractor or specialist assistance.
- Unexpected government, registry, or institutional charges.
- Additional applications, submissions, searches, or supporting documentation.
- Corrections or replacement of inaccurate government records or documents.
- Changes in government procedures, requirements, or processing arrangements.
- Additional courier, collection, or delivery expenses.
The original quotation covers only the agreed scope of work and does not guarantee that additional services or expenses will not be necessary.
Where material additional work or expenses fall outside the original authorized scope, Civil Documents will normally advise the customer of the additional requirements and seek authorization before proceeding.
Customers may accept or decline proposed additional work or charges.
Where the customer declines additional work necessary to continue, Civil Documents may suspend or close the affected service if further progress is not reasonably possible within the original scope.
Declining additional services does not entitle the customer to a refund of professional fees already earned or expenses properly incurred under the original authorization.
Additional authorized professional services are subject to the same non-refundable fee conditions once earned through performance of the agreed work.
4. Errors and Corrections to Official Documents
Government-issued documents and historical records may contain spelling errors, incorrect dates, omissions, transcription mistakes, or other discrepancies originating from government registries, archival records, or official issuance procedures.
Civil Documents does not control the accuracy of records maintained or documents issued by government authorities.
Where an official document contains an error or discrepancy not attributable to a failure by Civil Documents to exercise reasonable care, professional fees earned for work already performed remain non-refundable.
Correcting an official record or obtaining a replacement document may require additional searches, applications, administrative work, government fees, contractor expenses, and courier charges.
Unless expressly included in the original authorized service, correction and replacement procedures are considered additional services and may require a separate quotation, authorization, and payment.
Customers may choose whether to authorize additional assistance or decline further work.
A decision not to proceed with additional corrective services does not invalidate professional services already performed or create an entitlement to a refund of earned fees.
Where an error results from Civil Documents' own material failure to exercise reasonable care, appropriate corrective action or remedies will be assessed in accordance with applicable law.
5. Government Fees, Shipping Charges, and Unused External Payments
Civil Documents generally identifies government fees and shipping charges separately from professional service fees on quotations and invoices.
Separately invoiced government fees that have not been paid, incurred, or irrevocably committed will be refunded where the corresponding government service will not proceed.
Government fees already paid, incurred, or irrevocably committed are generally non-refundable unless recovered from the relevant authority.
Separately invoiced shipping charges that have not been used, incurred, or irrevocably committed will ordinarily be refunded where the shipment will not proceed.
Third-party charges already incurred and not recoverable are generally non-refundable, subject to applicable law.
Refunding an unused government fee or shipping charge does not create an entitlement to a refund of Civil Documents' separately charged and earned professional service fees.
Courier delivery arrangements, shipment protection, and associated limitations are further described in our Shipping Policy and Terms of Service.
6. Cancellation After Services Begin
Customers may request cancellation of an authorized service by contacting Civil Documents.
Once authorized professional work has commenced, fees earned for work performed remain generally non-refundable, regardless of whether the service has produced the desired result.
Cancellation does not reverse administrative work, research, investigations, submissions, coordination, or other services already performed.
Where a customer cancels before the agreed service has been fully performed, any refund legally due for unperformed services and recoverable expenses will be assessed in accordance with the service agreement and applicable law.
Government and third-party fees already paid, incurred, or irrevocably committed are generally non-refundable unless recovered.
Unused and uncommitted government fees or shipping charges will be refunded in accordance with Section 5.
Where Civil Documents materially fails to perform an agreed professional obligation due to circumstances within its reasonable control, any applicable corrective action or remedy will be determined according to the agreement and applicable law.
7. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks
Customers acknowledge that Civil Documents provides professional administrative assistance, research, investigations, coordination, and reasonable efforts rather than guaranteed outcomes.
Customers are encouraged to contact Civil Documents regarding any concerns before initiating a payment dispute so that an appropriate resolution can be considered.
An unsuccessful search, unavailable document, unfavorable government decision, third-party failure, or error in an official record does not automatically establish that the professional services purchased were not provided.
Civil Documents reserves the right to respond to and contest payment disputes or chargebacks where it reasonably believes that the disputed charges relate to properly authorized and performed services.
Supporting evidence may include customer authorizations, accepted quotations, invoices, acceptance of our Terms of Service and Refund Policy, correspondence, administrative activity records, research findings, government submissions, contractor records, third-party receipts, and courier tracking information.
Where permitted by law, Civil Documents may seek recovery of losses arising from proven fraudulent payment disputes or intentional misrepresentation.
Nothing in this section prevents customers from exercising legitimate chargeback rights or remedies available under applicable law.
8. Mandatory Consumer Protection Rights
Customers may have statutory cancellation, refund, or other rights under the consumer protection laws applicable to their transactions.
These rights may vary depending on the customer's jurisdiction, the nature of the services, and the circumstances in which the agreement was entered into.
Where a customer expressly authorizes immediate commencement of services, the effect of that authorization on any statutory cancellation rights will be determined by applicable law.
Nothing in this policy excludes or limits any consumer protection right, liability, or remedy that cannot legally be excluded or limited.
Where mandatory applicable law conflicts with this policy, the mandatory legal requirements will prevail.
9. Refund Requests and Processing
Customers wishing to request cancellation, clarification of charges, or a refund of eligible unused government or shipping fees should contact Civil Documents through our official contact page or customer portal.
Customers should provide their name, relevant service or invoice reference, and a brief explanation of their request.
We may request additional information reasonably necessary to verify the transaction and assess the request.
Refund requests will be reviewed having regard to the agreed service scope, customer authorization, professional work performed, external expenses incurred, and applicable law.
Where a refund is due or approved, Civil Documents will normally initiate payment to the original payment method within 5–10 business days, unless an earlier deadline is required by law.
Refunds will normally be issued in the original transaction currency. Currency conversion differences, exchange rate fluctuations, and independent bank charges are generally outside our control.
The time required for refunded funds to appear in the customer's account may depend on the payment processor or financial institution.
This policy forms part of the Civil Documents Terms of Service and should be interpreted together with those Terms and applicable law.
Civil Documents provides independent administrative assistance and is not affiliated with any government authority. Official documents are issued exclusively by the relevant government authorities.