What is an Apostille in Canada?

An apostille is a certification that authenticates the origin of a public document. It simplifies the process of document verification for use in foreign countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention of 1961.

The Purpose of an Apostille

The main purpose of an apostille is to verify that a document is legitimate, thus allowing it to be recognized in another country without further authentication. This can apply to various documents, such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, and educational degrees.

Document Authentication in Canada

If you need a document to be recognized in another country, you typically follow these steps:

1. **Notarization**: Have the document notarized by a licensed notary public. We provide this service.

2. **Provincial Authentication**: The notarized document must then be authenticated by the appropriate provincial or territorial authority. This often involves verifying the notary's credentials.

3. **Federal Authentication**: For some documents, you may need to obtain further authentication from Global Affairs Canada, especially if the document will be used in a country requiring additional verification.

4. **Embassy or Consulate Legalization**: Finally, depending on the destination country, you may need to have the document legalized by the relevant embassy or consulate.

Conclusion

Canada does provide apostille services (as of January 11, 2024).

The apostille authentication process ensures that Canadian documents can be recognized abroad. It’s crucial for individuals requiring document validation for international use to understand these steps and allow sufficient time for the process, as it can be time-consuming. For specific requirements, it is always advisable to consult the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used.

• authentication of documents at the federal level, click here.

• authentication of documents at the provincial level, click here.