High School Diploma and Transcript for use Internationally
If you’ve decided to studying outside of Canada, you’ll likely be asked to present your Canadian educational documents. There is also a good chance that you will be required to first have these documents properly certified before they will be accepted. Acquiring this certification can mean the difference between achieving your educational dreams or being denied enrollment entirely.
In this article, we cover all you need to know about how to get your Canadian High School diploma and transcripts ready to be used internationally.
How to Certify Canadian Documents for use Internationally
Canadian document apostille is a process that confirms the authenticity of a Canadian document, so that this document will be officially recognized in other countries. Any country that has signed the Hague Apostille Convention, including Canada, will issue apostille certificates and recognize apostille certificates issues by other countries.
If your documents are going to another country that is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, the documents may require a slightly different process called document authentication and legalization. You can find more about that process here: Document authentication and legalization
Diploma and Transcript Apostille
First, you will need to be sure that the educational documents you have are versions that will be accepted by the apostille authority. Typically, this means original documents with a signature and seal of the Minister of Education. If you need more information about the types of documents accepted by these offices, send us an email or give us a call so that we can make sure you have versions of your documents that are suitable for processing.
There are variables of the apostille process that can make it tricky to for us to provide specific step-by-step instructions. Each apostille office has its own rules and each destination country has their own requirements. In some cases, you will need to have the diploma and transcript notarized by a Notary Public. Get in touch with us to discuss your situation and find out the requirements.
Other Documents That May Need Apostille
Depending on the purpose of your educational documents, you might also be required to have additional documents processed, such as your birth certificate, marriage certificate, criminal record check, or any number of other documents. To apostille these, you’ll be following the same general process described here. Having accompanying documents processed at the same time as your educational documents will save you time and money, so make sure you know exactly which documents you are required before you start the process.
When to Consider the Legalization Process
If your documents are going to a non-apostille country, you will need a further step of legalization.
This final step of document legalization is done by the embassy or consulate of the country in which you will be presenting your educational documents. Their consular staff will review your documents, and if all is in order, will place a stamp, sticker or certificate (depends on the embassy) directly on your documents, confirming they have been legalized. Note that each embassy and consulate sets its own unique requirements. Similarly, the processing time can vary widely between different embassies and consulates.
We Provide Apostille & Legalization of Educational Documents and More!
Working with a reliable apostille and legalization service like us is one of the best ways to streamline the process and ensure nothing is overlooked, avoiding long delays and extra costs. If you need to apostille or legalize educational documents to be used abroad, contact us online today or call us toll-free at 1 (888) 433-1011.