When it comes to obtaining an apostille on a Canadian marriage certificate, you might have learned that rather than issuing apostilles, Canada follows its own process known as authentication and legalization. Here’s a breakdown of how to authenticate and legalize (obtain an apostille on) a Canadian marriage certificate from the team of experts at International Documents Canada.
Reasons You Might Need an Authenticated & Legalized Marriage Certificate
Before diving into the details, you might be wondering why one would need to obtain an apostille (authentication and legalization) on a marriage certificate . Some of the primary reasons include when applying for a visa for a foreign country, registering the birth of your child in your homeland, accepting a job abroad, getting married in another country, or when your spouse is moving with you to a new country.
Marriage Certificate Authentication Requirements
The authentication and legalization process begins with document authentication at Global Affairs Canada. But it is important to note that Global Affairs Canada will only accept marriage certificate documents issued by the vital statistics department of a provincial government. Marriage documents issued at the time of marriage are not accepted, and marriage certificates issued by a church will not be accepted. And although they are rare, wallet-sized marriage certificates cannot be authenticated. If you need to order a new marriage certificate for the authentication process, you can easily do so. The experts at IDC can help with this process if needed.
Authentication at Global Affairs
After you’ve obtained the proper marriage certificate, it will then need to be submitted to Global Affairs Canada for authentication. If everything is in order, Global Affairs Canada will put a large red stamp directly on the document, confirming it has been authenticated. The document can then be sent to the appropriate consulate or embassy for legalization.
Embassy Legalization
This is the last step, and one of the most complicated ones. This is because each embassy and consulate sets its own requirements and timelines for legalization. These requirements can change frequently and without notice, which is why working with an agency like International Documents Canada can be helpful. We know all the ins and outs of the various embassies and can help you expedite your authenticated and legalized marriage certificate.
Contact us for marriage certificate apostille services and more!
For more information about authentication and legalization services, call us today at 1 (888) 433-1011 or contact us online.
