Why Do I Need to Authenticate a Document in Ottawa Canada?
There are a number of different reasons you may need to have a document authenticated in Ottawa Canada. If you need to authenticate a document here in Ottawa, it is likely because you have a Canadian document that will be used abroad. The authentication process is the first step of the document authentication and legalization process.
Let’s dive deeper into the process and requirements.
What is Document Authentication?
Document authentication is the process in which the seal or signature on a document is certified as genuine by an authorized government agency. Document authentication is the first step in the document authentication and legalization process. The second step – document legalization – involves submitting your authenticated documents to the relevant embassy or consulate. The Canadian document authentication and legalization process is equivalent to the international apostille process. So if you have been told to apostille your Canadian documents, what you will actually be doing is authenticating and legalizing these documents.
Document Authentication in Ottawa
In Canada, documents will either be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa, or by one of the provincially appointed authentication agencies. Each authentication office authenticates documents from a specific region of Canada.
Documents issued or notarized in Ontario will go through the Ontario Provincial authentication office.
Documents issued in Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, or the East Coast Provinces (NB, NS, PEI, NFLD) all fall under the jurisdiction of Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa.
What are the Requirements to Authenticate a Document?
Before submitting a document for authentication, you need to carefully check that it meets all requirements. Checking requirements is often not simple, as the government body that authenticates your document, the embassy or consulate that legalizes your document, and the recipient you are sending your document to will all have specific requirements, and you need to meet them all.
Requirements may include notarization by a Canadian notary, having a certified true copy made, having the document translated, and you may be required to supply supporting documents. We would welcome a chance to discuss your specific processing needs and point you in the right direction.
Who Authenticates My Document?
After preparing your documents for the authentication process, they will need to be submitted to the authentication authority. Their staff will review your documents, confirm that all requirements are met and all is in order, and if satisfied, they will add the certificate of authentication.
About Document Legalization
Documents that have been authenticated and are destined for a non-apostille country, will need to be legalized before they will be accepted in the foreign country. To have your documents legalized to be used abroad, the authenticated documents will need to be submitted to the appropriate embassy or consulate. In many cases, it’s easier to hire a company like us to take care of the authentication and legalization process, as embassy regulations and requirements frequently change without notice.
Our experts manage the authentication and legalization for many thousands of clients every year. We will ensure you avoid the common mistakes and pitfalls that can greatly increase the cost and time required to authenticate and legalize your documents.
Contact us for document authentication in Ottawa and more!
For document authentication and legalization in Ottawa and throughout Canada, contact us online today or call 1 (888) 433-1011.