As the leading provider of Canadian document attestation services in Canada, we answer a lot of questions about the document attestation process. What does it mean to attest a document? You may not have ever heard the term “attestation” as it relates to Canadian documents. That is because the term attestation is more commonly used by other countries to refer to a document verification process which in Canada is called “document authentication and legalization”.
What is Document Attestation?
The Canadian document attestation process is used to verify the authenticity of a Canadian document, or the signature on the document, in a way that allows this document to be officially recognized in another country. The term attestation refers to a multi-step process of document authentication and legalization in Canada.
The three steps of the Document Attestation Process
The document attestation process includes three important steps:
Step 1: Prepare your documents
It is essential that your documents are prepared properly before you start the Canadian attestation process. This involves ensuring your documents meet all the requirements of Global Affairs Canada (Step 2) and the relevant embassy or consulate where they will be processed (Step 3). Preparation can require notarization, having certified true copies made, having your documents translated, and providing supporting documents. Unfortunately, each embassy and consulate sets its own unique requirements for the Canadian apostille process, so each situation is different.
Step 2: Authentication of your documents
The second step of the Canadian attestation process is to submit your carefully prepared documents to Global Affairs Canada for authentication. Their staff will review your documents, and if all is in order will place a large red stamp directly on each document, confirming that they have been authenticated.
Step 3: Legalization of your documents
Finally, you need to submit your documents to the embassy or consulate of the country where they will be used. The embassy or consulate staff will review your documents to confirm they meet all their requirements. If satisfied, the embassy or consulate staff will place a stamp or sticker directly on each document, confirming that it has been legalized. Once your document has been legalized you have completed the Canadian attestation process.
Where can I find more info on the attestation of documents?
Our website is a wealth of information on the attestation of documents and is a great place to start your research. The Global Affairs Canada website has information on how to authenticate your documents, although we caution our clients that their website glosses over the actual complexity and variability in the process. Embassies and consulates sometimes provide information about document legalization on their websites. However, our experience is that this information changes frequently and is often outdated, so we recommend you confirm requirements by contacting them directly. We have also assembled information on many of the most commonly used embassies on our website.
Can you help me with the Canadian attestation process?
If you need assistance with the Canadian attestation process, we can certainly help. We will get you the information you need to decide how to best proceed, and if you like, manage all aspects of the process on your behalf. You send your documents to our office, and we will handle the rest.
Giving our friendly experts a call for a free consultation is the best way to get started – phone us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011. We’ll explain the process, figure out your specific needs, answer your questions, and provide you with a detailed quote. Or you can reach out to us through our website and we’ll get right back to you!
