As Canada’s leading provider of Canadian document apostille, and authentication and legalization, we answer a lot of questions about this often-confusing process. This brief article guides you through how to navigate your documents through the steps of the process, answering the most common questions and pointing you to additional resources that may help.
Why do I need to apostille documents in Canada?
Before we discuss how long it takes to apostille documents in Canada, we would like to discuss why you need to apostille these documents. Whether you are relocating abroad for work or school, obtaining citizenship in another country, or doing business in global markets, you will need to have your Canadian documents apostilled (or authenticated and legalized). The Canadian document apostille process is used to verify the authenticity of a Canadian document in a way that allows this document to be officially recognized in another country.
What are the steps to Apostille a Canadian Document?
| Step 1: Prepare your documents It is essential that your documents are prepared properly before you start the apostille, or authentication and legalization, process. This involves ensuring your documents meet all the requirements of the apostille authority (Step 2) and, if applicable, 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, or providing supporting documents. Unfortunately, each authority will set its own unique requirements for the Canadian apostille process, so each situation is different. |
| Step 2: Apostille of your documents The second step of the process is to submit your carefully prepared documents to the appropriate Canadian government authority for apostille. Their staff will review your documents, and if all is in order, will place a the apostille certificate directly on each document, confirming that they have been apostilled. Although you can find some information on the Global Affairs Canada website, it does not cover all documents or situations. Their website also does not factor in the experience-guided judgement calls our staff may make when managing the process for our clients. If your documents are destined for another apostille signatory country, this is the last step of the process. Your apostilled documents are ready to use in other apostille countries. |
| Step 3: Legalization of your documents Lastly, if your documents are destined for a non-apostille country, you need to submit your documents to the embassy or consulate of the country in which your documents will be used. The embassy or consulate staff will review your documents to confirm they meet their requirements. If satisfied that all is in order the embassy or consulate staff will place a stamp or sticker directly on each document, confirming that it has been legalized. Once your documents have been authenticated and legalized you have completed the process, and your documents will now be officially recognized in the destination country. |
How long does it take to apostille documents?
Now that we have reviewed the process of document apostille, or authentication and legalization, we can discuss the processing time. Each step of the process will have a specific timeline based on the number and type of documents, the requirements of the apostille authority, the requirements of the embassy or consulate of the destination country, and the requirements of the recipient abroad.
The apostille of documents can range from 1 day to a few weeks. This is because each apostille authority has its own requirements and timelines. Some will offer a walk-in service and others only accept mail-in applications. Some of these offices have fluctuating timelines which vary depending on volume, while others remain steadily the same.
Where can I find more information about Canadian document apostille?
Our website contains a lot of information on the Canadian document apostille process. We have resources outlining the process itself, pages dedicated to certain document types, pages dedicated to specific embassies, and a large collection of Frequently Asked Questions.
The Global Affairs Canada website has information on how to apostille documents, although we caution on our clients that their website glosses over the actual complexity and variability in the process. Embassy and consulates sometimes provide information about document legalization on their websites. Our experience is that this information changes frequently and is often outdated, so we recommend you confirm requirements by talking directly to them, if possible.
Can you help me with document apostille?
If you need assistance with document apostille, we can certainly help. We will get you the information you need to decide how to best proceed, and then manage all aspects of the apostille, or authentication and legalization, process on your behalf. You send your documents to our Ottawa office and we 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 reach out to us through our website and we’ll get right back to you!
