As Canada’s leading provider of Canadian document 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 authenticate documents in Canada?
Before we discuss how long it takes to authenticate documents in Canada, we would like to discuss why you need to authenticate 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 authenticated. The Canadian document authentication process is one step of a multi-step process 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 Authenticate and Legalize a Canadian Document?
The process of Canadian document authentication and legalization is a three-step process.
Step 1: Prepare your documents
It is essential that your documents are prepared properly before you start the authentication and legalization 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, or providing supporting documents. Unfortunately, each embassy and consulate will set 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 authentication and legalization 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. 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 authentication staff may make when managing the process for our clients.
Step 3: Legalization of your documents
Lastly, 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 authenticate documents?
Now that the process of document authentication and legalization is clear, 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 Global Affairs Canada, the requirements of the embassy or consulate of the destination country, and the requirements of the recipient abroad.
The authentication of documents at Global Affairs Canada can range from 10-20 business days at this time. However, we have seen the processing time go to as long as 75 business days in 2022. Global Affairs Canada does post their current estimated turn-around time on their website. However, it is a guideline and not a guarantee.
Are there any other offices that can authenticate documents in Canada?
Yes, in some cases you can take advantage of access to provincial authentication offices. Many provinces, but not all, have offices who can authenticate certain documents, including the signature of an active Notary Public located within that province. However, please be careful to do your research in advance. Not all embassies or consulates accept provincial authentication. Additionally, the recipient abroad may want the Global Affairs Canada authentication. Our expert staff can save you time by identifying the quickest, most efficient way to have your documents authenticated.
Where can I find more information about Canadian document authentication?
Our website contains a lot of information on the Canadian document authentication 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 authenticate 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 authentication?
If you need assistance with document authentication, 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 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 any questions youhave, and provide you with a detailed quote. Or reach out to us through our website and we’ll get right back to you!
