As the leading provider of Canadian document authentication and legalization services, we answer a lot of questions about the often-confusing process of how to legalize and authenticate a Canadian divorce certificate. This brief article gives you the basics of how to navigate your documents through all the steps of the process and points you to additional resources.
What is divorce certificate authentication?
The divorce certificate authentication process is one step of a multi-step process. Once you have your original Canadian divorce certificate and confirmed that your divorce certificate has the original signature and seal of the court, it can be sent for authentication. Your divorce certificate will need to be submitted to Global Affairs Canada (or the relevant provincial authority if the foreign authority approves) for authentication. Global Affairs Canada will carefully review your divorce certificate and then place a large red stamp with their signature directly on your certificate, confirming it has been authenticated.
What is divorce certificate legalization?
The divorce certificate legalization process is typically the last step in the process to have your Canadian divorce certificate prepared for use abroad. At this stage, your divorce certificate is submitted to the embassy or consulate of the destination country. The embassy or consulate will review your document and ensure it has been authenticated. If all is in order, the embassy or consulate will add their stamp or certificate of legalization to your document. Your document has now been legalized.
There are several different names commonly used for the Canadian authentication and legalization process, a fact which causes confusion. Other names for the process include “apostille”, “document authentication and legalization” and “attestation”. In Canada, all these terms refer to the same process.
How do I get my Canadian divorce certificate?
The process to obtain your Canadian divorce certificate may vary based on the province in which you were divorced, and the date of the divorce itself. Typically, you can apply for your divorce certificate in person, or in writing, to the court where the divorce application was filed.
If you are unsure where the divorce was filed, you may need to contact The Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings. They can locate the file and provide you with the location and court file number.
If the divorce happened a long time ago, it may be filed in records storage or archived. Therefore, you may need additional steps or time to obtain the divorce certificate. This varies by province. Contact us for more details about the process of obtaining archived documents.
Where can I find more information about the divorce legalization process?
Our website has a lot of information about the Canadian legalization process and is a great place to start your research. Our page specifically dedicated to divorce certificates has more information on legalizing Canadian divorce certificates. You may also want to contact our friendly staff directly if you don’t find all the answers you are looking for.
Can you help me with ordering and legalizing my Canadian divorce certificate?
At International Documents Canada, we specialize in managing the authentication and legalization process for our clients. We can even order the Canadian divorce certificate from the court where it was filed. We just need some basic information about the file, and then we can handle the rest. And once the divorce certificate has been obtained, we can proceed with the divorce certificate authentication and legalization process.
I am still looking for more information. What should I do?
We would be happy to talk to you about your specific situation. When you contact our experts for your free consultation, we will take the time to understand your requirements and answer any questions. Contact us through our website or phone us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 to speak to a specialist!
