When a loved one passes away, managing their affairs across international borders can be complex. One critical step is ensuring that the death certificate will be recognized abroad. In Canada, this process involves obtaining an apostille — a government-issued certification that verifies the authenticity of a document for use in foreign countries.
This article will provide you with the information you need to obtain the death certificate and explain the intricacies of how to apostille a Canadian death certificate. If you are looking for information about other documents or services, we have a healthy collection of resources here: The Canadian Apostille Process Resources
How to order a death certificate?
The first consideration is whether you have the correct format of death certificate for the apostille process. When your loved one passes away, the funeral home may provide you with a funeral home death certificate. Once the death has been registered with the province, which can take several weeks, they will issue the official death certificate. It is important to know that only the official death certificate can be apostilled.
If the death was registered over eight weeks ago and you have not received the official death certificate, you can order one through the province where the death took place. We have compiled a list of the provincial websites to simplify the process of ordering the death certificate, which you may find here: Apostille Canadian Vital Statistics Certificates.
In most cases, we can assist by ordering the death certificate on your behalf. The following provinces allow us to order a death certificate: British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. Ordering the death certificate on your behalf can save time and streamline the process to order and apostille a death certificate.
What is an apostille?
An apostille is a type of document certification that confirms the authenticity of a
document, so that the document will be officially recognized in other apostille signatory countries. Any country that has signed the Hague Apostille Convention, including Canada, will issue apostille certificates and in turn, recognize apostille certificates issued by other countries.
If the country where you are headed is not a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, your documents will require an additional step called “document legalization”. This last step of document legalization is completed at the embassy or consulate of the destination country. You can find more about document legalization from the helpful resources on our website – see our Canadian document legalization page.
Where do you apostille a Canadian death certificate?
There are several different government offices that are responsible for apostilles across Canada. If you are looking to handle the apostille process yourself, you can do so through the appropriate apostille office that holds jurisdiction over the province where the certificate was issued.
- Global Affairs Canada is responsible for issuing apostilles for Canadian documents originating from the provinces of Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon.
- The government offices in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Quebec are responsible for issuing apostilles for documents that originate from their jurisdictions.
We can certainly handle the apostille process on your behalf. You send the death certificate to us, and we handle the rest. We can also support you with additional services such as translations, if needed.
Still looking for information about Canadian death certificate apostille?
Whether you are looking for more information, or you would like assistance with the process to order and apostille a death certificate, we can help. Supporting our clients with this sensitive and crucial process has been our business for over a decade. Our friendly staff would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about your documents and answer your questions.
Feel free to call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us your questions through our quick Contact Us form.
