Canadian Document Apostille

Yes, we can!  We specialize in helping people just like you prepare your documents to be used in foreign countries. 

As Canada has only recently signed the Hague Apostille Convention, and it took effect in January 2024, the process in Canada has changed. Previously, the only Canadian equivalent to the apostille process was authentication and legalization.

We can certainly handle the Canadian apostille process on your behalf. You send your documents to us and we will handle the rest. This process consists of multiple steps:

1. Document preparation – we make sure your documents will meet the criteria of each step of the process.
2. Document authentication – we will have your documents authenticated or apostilled at Global Affairs Canada or relevant provincial authority. This step is the apostille step for documents destined for apostille signatory countries.
3. Document legalization – we will have your documents legalized at the embassy or consulate of the destination country. This step is only required for documents destined for non-apostille countries.

Contact our friendly specialists to discuss your options and answer your questions. We would be happy to hear from you!

Yes and no. A document with an apostille can be used in almost any other apostille signatory country without additional requirements. Whereas, a document that has gone through the authentication and legalization process is only ready to use in the country for which it was legalized.

Both the apostille and the document authentication and legalization process have the same purpose; to certify a document created in one country so that it can be officially recognized in another country.  Apostille certificates are issued by countries that are signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention. 

We are available to answer your questions and to discuss your documents. Contact us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.

A document that has an apostille will be officially recognized by any country that has signed the Hague Apostille Convention. By contrast, the legalization process certifies a document for use in one specific country. If you have a Canadian document that you need to present in several countries, you will need to determine whether these countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. If yes, the apostille is sufficient. If not, then you will need to legalize this document separately for each of these countries.

Starting in January 2024, Canada will be able to issue apostille certificates on Canadian documents.

Contact us for more information on how to obtain a Canadian apostille. We would be happy to hear from you and answer your questions. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.

The Hague Apostille Convention, formally known as the “Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents”, is an international agreement governing how a document issued in one country can be certified for legal purposes in another.  This certification is called the apostille process. Any country that is a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention will legally recognize documents from other signatory countries, as long as these documents have first been “apostilled”.

Canada was not a signatory to The Hague Apostille Convention until recently. Therefore, you could not obtain an apostille on a Canadian document until January 2024. Previously, the Canadian process to certify the signatures on documents was called authentication and legalization.

For more information on the Hague Apostille Convention and Canada, feel free to contact us. We would happily discuss your documents and how to best have them processed for use abroad. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.

An apostille is issued by countries that have signed The Hague Apostille Convention. This convention allows documents with an apostille from one country to be recognized in another apostille country.

Until recently, Canada was not a signatory to this convention. Instead of issuing apostille certificates, Canada used a process called document authentication and legalization.

However, Canada has now signed the Hague Apostille Convention and it took effect in January 2024.

If you have Canadian documents for use in another country, they will need to go through the apostille process. We can certainly handle the process on your behalf.

Feel free to contact our expert staff for a free no obligation quote. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.

A total of 126 countries have signed The Hague Apostille Convention. You can visit the HCCH website for up to date information and to view the current list of countries.

Canada is now a signatory of The Hague Apostille Convention, which takes effect in January 11, 2024. In the meantime, the process used in Canada to verify the signatures on official documents is called document authentication and legalization.

We can assist you with the apostille of your documents for use in another country. Contact our friendly staff to discuss how we can help. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.

Yes, if you are using the services of IDC to manage the apostille process, you can check the progress of your documents. Within our proprietary system, we have built in a progress tracker that allows you to monitor the progress of your documents through every stage of the process. By logging in to your workform, you will be able to see which steps have been completed and what will be completed next.

In addition to the progress module that allows you to check the status of your document request, you will also be personally notified by our expert staff when your documents arrive at our office, whether we require any additional documents or information, when your documents have been completed, and finally when they have been shipped to the final destination. It is important to us that you know exactly what is happening with your important documents and when to expect them to be safely returned.

Whether you still have questions, or you want to get started with our services, we encourage you to contact our office. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us an online enquiry.

Yes, you can track your documents that you sent through the mail if you used a service that provides you with a tracking number. Some such services are Canada Post registered mail, Canada Post Xpress Post, Canada Post Priority mail, or any professional courier service (i.e. FedEx, Purolator, UPS, DHL).

It is up to you to choose your preferred method of shipping, both to send your documents to our office and for the shipping of your completed documents to their final destination. We always recommend using a traceable method of shipping.

If you would like to discuss your shipping options or prices for the shipping of your documents, feel free to contact our friendly staff. We will happily discuss your shipping options and how to best suit your needs. Contact us today! Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us an online enquiry.

If you want to process documents in the mail, the length of time it will take will depend on a few factors. For example, where you sent the documents will affect the length of processing time.

When handling the document apostille process (also known as attestation) by mail, it may a few days or several weeks.

This is because the processing times at each office varies. As of January 2024, Global Affairs Canada has a posted processing time of a minimum of 30-45 business days (although in reality they are taking over 60 business days). Provincial offices vary from 5-15 business days.

If you need to expedite the apostille process, or simply want someone else to navigate this confusing process for you, we can help! Contact our expert staff for a free detailed quote. We will happily discuss your situation and answer your questions. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us a quick online enquiry.

If you bring your documents in person, the processing time for your documents may be faster. However, that depends on where they need to be apostilled. Many offices do not take in person submissions.

• Global Affairs Canada – They do not provide in-person services. Mail-in is the only option.
• Provincial Apostille offices – Some provinces do allow in-person attendance. However, there are also a few that only accept mail-in requests.
• Your destination country is not a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention – If your destination country is not a apostille country, the documents will require diplomatic legalization. Each diplomatic mission has it’s own requirements and timelines.

Instead, you can deliver your documents to us, so we can manage the process on your behalf. We would welcome the chance to discuss your situation and answer your questions. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us a quick online enquiry.

If your documents are declined while your are handling the process yourself, you can either start over and hope your documents are not rejected again, or you may hire an apostille service like ours to handle the process on your behalf. We will help you to prepare the documents so they will not be rejected.

If your documents are declined while we are handling the process on your behalf, we will work quickly to rectify the situation. This is a rare scenario. However, the requirements of the process can change without notice.

Global Affairs Canada, the provinces, and diplomatic missions can and do change their rules and requirements at any time, without prior notice. We will work with you to quickly meet these requirements and get your documents successfully processed.

Whether you are just starting the process, or you have documents that have been declined, we can help! Contact our expert staff to discuss your documents. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us a quick online enquiry.