DocumentAuthentication & Legalization

If you have Canadian documents that will be used in another country, they will likely need to be authenticated and legalized. You should ask the recipient abroad whether your documents need to be authenticated and legalized, also known as apostille or attestation. You can also contact our friendly staff to discuss your situation.

There are a few different aspects to consider when preparing your documents for authentication and legalization.

1. The recipient abroad should advise you what document they need, whether it must be an original, and how they want it processed.
2. You must meet the criteria of the authentication process. Whether you will authenticate with Global Affairs Canada, or the appropriate provincial office, they each have specific criteria for authentication.
3. Each embassy or consulate also has their own specific requirements and rules for submission of documents for legalization.

We will happily discuss and review your documents for authentication and legalization. Contact an IDC expert for more information and to answer your questions.

Both the apostille and the document authentication and legalization process have the same purpose. It is 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 of 1969.  However, Canada is not a signatory to this convention, so instead of issuing apostilles, Canada uses a process called authentication and legalization.

Document apostilles are issued by countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention. Because Canada has not signed the Hague Apostille Convention, we use a different but equivalent process called document authentication and legalization. The primary difference between these two processes is that an apostille certificate will be recognized by any country that has signed the Hague Apostille Convention, whereas a document that has been authenticated and legalized will only be recognized by one specific country - the country that has legalized the document.

Our friendly staff would be happy to answer your questions about document apostille and the Canadian authentication and legalization process. Phone us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us this online form and we'll get right back to you.

Attestation is a term used in some countries to describe the process of having a document from one country certified so that it will be officially recognized in another country. The official term for the equivalent Canadian process is called document authentication and legalization. Our website has a wealth of information on the Canadian authentication and legalization process. Or better yet, contact our friendly experts to get answers to any questions you may have.

The processing times for authentication and legalization can vary depending on the diplomatic mission involved. Each embassy or consulate has its own processing time, subject to consular availability. Some will also offer rush services for an additional fee.

If you decide to handle the process yourself by mail, the process will take some time. Global Affairs Canada takes 10-15 business days to authenticate documents submitted by mail. Following the authentication, typical processing times at most embassies and consulates range from 2 to 5 business days.

We can expedite the authentication process by attending in person, saving you weeks of waiting. We will also help you prepare the documents and ensure they meet the criteria of the process. IDC experts are standing by if you have any questions or concerns you need to discuss. Contact IDC for your free consultation.

The authentication and legalization process is essentially a process of signature verification.

During authentication, the authentication officer at Global Affairs Canada will add a red authentication stamp, they write in the name of who's signature they have authenticated, and then they add their signature.

During the legalization portion of the process, the embassy or consulate will add their own stamp, sticker, or certificate. Each embassy or consulate differs in the format, style, colour and language of legalization.

We can handle the process on your behalf and ensure it is processed accurately. Contact us for a free consultation.

Yes, you can check the status of your document request. Within our proprietary system, we have built a progress module 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 may depend on a few factors. For example, how you sent the documents and where you sent the documents will affect the length of processing time.

When handling the document authentication and legalization process (also known as apostille or attestation) by mail, it can take 4-6 weeks. This is because Global Affairs Canada has a mail-in processing time of a minimum of 15 business days. Once Global Affairs Canada has authenticated your documents, then they can be forwarded to the embassy or consulate of the destination country for the legalization portion of the process. Embassies and Consulates each have their own standard processing times ranging from 1 day to 2 weeks.

If you need to expedite the authentication and legalization 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 can be as little as a day. However, that depends on a few factors. What factors?

1. The day of the week - Global Affairs Canada is not open on Fridays. Therefore, your processing will be delayed if you arrive on a Friday.
2. Whether your documents been prepared correctly - If the documents do not meet the criteria of Global Affairs Canada, or the Embassy, you will need to start over.
3. The hours and processing times of the Embassy or Consulate of the destination country - Some embassies close by noon for submissions of documents. Others take several days or weeks to complete the legalization.

Instead, you can either ship or 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 handling the process yourself by mail, you can start over and hope your documents are not rejected again, or hire an authentication and legalization 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 authentication and legalization process can change without notice. Both Global Affairs Canada and the over 200 diplomatic missions across Canada, can change their rules and requirements at any time. We will work with you to quickly meet these requirements and get the 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.