Authenticating & Legalizing a Canadian Marriage Certificate

Yes! There are different versions of Canadian marriage certificates. The standard format for a marriage certificate issued by a Canadian province is called a "file size" certificate. The file size certificate contains the basic information of the marriage.

A certified copy of the marriage registration can also be issued by your province. This type of certificate contains all the details used to register the marriage, such as the citizenship of the parents. This format of marriage certificate is the longest and is printed on a 8 x 14 size paper.

The most important thing to note, is that only an official marriage certificate issued by the province is acceptable for authentication and legalization.

In the past, there have been other formats of certificates issued, such as wallet size certificates. Wallet size certificates cannot be processed as they are too small to apply the required stamps of the authentication and legalization process.

If you have questions or want us to review your documents, don't hesitate to contact our friendly staff.

Yes! We have built our business around assisting individuals and companies with this confusing process of authentication and legalization. We will assist you with every step of the process, handle all the leg-work, and return the fully processed document. Contact one of our experts for more information and to discuss how we can assist you with the authentication and legalization of your Canadian marriage certificate.

In most cases, the answer is yes! However, every situation is different and you should confirm with the authority who requested your document whether you need to have it authenticated and legalized. They are the authority on what processing is required before they can accept your document. If you have any questions about the authentication and legalization of your marriage certificate, don't hesitate to contact our friendly staff for a free consultation.

A new marriage certificate can be ordered from the province where the marriage took place. In most cases it can be easily done online. Many of our clients will also have their new marriage certificate sent straight to our office to save time and additional shipping fees. Here are the provincial websites that provide information on ordering vital certificates from your Province or Territory:

• Alberta 
• British Columbia  
• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba 
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Yukon

If you have questions about ordering your marriage certificate, or you want us to order it for you, don't hesitate to contact our friendly staff.

No, we cannot order a new marriage certificate on your behalf. When you order the certificate, you can have it sent directly to our office for authentication and legalization. Contact us to find out where to order your Canadian marriage certificate, or to find out more about the authentication and legalization process.

Many of our clients choose to have their newly ordered marriage certificate delivered directly to our office in Ottawa, saving time and additional shipping costs. You may have the marriage certificate delivered to our address as follows:

[Your Name]
226 Argyle Ave, Suite 3
Ottawa, ON  K2P 1B9

Make sure to contact us first, let us know that your marriage certificate will be arriving, and to set up a workform. If you have any questions about how to have your marriage certificate delivered directly to IDC, contact us today!

The turn-around time for the authentication and legalization of your marriage certificate will depend on a few factors:

• Where do you need to use the certificate?

The diplomatic mission of the destination country will set its own processing time.

• How are you going to handle the process (i.e. by mail, in person, use an agent)?

If you send it by mail, it will take a minimum of four weeks and could take  longer.

If you decide to use IDC for the authentication and legalization of your marriage certificate, we can expedite the process. On average, we process documents in a 3 - 5 day turn-around. Contact our friendly staff to get more information on how long if will take to authenticate and legalize of your marriage certificate.

The term "apostille" is commonly used by countries that have signed the Hague Apostille Convention. Apostille refers to a process that in Canada, is called authentication and legalization. This process is used to get the appropriate signatures and stamps on your document so it will be recognized outside of Canada. Contact our friendly specialists for more information on the apostille of your marriage certificate.

Each situation is unique and there are several variables that can effect the total cost. The best way to get a detailed quote is to contact us for a free consultation. Contact a friendly IDC expert to discuss your situation.  Or follow the link to see general information about our pricing.