Document Apostille at theEmbassy of Costa Rica

The Canadian equivalent to the apostille process, called document authentication and legalization, involves three steps. (For more on why the Canadian process is different than the international apostille process, take a look at our page about The Hague Apostille Convention).

1. The first step is to prepare your documents for processing. Document preparation involves ensuring your documents meet the requirements set by Global Affairs Canada (Step 2) and the Embassy of Costa Rica (Step 3).
2. The second step is to authenticate your documents at Global Affairs Canada.
3. The third and final step is to legalize your documents at the Embassy of Costa Rica.

We can assist you with the authentication and legalization of your Canadian documents for use in Costa Rica. Our friendly staff can answer all of your questions, provide a free detailed quote, and provide you with peace of mind. Contact us today to discuss your document processing needs!

Yes, we can certainly handle the apostille of your documents at the Embassy of Costa Rica on your behalf. Note that although the term “apostille” is commonly used in Canada, the correct name for the equivalent Canadian process is document authentication and legalization. This multi-step process includes authentication at Global Affairs Canada and then legalization at the Embassy of Costa Rica. In some cases, there may be another option to provincially authenticate the documents and then legalize the documents through a Consulate of Costa Rica in Canada.

Getting started is easy – simply contact us! Our friendly experts will review your document processing needs, answer your questions, and clearly outline your options – no obligation and no pressure. We’ll work with you to ensure your documents are prepared correctly. You send your documents to our Ottawa office and we manage the authentication and legalization process on your behalf.

Contact our friendly staff so we can provide you with the information you need to make an informed choice on how to proceed!

If you have been told that you need to apostille your Canadian pension statement so it will be recognized in Costa Rica, you need to understand the steps of the Canadian apostille process. It is important to note that even though the term “apostille” is commonly used in Canada, there is actually no such thing as a Canadian apostille. Because Canada has not signed the Hague Apostille Convention, we do not issue apostilles. Instead, Canada has an equivalent process called document authentication and legalization.

Depending on your deadline and budget, you can handle the process yourself by mail, or use an authentication and legalization service. If you decide to handle the process yourself by mail, you should expect to wait at least 4 weeks before your processed documents are returned to you. You also need to ensure that your pension statement meets the submission requirements of both Global Affairs Canada and the Embassy of Costa Rica. If you make a mistake or omission when preparing and submitting your pension statement it will most likely be returned to you unprocessed, forcing you to start the process again from the beginning.

You also have the option of using an authentication and legalization service. We are Canada’s leading experts in the authentication and legalization process, rapidly processing documents for thousands of clients every year from across Canada and around the world. The first step is to contact us. We’ll review your document processing needs, answer your questions, and clearly explain your options – no obligation and no pressure. You send your pension statement to our Ottawa office and we will handle the rest of the process. The fact that we process many thousands of documents every year means that we avoid the common mistakes and pitfalls that can greatly increase the time and expense of processing. To get started call our friendly staff toll free at 1-888-433-1011, or submit an online enquiry.

The legalization process at the Embassy of Costa Rica typically takes 5-10 business days. However, the documents must first be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada. The processing time for authentication at Global Affairs Canada is currently up to 15 business days. If you use our services to handle the authentication on your behalf, you will have access to the fastest available processing time.

We handle the authentication and legalization process for thousands of clients every year. We make the process faster and more secure by presenting your documents in person to Global Affairs Canada and the Embassy of Costa Rica. Contact us today for more information. Call us toll free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us an online enquiry.

The pricing for the “apostille” of your documents at the Embassy of Costa Rica is determined by the number of documents you need processed and how you decide to have them processed. You can handle the process yourself by mail, or hire an agent in Ottawa.

If you are processing your documents yourself, you should factor in the cost of shipping the documents, any costs for preparing your documents, and the fee charged by the Embassy of Costa Rica. Note that the Embassy of Costa Rica charges a fee per document needing legalization. If you use our experts to manage the process on your behalf, you should also factor in the fees for our services.

Our website has additional general information on our pricing , or contact our experts for a detailed quote. When you contact us we will answer your questions, explain your options and provide you with a detailed quote to review – no pressure and no obligation!

Document “apostille” certificates are issued by countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention. Because Canada had not signed the Hague Apostille Convention, we use a different but equivalent process called “document authentication and legalization”. However, in January 2024 Canada will finally be able to issue an Apostille on a Canadian document.

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 process. Phone us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us this online form and we’ll get right back to you.