FAQs Archive

The supporting document requirements for Global Affairs Canada will depend on whether you are sending the documents by mail and if you are having them forwarded to an embassy or consulate.

If you are sending your documents to Global Affairs Canada by mail, you will need to include their Authentication Request Form (available on their website) and a prepaid return shipping envelope (Canada Post or courier service). Note, that Global Affairs Canada may have restrictions on shipping outside of Canada.

If you are having the documents forwarded to an embassy or consulate after authentication, you will also need to include an envelope with the supporting documents and consular fees for the embassy or consulate.

Let us know if you require assistance with the preparation of your documents and the supporting document requirements. Contact our friendly staff to find out more.

This is a very important question. Each embassy or consulate will have their own supporting document requirements. Some of the most common supporting documents are passport copies, cover letters, application forms, and photocopies of the authenticated documents. However, some less common supporting documents are certified translations and copies of the business registration (for business documents). These are document and/or country specific requirements that only apply if your destination country is not a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention.

To find out what supporting documents you will need to provide, contact an IDC expert.

Many of our clients choose to have their newly ordered birth certificates delivered directly to our office in Ottawa, saving valuable time. When having it sent directly to us, we will confirm when it arrives and can begin the apostille process as soon as it arrives. To do this, have the birth certificate delivered to our address as follows:

[Your Name]
310 Beechgrove Ave, Suite B
Ottawa, ON  K1Z 6R3

Make sure to let us know that your birth certificate will be sent directly without a workform number on the package. If you have any questions about how to have your birth certificate delivered directly to our Ottawa office, contact one of our friendly specialists.

If your birth certificate is destined for an apostille signatory country, it will need to go through the apostille process in the country of origin. More below on this process.

If your birth certificate is destined for a country that has signed the Hague Apostille Convention, then you will need to have the birth certificate apostilled.

The apostille process requirements will depend on the origins of your document. Some provinces have their own apostille offices (AB, BC, ON, QC, SK), and others do not. Those that do not have their own provincial offices will fall under the jurisdiction of Global Affairs Canada.

If your birth certificate is destined for a country that has not signed the Hague Apostille Convention, it will need to go through the steps to authenticate and legalize a Canadian birth certificate. These steps are document preparation,  document authentication, and document legalization.

Step 1) Document preparation is the initial step of determining whether you have the correct format certificate and if it meets the criteria of the subsequent steps.

Step 2) Document authentication is done through Global Affairs Canada of the appropriate provincial office. They authenticate the original signature on the certificate.

Step 3) Document legalization is the final step and is done at the embassy or consulate of the destination country.

How you decide to proceed may depend on your deadline and budget. You can manage the process yourself by mail, or hire a service like ours to handle on your behalf. Feel free to contact our friendly specialists for a free consultation to discuss your specific document needs.

Yes! We specialize in managing the document apostille (or authentication and legalization) process for people and organizations just like you. We assist you in the preparation process to ensure that your birth certificate will meet the criteria of the process. You send your document to our Ottawa office and we handle the apostille (and the legalization at the embassy or consulate of the destination country, if applicable).

Contact our friendly specialists for more information on how we can assist you with the apostille of your birth certificate and other documents. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.

Yes! We can certainly apostille your criminal record check on your behalf. In fact, by using our services we can ensure you have the correct format of criminal record check and expedite the process, saving you valuable processing time.

We specialize in providing expert apostille services to people and organizations across Canada. Contact our friendly staff to discuss how we can assist you in the apostille (or authentication and legalization) of your criminal record check.