FAQs Archive

If you are in Canada, you may obtain your criminal record check by either visiting a local police detachment or an agency that has been accredited by the RCMP. If you are outside of Canada, you must use a fingerprinting agency that has been accredited by the RCMP in order to obtain your criminal record check. They will digitize your ink fingerprints and submit the application on your behalf.

You may have the criminal record check sent directly to our office to save time. We can then notify you that it has arrived and begin the apostille process.

If you need assistance to determine what agencies you may use, you can review this list provided by the RCMP, or feel free to contact our friendly specialists for advice.

The answer to this question depends on what type of criminal record check you have and what the recipient abroad has requested. 

The basic "name and date of birth" based criminal record check that is issued at a local police department must be notarized before going through the apostille process. The "RCMP certified criminal record check" with fingerprints does not need notarization if going through Global Affairs Canada for the apostille. However, if the "RCMP certified criminal record check" with fingerprints can go through the provincial apostille office, it would first require notarization.

Be careful because not all countries accept name based criminal record checks. You should check with the recipient abroad as to which one they want. If your destination country is not an apostille signatory country, you should also check with the embassy or consulate involved as they may have their own requirements in regards to the format of the criminal record check.

Contact our friendly staff to clarify whether your criminal record check needs to first be notarized before apostille, or authentication and legalization.

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.

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.

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

Canada has signed the Hague Apostille Convention, and it took effect in January 2024, changing the process in Canada. Previously, the Canadian equivalent to the apostille process was called 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 apostille - we will have your documents apostilled be Global Affairs Canada or relevant provincial authority. This step is the last 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!

The processing times for document authentication and legalization can vary depending on the authentication office and the diplomatic mission involved.

Each office in Canada that provides authentication (or apostille) has it's own procedure and turn-around time.

Each embassy or consulate also has its own processing time, subject to consular availability. Some will also offer rush services for an additional fee.

Authentications can range from 1 business day to 65 business days. If you decide to handle the process yourself by mail, the process may take longer. The mail-in processing times can vary and depend on current volumes.

Following the authentication, typical processing times at most embassies and consulates range from 2-15 business days. Note that some embassies or consulates can take several weeks.

We can 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. You can also call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011.