Do you need to apostille yourCriminal Record Check?

To use your Canadian criminal record check in a country other than Canada, you will often have to first have this document apostilled, or authenticated and legalized. However, to find out for sure whether your criminal record check needs an apostille, you will need to ask the organization or person who has requested this document.  They are the only ones who can accurately tell you whether they first require that your document be apostilled.

You may be told that you need to “apostille” or “attest” or “legalize” your criminal record check. This is because different terms are used globally to describe this process of signature verification on documents intended for us abroad. In Canada, the terms “apostille”, “attestation”, and “authentication and legalization” refer to the same process.

If you have any questions about the apostille of your criminal record check, contact our friendly staff. We are here to answer your questions.

You may be told that you need to “apostille” or “attest” your criminal record check. This is because different terms are used globally to describe this process of signature verification on documents intended for us abroad. In Canada, the terms apostille and attestation and authentication and legalization all refer to the process.

If your destination country is a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, your criminal record check will need an apostille. If your destination country is not a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, your criminal record check will need to be authenticated and legalized.

Contact our friendly specialists for more information on the apostille and attestation process in Canada. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.

How long it will take to apostille your criminal record check will depend on the type of criminal record check and the destination country. There are two types of criminal record checks and not all countries accept both. Be sure to do your research.

Our expertise helps ensure that your documents are submitted correctly the first time, for rapid and accurate processing.

For more information on how long the apostille process will take for your documents contact one of our friendly specialists.

Yes! Having your criminal record check sent directly to IDC is the fastest way to have your document apostilled. As soon as you notify Gambit that you will be using IDC to apostille your criminal record check, they will direct your document to our Ottawa office. The only exception is if Gambit has already shipped your completed criminal record check back to you. In this case, they will inform you of this fact and you may ship your document to us as soon as you receive it from Gambit. Here is a link to our address. If you have any questions about this do not hesitate to contact our friendly staff.

There are three steps to the apostille (or authentication and legalization) process:

Step 1) document preparation – make sure your criminal record check meets the criteria of the entire process.

Step 2) document apostille – your criminal record check is apostilled, or authenticated, at the appropriate government office.

Step 3) document legalization (if applicable) – if the destination country is not a signatory of the Hague Apostille Convention, your criminal record check is legalized by the embassy or consulate of the destination country.

Click on these terms for further information on each step. Feel free to contact our friendly specialists to discuss the requirements that apply to your specific situation.

The pricing for the apostille of a criminal record check will vary depending on several factors. These variables include whether or not you require notarization, the services and speed of service you choose, and the processing times with the diplomatic mission (if legalization is required).

When you contact our friendly staff for your free consultation, we’ll discuss your options and provide you a detailed quote, so you’ll know exactly what is involved. For general information on our pricing visit our pricing page.

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.

In some cases it may be possible to apostille a copy of your criminal record check instead of the original, but we don’t always recommend it. With criminal record checks, we strongly recommend that you apostille your original document whenever possible.

To find out if a copy of your criminal record check will be acceptable, you will need to consult with the person or organization to whom you are sending your document. If you have confirmed that a copy of your criminal record check is acceptable, then the first step is to have a certified true copy made. If you have any questions about apostille of a copy of your criminal check, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly specialists.