Canadian Document Apostille
Canadian document apostille is a process used to certify your documents for use abroad. If you need an apostille for a Canadian document, our expert team can help. We specialize in Canadian document apostille services, guiding you through the process and ensuring everything is done correctly.
What is Canadian Document Apostille
An “apostille” is a form of document authentication issued by a competent authority in a participating country to verify the authenticity of a public document for use in another participating country. It is governed by the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961. The primary goal of an apostille is to eliminate the need for additional layers of authentication, such as diplomatic legalization, streamlining the process for international documents.
There are 128 (and counting) signatory countries of the Hague Apostille Convention. For these countries, the legalization at the Embassy/Consulate will not be required, thereby avoiding the need for additional processing times and supporting document requirements.
Documents destined for non-apostille signatory countries will need to go through the document authentication and legalization process.
About the Canadian Document Apostille Process
Canadian document apostille is a specific process used to ensure your Canadian documents will be recognized abroad. When your documents are going to be used in another country that is an apostille signatory country, your documents will need to go through the apostille process. To get an apostille, your documents will need to be submitted to the appropriate Canadian apostille office, where they will apply an apostille certificate.
If the documents are destined for use in a non-apostille country, they must go through the authentication and legalization process.
Where to Get an Apostille in Canada
Each province in Canada designates its own competent authority for issuing apostilles.
- Ontario: Official Documents Services (ODS)
- British Columbia: Ministry of Attorney General
- Alberta: Official Documents and Appointments
- Quebec: Ministry of Justice
- Saskatchewan: Ministry of Justice and Attorney General
- Remaining provinces and federal: Global Affairs Canada (JLAC)
Make sure your document is issued and/or notarized in the same province or jurisdiction where you are requesting the apostille.
Global Recognition – Canadian Document Services
From apostille to attestation, our specialized services ensure global recognition for your documents. We are your trusted partner in Canadian document apostille, handling everything from authentication to legalization, translation, and notarization. Our services bring clarity and expertise to each step so your documents make the impact they deserve anywhere in the world.
Contact us for your free consultation – we will explain your options and answer your questions.
The Document Apostille Process
To have a document recognized abroad, it must go through the apostille process. This allows your document to be accepted in other apostille signatory countries. The document apostille process involves the following steps.
Document Preparation
Preparing your document for the document apostille process can involve multiple steps including notarization, translation, obtaining new documents, and more.
Document Apostille
Document apostille is the final step of the process to have your document officially recognized in another signatory country of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are answers to the most common questions we get about the Canadian document apostille process.
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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:
- Document preparation – we make sure your documents will meet the criteria of each step of the process.
- 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.
- 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!
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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.
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A total of 126 countries have signed The Hague Apostille Convention. You can visit the HCCH website for up to date information and to view the current list of countries.
Canada is now a signatory of The Hague Apostille Convention, which takes effect in January 11, 2024. In the meantime, the process used in Canada to verify the signatures on official documents is called document authentication and legalization.
We can assist you with the apostille of your documents for use in another country. Contact our friendly staff to discuss how we can help. Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.
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Yes and no. A document with an apostille can be used in almost any other apostille signatory country without additional requirements. Whereas, a document that has gone through the authentication and legalization process is only ready to use in the country for which it was legalized.
Both the apostille and the document authentication and legalization process have the same purpose; to certify a document created in one country so that it can be officially recognized in another country. Apostille certificates are issued by countries that are signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention.
We are available to answer your questions and to discuss your documents. Contact us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011 or send us an online enquiry.
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Yes, you can track your documents that you sent through the mail if you used a service that provides you with a tracking number. Some such services are Canada Post registered mail, Canada Post Xpress Post, Canada Post Priority mail, or any professional courier service (i.e. FedEx, Purolator, UPS, DHL).
It is up to you to choose your preferred method of shipping, both to send your documents to our office and for the shipping of your completed documents to their final destination. We always recommend using a traceable method of shipping.
If you would like to discuss your shipping options or prices for the shipping of your documents, feel free to contact our friendly staff. We will happily discuss your shipping options and how to best suit your needs. Contact us today! Call us toll-free at 1-888-433-1011, or send us an online enquiry.
Documents
We are your trusted service for document apostille and authentication and legalization. Offering services for a wide range of personal and commercial documents, our team will ensure your documents meet global standards. For a detailed list of the most commonly processed documents, visit our Documents Page.
Pricing
Our prices for document services, such as apostille, legalization, and more, can vary depending on many factors. Including the origins of your documents, the destination country where they will be used, or the desired speed of service. For a list of our service fees, visit our Pricing page.
What Our Clients Are Saying
My experience with IDOCS Canada has been 100% positive! The people with whom I dealt were both very informative and extremely patient. They helped me through the entire process and provided guidance in the areas in which I was unfamiliar. They stayed in close contact with me, and provided daily updates on the progress of my time sensitive paperwork. I was pleasantly surprised when once all my papers had arrived for attestation, they were processed the very same day! I would not hesitate to use IDOCS Canada again, and I recommend it without hesitation.
International Documents Canada provides a great service, all the time they were in contact to tell me about the process of my document. It was fast and easy. Thank you very much!
Communication was prompt and clear, and service exceeded expectations. I discovered only a month before my wedding in Portugal that one of my Canadian documents lacked necessary processing that would, under regular circumstances, take at least a month to complete. Heather and Evey made a potentially stressful experience easy and worry-free, processing and returning my document to Portugal two days after having received it. This is an excellent option for those needing expedited processing.
I wish to thank you for your most expeditious and efficient processing. We are really impressed with your service, which saved us a big deal of money and time. Be sure that we will use your service whenever we will need legalization of documents in Ottawa.
Impeccable service. Fast and efficient. Perfect process. Thank you.
I am very happy with the service your company has provided. I found this service invaluable as my impending foreign service assignment has been delayed several times due to paperwork issues and the legalization of my marriage certificate had the makings of another long bureaucratic delay if not for your expedited service.
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