The Hague Apostille Convention
What is the Hague Apostille Convention, and how does it apply to Canada? We have the answers to all of your questions. Read on to learn what an apostille is, how the process works, and what it means now that Canada issues apostilles. Still have questions? Contact our friendly staff—we would be happy to help.
What is the Hague Apostille Convention?
The Hague Apostille Convention is an international treaty drafted by the Hague Conference on Private International Law which came into effect in 1965. It governs the process through which a document issued in one country is legally certified for use in other countries. This treaty specifies that any signatory country can issue a certification called an “apostille”. Each signatory country will accept a document that has been apostilled in one of the other countries that has also signed the Hague Apostille Convention.
What is an Apostille?
An apostille is a type of certification that is applied to a document by the apostille authority in the country where the document originated. The apostille authority will apply an apostille certificate to the document verifying that the signature on the document is authentic.
Does Canada issue apostilles?
Yes, Canada issues apostilles. 127 countries (and counting) have signed the Hague Apostille Convention. For a list of countries who are signatories to the Hague Apostille convention, visit the official Hague Apostille Convention website. For more information about our document apostille services, take a look at our services for Document Apostille.
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, Local Expertise: Your Documents, Validated Everywhere
From apostilles to attestations, 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. Whatever term you have heard – legalization, ratification, and more – we bring clarity and expertise to each step, so your documents make the impact they deserve anywhere in the world.
We are here to help you. Contact us for your free consultation – we will explain your options and answer your questions.
Documents
We are your trusted service for document apostille, or authentication and legalization. We offer services for a wide range of personal and commercial documents. Our team helps to ensure your documents meet global standards securely and efficiently. For a detailed list of the most common documents, visit our Documents Page.
Pricing
Our prices for document services, such as apostille, authentication, legalization, and more, can vary depending on many factors. These factors may include 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
I am a CEO of a company in the Toronto region and have to deal with bureaucratic processes globally. This is the first time I have had to use such a service as provided by IDC and I was afraid it would complex and frustrating. However, the service you provided was A+. You made it easy, straight forward and understandable. You always answered my questions in an efficient and friendly manner and gave me full confidence that the process would be completed in a professional way. I can only thank you for making what could potentially be an anxious and frustrating process into an easy and efficient one.
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.
Thanks IDC! You have saved me and untold amount of time and I thank you for your service. When reading of requirements foreign government document requirements on the internet, it can be confusing and time consuming. I would recommend IDC to anyone who requires document authentication.
My experience with International Documents Canada far surpassed my expectations! One can feel quite alone and ‘helpless’ out here in the Middle East, especially when tasked with paper work requiring multiple contact and connections back in Canada. It’s almost priceless knowing there are capable people on the other end helping out. All in all it made me feel proud to be Canadian. Without a doubt I would recommend the service to others!
I cannot tell you how impressed we are with the service we received from your company. The information Heather provided in the initial phone call was accurate and informative. She followed up with an email wherein she assured us the papers would be authenticated and legalized the following day; that we would be kept informed at each stage in the process and that they would be sent by courier overseas. In less than 24 hours this was all taken care of!
My first reaction was ‘wow, just wow’. In all the years I have been dealing with this matter (13, yes 13 years) I can honestly say that Idocs are the first agency to deliver what they promised and before time. It was so refreshing to see and as far as customer satisfaction is concerned Idocs has trumped all other agencies in that regard. Once again so many thanks for your efficient and speedy service.
Looking for More Information?
We have a wealth of information for you about the document apostille process.
View our FAQs
Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about the document apostille process and the services we offer.
In-Depth Articles
We have developed a large and growing collection of informative articles about the apostille process and our services.
Additional Resources
We have a wealth of information for you about apostille, authentication, and legalization (also called attestation) services.