How to Process an Apostille of Documents in Canada?

Wondering how Canadian apostille applications are processed? The simple answer is: better, faster, and easier than before. Embassy legalizations are no longer required for Hague member countries, which makes the Canadian apostille process much more convenient.

However, the question of how and where to apply for document apostille still remains. Under the new system, multiple authorities all over Canada have been appointed as apostille centers, accepting online, mail-in, or in-person submissions. This blog dives deep into the apostille process for Canada, with helpful tips and steps that you need to follow to authenticate your Canadian documents. 

The new Canadian document apostille process design is similar to the US apostille system. Starting with the Federal apostille for CPP certificates, affidavits, and certificates of free sale to the Provincial apostille for documents that have received their notarial certification in Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, or Alberta. 

While Global Affairs Canada performs apostille verification for federal documents, the 5 provinces have their own authorities and procedures that must be followed. In Quebec, for instance, the Official Document Services (ODS) oversees document apostille. They have a total of 5 in-person submission locations, along with the option to mail in your request or apply online. Since there are no designated apostille authorities in the remaining 8 provinces and territories, documents issued there are apostilled by the GAC’s office. 

While the application process varies by authority, they will always ask you for the purpose of your apostille application. You can simply include the name of the document’s destination country as your response. There might also be notarization requirements involved depending on the type of your documents. In any case, using your documents outside Canada becomes a breeze after the apostille certificate has been attached to them. 

The Canadian apostille authorities do not apostille all documents that are submitted to them. They have eligibility criteria that must be satisfied before the apostille process starts. 

Documents issued in other countries, for example, cannot be apostilled in Canada. You will have to request the issuing country’s apostille authority to verify these types of documents. Similarly, documents notarized in the 5 above-mentioned provinces must also be apostilled by their designated authorities. 

Your documents that have been commissioned by a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits are also ineligible, along with religious documents. A common example of religious documents that are sent in for apostille are Certificates of Baptism. Lastly, you will have to get a new copy of your document issued if it has been previously authenticated or legalized. 

The Globeia team has compiled a quick guide to help you verify if your Canadian apostille certificate is authentic. Begin by finding the apostille number on your certificate. You can simply send an email to the Government of Canada’s apostille branch (apostille@international.gc.ca) in the case of apostille numbers starting with AB, CA, SK, and BC. They will ask for your certificate number and when the document was issued to check their records.

For provincial apostille, such as certificates starting in ON and QC, you will have to contact your province’s apostille authority for verification. While there is no electronic apostille option currently available in Canada, you can expect to see a digital service similar to the UK’s e-apostille soon.   

You cannot submit your apostilled documents to countries that have not yet acceded to the Apostille Convention. The Authentication and Legalization process applies to Canadian documents headed to these countries. The first step in preparing your documents for Authentication and Legalization is checking if notarization is required. Global Affairs Canada will not authenticate some non-notarized documents such as criminal record checks that have not been issued by the RCMP.    

Next up is mailing your documents to Global Affairs Canada where a red seal of authentication will be stamped on them. This is important for the second step of the process where the destination country’s Embassy or Consulate will check this step before legalizing your documents. 

Common issues in this process include long waiting times and additional funds spent in the case of rejection of your request by either Global Affairs Canada or the country’s Embassy in Canada. 

Globeia continues to process Canadian Authentication and Legalization requests for non-member countries, in addition to our apostille service. You can contact us for any of your questions regarding the steps involved, fees required, or how to mail your documents to our office. 

Use our expedited Canadian apostille service to reduce waiting times and eliminate the chances of your application’s rejection. You will be welcomed by a sleek interface once you log on to the Globeia online application portal. We have designed the application process to ensure your convenience and ensure that you can easily understand each step. 

We are also available to directly answer your queries and offer help with any step that you find confusing or difficult. Sign up to the Globeia portal today.