Quebec's Apostille Procedure: Simplifying Document Legalization

The Apostille process for documents issued or notarized in Quebec has changed after the adoption of the Apostille Convention by Canada. Previously, Quebec documents had to be sent to Global Affairs Canada’s office for authentication before starting the Embassy legalization process. None of that is required now as the document verification system in Canada has been decentralized.

Quebec’s Ministry of Justice is the body responsible for reviewing your submitted documents and issuing an apostille certificate verifying the authenticity of the signature or stamps on them. This means that proving the legitimacy of your Quebec issued documents is way easier and faster, eliminating the need for long drawn-out procedures. Join us as we explore Quebec’s apostille process in detail over the course of this blog post. 

Below is a list of documents that can be authenticated by the Ministère de la Justice du Québec:

• Any Quebec Public body issued documents
• Court-issued and notarized documents that are recognized as an authentic act
• Notary or lawyer (certified) issued documents

You can either submit your original documents for the apostille process or get their copies certified by the issuing authority. However, don’t forget to get your notarized document and the certificate duly signed by your lawyer or notary’s organization. 

Certificates or name change, birth, death, and marriage certificates are issued by Directeur de l’état civil. These certificates cannot be older than 5 years from the date of apostille. 

Mergers, company name changes, regularity, and similar certificates are issued by Registraire des entreprises du Québec, whereas, the  Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec is responsible for issuing vocational studies and secondary school diplomas.

You will need to apply via the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec to get a protection mandate search, École du Barreau studies attestation, and will search certificates.

Finally, court documents are issued by the Ministère de la Justice du Québec. This includes rulings from the Court of Appeal, The Court of Quebec, or The Superior Court. Do check your destination country’s laws to see if they also require a non-appeal certificate with court-issued documents. This certificate can be obtained from the clerk's office in your respective district but does not require an additional apostille. Your file will be apostilled as a single document.

You will have to contact a notary for your sales contract, marriage contract, or last testament. These documents must also have the Chambre des notaires signature on them. Marriage contracts, for example, cannot be authenticated without first getting the issuing notary’s certified copy. The second part of the process is getting the Notary Chamber’s signature on the contract. This will help the Ministry of Justice verify that the notary is a registered member. 

Check your application to make sure that you have included the destination country of your documents in there. This is a required detail for apostille procedures worldwide, along with your basic contact details. Also, ensure that you send in recent documents because some countries have their own requirements on document validity.

Use this Globeia guide to apply for an apostille on your documents in Quebec. Begin by filling out the apostille request form and adding your basic details for the Ministry of Justice to verify your identity. Print the filled version of your form and mail it to the apostille branch, with your documents, at the following address:

1, rue Notre-Dame Est, bureau 7.07

Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1B6

We have seen many applicants make the mistake of stapling their apostille request form to the documents. This will cause problems in your apostille request, as only the apostille certificate can be attached to the documents. Credit card payments are not available yet, so your available payment methods include money order and cheque. 

We understand the specific apostille requirements of all Canadian provinces and territories, including Quebec. This ensures a smooth and efficient process, regardless of where your documents were issued.   

Our user-friendly online application, clear communication, and transparent pricing structure make obtaining your apostilled documents simple. We take the administrative burden off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on your goals and achievements, wherever in Canada they may take you.