Turnkey Authentication and Legalization of Documents
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Canada Has Joined the Hague Apostille Convention
🌍 What If the Destination Country Is Not a Member of the Hague Apostille Convention?
On January 11, 2024, Canada officially joined the Hague Apostille Convention. This means that Canadian documents intended for use in other member countries now only require an apostille, with no need for additional legalization.
If you need an apostille for your Canadian documents, visit our Apostille Services page.
If you need an apostille for your Canadian documents, visit our Apostille Services page.
Some countries are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention. If you're planning to use Canadian documents in one of these non-member countries, the process remains unchanged - first, the document must be authenticated in Canada. Then, it must be legalized at the embassy or consulate of the destination country.
This process is more complex than obtaining an apostille, but we’re here to make it as easy and stress-free as possible. Below on this page, we explain each step in detail.
This process is more complex than obtaining an apostille, but we’re here to make it as easy and stress-free as possible. Below on this page, we explain each step in detail.
Document Legalization in Canada: What It Is and When You Need It
1
For a document issued in one country to be used in another, it needs to go through a process called legalization. There are two types of legalization: full legalization (a two-step procedure) and simplified legalization (a one-step process, often referred to as an apostille). Here, we will focus on full legalization.
Documents prepared by or with the involvement of Canadian authorities and intended for use in other countries require the two-step procedure. These steps are:
1) Authentication
2) Legalization
Sometimes, both steps are collectively referred to as "legalization," though this is technically incorrect. If you encounter the term "legalization in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs", it specifically refers to authentication. It's important not to confuse these terms.
Authentication is done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada or by a provincial or territorial authority (more on this below).
Legalization is done by the consulate of the country where the document will be used.
While these are two separate processes, both are necessary parts of the overall legalization procedure.
📌 Let’s Lock It In!
You have a Canadian birth certificate and need to use it in the UAE.
Since the UAE is not a member of the Apostille Convention,
you’ll need:
1️⃣ Authentication by Global Affairs Canada (or a provincial authority)
2️⃣ Legalization by the UAE consulate
That’s full legalization ✅
2) Legalization
Sometimes, both steps are collectively referred to as "legalization," though this is technically incorrect. If you encounter the term "legalization in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs", it specifically refers to authentication. It's important not to confuse these terms.
Authentication is done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada or by a provincial or territorial authority (more on this below).
Legalization is done by the consulate of the country where the document will be used.
While these are two separate processes, both are necessary parts of the overall legalization procedure.
📌 Let’s Lock It In!
You have a Canadian birth certificate and need to use it in the UAE.
Since the UAE is not a member of the Apostille Convention,
you’ll need:
1️⃣ Authentication by Global Affairs Canada (or a provincial authority)
2️⃣ Legalization by the UAE consulate
That’s full legalization ✅
What Documents Need to Be Legalized?
2
All documents issued by a canadian authority or by a provincial or territorial authority or executed by a Canadian notary that you need to use in another country.
1) Certificates issued by civil registry offices, for example, certificates of birth, death, marriage, change of name, last name, etc.
2) Powers of attorney and notarial statements, including statements of being alive, renunciation of inheritance, absence of past and current marriages (certificates of single status, single status declarations), which are drawn up or signed by a notary
3) Diplomas, supplements to diplomas, certificates and other documents related to education
4) Bank statements, court documents, divorce decrees
5) Cremation or burial certificates
6) Corporation registration certificates, bank statements, letters of guarantee from directors of the company, extracts from registers of corporations, certificates for products for export from Canada to other countries
2) Powers of attorney and notarial statements, including statements of being alive, renunciation of inheritance, absence of past and current marriages (certificates of single status, single status declarations), which are drawn up or signed by a notary
3) Diplomas, supplements to diplomas, certificates and other documents related to education
4) Bank statements, court documents, divorce decrees
5) Cremation or burial certificates
6) Corporation registration certificates, bank statements, letters of guarantee from directors of the company, extracts from registers of corporations, certificates for products for export from Canada to other countries
All of these types of documents go through different authentication procedures.
The legalization procedure also includes all cases when a child born in Canada needs to obtain citizenship of another country (Cuba, Vietnam, etc.), because in order to obtain citizenship of another country, you'll need to provide a Canadian birth certificate, and it, in turn, will have to be legalized.
The legalization procedure also includes all cases when a child born in Canada needs to obtain citizenship of another country (Cuba, Vietnam, etc.), because in order to obtain citizenship of another country, you'll need to provide a Canadian birth certificate, and it, in turn, will have to be legalized.
The most common documents subject to this procedure are:
How to Make Legalization?
3
In a nutshell, it goes like this:
1) Get the document authenticated by the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a provincial Canadian authority (Which one exactly? There are nuances, read below)
2) Sometimes it is necessary to get a translation of the authenticated document into the language of the country for which this document is legalized (depending on the requirement of the Consulate)
3) Submit the document package for legalization to the consulate of that country
Now in more detail.
Why is legalization considered a TWO-step procedure?
In order to certify the authenticity of a Canadian document,
1) First, you need to certify the signature and seal of the official Canadian civil servant who signed the document. Such an assurance is made by the Canadian minister, who puts his seal and signature on the document. This is the authentication.
2) Second, the consulate of the country for which the document is legalized, must certify the signature and seal of that Canadian minister who authenticated the document. This is the final legalization.
In other words, the Canadian minister verifies and confirms the signature and seal of the official Canadian civil servant who signed and issued the document, confirming that such empoloyee existed, that they were acting at the time of signing the document, and that the that signature and stamp on the document are really theirs. And the consul at the consulate performs the “consular legalization” of the signature and seal of this Canadian minister, thereby confirming that such a minister really exists, that this is their true signature and seal, and that they were acting at the time of signing the document.
Let's dilute this TWO-step procedure with certified translations so that the state officials, ministers and consuls from different countries can read and understand these documents, and we get the same three stages: authentication, translation and legalization. Below are more details on all three.
1) Get the document authenticated by the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a provincial Canadian authority (Which one exactly? There are nuances, read below)
2) Sometimes it is necessary to get a translation of the authenticated document into the language of the country for which this document is legalized (depending on the requirement of the Consulate)
3) Submit the document package for legalization to the consulate of that country
Now in more detail.
Why is legalization considered a TWO-step procedure?
In order to certify the authenticity of a Canadian document,
1) First, you need to certify the signature and seal of the official Canadian civil servant who signed the document. Such an assurance is made by the Canadian minister, who puts his seal and signature on the document. This is the authentication.
2) Second, the consulate of the country for which the document is legalized, must certify the signature and seal of that Canadian minister who authenticated the document. This is the final legalization.
In other words, the Canadian minister verifies and confirms the signature and seal of the official Canadian civil servant who signed and issued the document, confirming that such empoloyee existed, that they were acting at the time of signing the document, and that the that signature and stamp on the document are really theirs. And the consul at the consulate performs the “consular legalization” of the signature and seal of this Canadian minister, thereby confirming that such a minister really exists, that this is their true signature and seal, and that they were acting at the time of signing the document.
Let's dilute this TWO-step procedure with certified translations so that the state officials, ministers and consuls from different countries can read and understand these documents, and we get the same three stages: authentication, translation and legalization. Below are more details on all three.
1
Authentication
Authentication requires the original document. In rare cases, it is not the original that is authenticated, but an official (notarized) copy, for example, for documents such as passports, driver's licenses, identity cards, etc.
You can get a document authenticated:
1) By the Canadian Foreign Affairs Office (Global Affairs), which is located in Ottawa. Global Affairs of Canada authenticate documents issued in any province. Such authentication is suitable for the consulate of any country.
2) In provincial or territorial ministries. For example, in Ontario, such a ministry is called ODS (Ontario Document Services) and is located in Toronto. Provincial authentication is not accepted by some consulates of some countries, but not all. For example, Russia does NOT accept it. Also, a provincial ministry can only authenticate documents issued in that province and not in any other. That is, if your document was issued in Quebec, you will not be able to authenticate it with the ODS (Ministry of Ontario).
A complete list of all provincial ministries can be found here.
Notarization of a document for authentication
All documents can be divided into three types. Those that need to be notarized before authentication, and those that do not. There are also documents that are prepared with the help of a notary — this is a different procedure that requires either an in-person visit to a notary, or a video call with the notary, depending on the province.
Here are the main documents divided into these three types:
1) No need to notarize: certificates issued by the registry office, for example, certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, death, name change, etc.
2) Necessary to notarize: certificates of cremation and burial, certificates of good conduct, diplomas, bank and court documents, etc.
3) Necessary to sign at a notary: powers of attorney, statements of renunciation of inheritance, applications for the appointment of pension payments, any other statements
Who are these Canadian state employees who sign these documents, whose signatures and seals actually get authenticated?
1) Registrar General or Deputy Registrar General: Certificates issued by the Civil Registry Offices, such as birth, marriage, divorce, death, name change, etc.
2) Public Notary: Cremation and burial certificates, police clearance certificates, diplomas, banking and court documents, etc.
3) Public Notary: Powers of attorney, declarations of renunciation of inheritance, declarations of assignment of pension payments, any other declarations
4) Judge or Clerk of the Court: Court decisions
5) Officer of the Department of Corporation Registration (Registraire des entreprises in Quebec): Corporation registration certificates
You can get a document authenticated:
1) By the Canadian Foreign Affairs Office (Global Affairs), which is located in Ottawa. Global Affairs of Canada authenticate documents issued in any province. Such authentication is suitable for the consulate of any country.
2) In provincial or territorial ministries. For example, in Ontario, such a ministry is called ODS (Ontario Document Services) and is located in Toronto. Provincial authentication is not accepted by some consulates of some countries, but not all. For example, Russia does NOT accept it. Also, a provincial ministry can only authenticate documents issued in that province and not in any other. That is, if your document was issued in Quebec, you will not be able to authenticate it with the ODS (Ministry of Ontario).
A complete list of all provincial ministries can be found here.
Notarization of a document for authentication
All documents can be divided into three types. Those that need to be notarized before authentication, and those that do not. There are also documents that are prepared with the help of a notary — this is a different procedure that requires either an in-person visit to a notary, or a video call with the notary, depending on the province.
Here are the main documents divided into these three types:
1) No need to notarize: certificates issued by the registry office, for example, certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, death, name change, etc.
2) Necessary to notarize: certificates of cremation and burial, certificates of good conduct, diplomas, bank and court documents, etc.
3) Necessary to sign at a notary: powers of attorney, statements of renunciation of inheritance, applications for the appointment of pension payments, any other statements
Who are these Canadian state employees who sign these documents, whose signatures and seals actually get authenticated?
1) Registrar General or Deputy Registrar General: Certificates issued by the Civil Registry Offices, such as birth, marriage, divorce, death, name change, etc.
2) Public Notary: Cremation and burial certificates, police clearance certificates, diplomas, banking and court documents, etc.
3) Public Notary: Powers of attorney, declarations of renunciation of inheritance, declarations of assignment of pension payments, any other declarations
4) Judge or Clerk of the Court: Court decisions
5) Officer of the Department of Corporation Registration (Registraire des entreprises in Quebec): Corporation registration certificates
2
Certified Translation
In order for the consul to confirm what they need to confirm, they need all documents in the language that is official in their country (Vietnamese for Vietnam, Arabic for the UAE, etc.) in order to understand what is written in them. Obviously, these consuls already understand English, since, of course, they know English, but by the law they work according to the laws of their country, and these laws do not allow the use of English as the language of official documents, and formally the consuls, generally speaking, sometimes do not know English absolutely fluently. Therefore, the consuls need translations. Not any random Google translations, but translations made by a certified Canadian translator. Those are the requirements of the consulates. (Some consulates additionally require that the translation is certified by a notary. And some also require authentication of the seal and signature of the notary who certified the translation.)
You need to get the document itself translated, and also the authentication, because it will also be drawn in English. You will also need to get the seal and signature of the notary translate, if they were involved in the authentication procedure, since Canadian notaries are required to put their inscriptions and seals only in English (or French). That is why the document first gets authenticated, and only then translated.
Other translations are required for powers of attorney and statements. This is a slightly different story, because the document is drawn up initially in the language of the country in which it will be used, for example, in Vietnamese for Vietnam. Then, before signing this document at a Canadian notary, it must be translated into English so that the notary can read it. Therefore, the translation is usually made bilingual, in two columns: on the left, the source text in the desired language, on the right, the English translation. After the authentication, all that remains is to get the seals and signatures of the notary and the minister translated.
You need to get the document itself translated, and also the authentication, because it will also be drawn in English. You will also need to get the seal and signature of the notary translate, if they were involved in the authentication procedure, since Canadian notaries are required to put their inscriptions and seals only in English (or French). That is why the document first gets authenticated, and only then translated.
Other translations are required for powers of attorney and statements. This is a slightly different story, because the document is drawn up initially in the language of the country in which it will be used, for example, in Vietnamese for Vietnam. Then, before signing this document at a Canadian notary, it must be translated into English so that the notary can read it. Therefore, the translation is usually made bilingual, in two columns: on the left, the source text in the desired language, on the right, the English translation. After the authentication, all that remains is to get the seals and signatures of the notary and the minister translated.
3
Legalization
In the consulates of different countries, the requirements for the legalization of documents are different. For some countries, you can submit documents only by appearing in-person at the consulate. For other countries, you can pay the consular fee only in cash, for example, by putting banknotes in an envelope with documents. For some other countries, a special application for legalization is required.
The requirements of consulates for the legalization of documents must be researched on the websites of the corresponding consulate.
There are a lot of nuances, but, in general, the procedure is the same: you need to collect the required document package in accordance with the requirements of the consulate of the country for which legalization is being done.
After consular legalization, the document is completely ready for use on the territory of the country in whose consulate it was legalized.
The requirements of consulates for the legalization of documents must be researched on the websites of the corresponding consulate.
There are a lot of nuances, but, in general, the procedure is the same: you need to collect the required document package in accordance with the requirements of the consulate of the country for which legalization is being done.
After consular legalization, the document is completely ready for use on the territory of the country in whose consulate it was legalized.
How Much Does Legalization Cost and How Long Does It Take?
4
Due to the complexity of the legalization process, we began to receive a large number of requests for help with this procedure. Now we provide turnkey legalization and authentication services.
The cost and terms depend on the type of documents and on the country for which the documents are legalized, so it is impossible to give any exact “total price”.
For translations, we usually charge between $58 and $88 per pag, depending on the language.
Notarial certification of the accuracy of translations usually costs $75 for each notary signature.
For turnkey legalization, we usually charge $250 plus all related costs (mail/courier fees, ministry fees, consular fees, bank commissions: as much as they charge us, you will have to reimburse us for the same).
For turnkey authentication, we usually charge $150 plus all related costs (mail/courier fees, ministry fees: as much as they charge us, you will have to reimburse us for the same).
13% tax is added on top. All prices are negotiable.
The cost and terms depend on the type of documents and on the country for which the documents are legalized, so it is impossible to give any exact “total price”.
For translations, we usually charge between $58 and $88 per pag, depending on the language.
Notarial certification of the accuracy of translations usually costs $75 for each notary signature.
For turnkey legalization, we usually charge $250 plus all related costs (mail/courier fees, ministry fees, consular fees, bank commissions: as much as they charge us, you will have to reimburse us for the same).
For turnkey authentication, we usually charge $150 plus all related costs (mail/courier fees, ministry fees: as much as they charge us, you will have to reimburse us for the same).
13% tax is added on top. All prices are negotiable.
What Does Authentication and Legalization Look Like?
6
Here is an example of a death certificate issued in Ontario:
Deputy Registrar General, Alexandra Schmidt
Registrar General, the name is not clear, the signature cannot be deciphered
Pay attention to the signatories of the document:
Ontario * Registrar General * Coat of arms of Ontario
Pay attention to the stamp (seal):
This is a red rectangular seal that they usually put on the back of the document, because there is simply no place on the front. If there is some free space at the front, they can put at the front.
It says here:
“The Department of Foreign Affairs of Canada has authenticated (i.e. certified / confirmed) the signature that is on the attached document, which was made by
Alexandra Schmidt
(see our screenshot above, it was Alexandra Schmidt who signed the original document)
Signed on behalf of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations, by an employee of this department:
Elaine Shea
It says below: The Department DOES NOT validate, i.e., DOES NOT check the content of the document!
That is, the department does not check what kind of document it is, but ONLY checks whether there is such Alexandra Schmidt and whether the sample of her signature really matches this signature.
It says here:
“The Department of Foreign Affairs of Canada has authenticated (i.e. certified / confirmed) the signature that is on the attached document, which was made by
Alexandra Schmidt
(see our screenshot above, it was Alexandra Schmidt who signed the original document)
Signed on behalf of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations, by an employee of this department:
Elaine Shea
It says below: The Department DOES NOT validate, i.e., DOES NOT check the content of the document!
That is, the department does not check what kind of document it is, but ONLY checks whether there is such Alexandra Schmidt and whether the sample of her signature really matches this signature.
This is how the authentication done for this document in the all-Canadian Ministry of Global Affairs looks like:
Here the Ontario Minister Kenneth Woo confirms that there is such Alexandra Schmidt, and it is her signature and seal that is on the document.
Please note that the Ontario authentication is a separate piece of paper with a signature and a red official seal, which is attached to the original document with two round staples, so that it cannot be detached from the original document.
Please note that the Ontario authentication is a separate piece of paper with a signature and a red official seal, which is attached to the original document with two round staples, so that it cannot be detached from the original document.
And this is how authentication at a provincial ministry in Ontario looks like:
Here, Manitoba Minister Jamie Kereluke confirms that there is indeed such a notary, Caroline Barrett-Cramer, who works and is registered in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and it is true that her signature and seal are on the original document.
Please note that the Manitoba authentication is also a separate sheet with a signature and an official “depressed” seal, which is attached to the original document with two round brackets, so that it cannot be detached from the original document.
Please note that the Manitoba authentication is also a separate sheet with a signature and an official “depressed” seal, which is attached to the original document with two round brackets, so that it cannot be detached from the original document.
And this is what authentication looks like at a provincial ministry in the province of Manitoba:
You need to understand that someone can make a fake photo in Photoshop. Print out two copies. Go to a notary, say that one copy is "my original", and the second copy is "a copy". The notary will certify the second copy as “certified true copy of the original”, i.e. a notarized copy of the original document. The notary will put his seal and signature on the second copy.
This notarized copy can then be authenticated by a Canadian or provincial authority, as ministers will ONLY verify the authenticity of the notary's signature, but NOT the content of the document.
And then only on legalization at the consulate it will be revealed that the original document was not checked by anyone and was not confirmed by anyone, and in this case, the client will get the legalization refused.
This notarized copy can then be authenticated by a Canadian or provincial authority, as ministers will ONLY verify the authenticity of the notary's signature, but NOT the content of the document.
And then only on legalization at the consulate it will be revealed that the original document was not checked by anyone and was not confirmed by anyone, and in this case, the client will get the legalization refused.
Sometimes people mistakenly authenticate NOT the original document, but a notarized copy of it.
The minister who does the authentication does not care at all, because they simply verify the signature/seal of the government officer. The civil registry officer and the notary are both government officers.
This is what authentication in Toronto of the signature and seal of the notary David James Donnelly looks like:
The minister who does the authentication does not care at all, because they simply verify the signature/seal of the government officer. The civil registry officer and the notary are both government officers.
This is what authentication in Toronto of the signature and seal of the notary David James Donnelly looks like:
This is how the document authentication done in the Toronto (Ontario) office looks like:
This is how the document authentication done in the Edmonton (Alberta) office looks like:
This is how the document authentication done in the Victoria (British Columbia) office looks like:
Legalization of a Birth Certificate
7
Please note that there are three types of Canadian birth certificates:
- -1-Short form without parents' names
(a blue document of approximately half-Letter size)— this certificate is NOT suitable for any legalization, because there is no information about the parents, but is it required - -2-A short form with the names of the parents
(a blue document of about half-Letter size)— usually suitable for legalization - -3-Long form
(a legal white document in a long Legal paper size, approximately like 1.5 Letter sheets in height)— usually suitable for legalization
Such a document will NOT be accepted at the consulate, as there are no names and last names of the parents
Birth Certificate
Birth Certificate with Parental Information
Please note: there are last names and first names of parents. Such a document is usually suitable at the consulate
Certified Copy of the Birth Registration ("Long Form")
Please note: there are last names and first names of parents. Such a document is usually suitable at the consulate
Short forms of certificates (two blue in the picture) are printed on paper with lamination, i.e. the paper itself is special so that the document does not lose its qualities when getting wet; this material is similar to the Canadian money.
The provincial authentication authorities cannot authenticate such documents because during authentication, they make two holes and fasten the original document and a separate authentication paper with two metal “rings” (see the photos below). Because of this special paper material, the rings will not hold both papers together, and when this document reaches the consulate, it will loosen up and the consulate will not accept such disconnected documents.
The provincial authentication authorities cannot authenticate such documents because during authentication, they make two holes and fasten the original document and a separate authentication paper with two metal “rings” (see the photos below). Because of this special paper material, the rings will not hold both papers together, and when this document reaches the consulate, it will loosen up and the consulate will not accept such disconnected documents.
How to Make a Power of Attorney for Someone Who Is in Another Country If You Are in Canada?
8
In order for a power of attorney to have legal force in another country, it must be certified by the state employees of that country.
Option # 1. Go to the desired country and make a power of attorney there in-person at a notary public.
Option # 2. The official representative of any other country in Canada is the consul of that country in Canada. This consul is also endowed with the powers of a notary, so you can make an appointment in person at the consulate and make a power of attorney there. In this case, study the requirements for paperwork on the website of the consulate. Usually, consulate entries are completely booked out for the next six months, and you can catch a free timeslot only if someone cancels their appointment, so usually people check on the consulate website every day at like 7 a.m. if any free timeslots pop up.
Please note that for some countries there are restrictions, for example, the consul may have the right to act as a notary only if the power of attorney is not related to the sale of real estate located in that country, or the sale of a share in the capital of an organization established in that country. Check the restrictions on the consulate's website.
Option # 3. Signing at a notary in Canada, authentication, and legalization.
This is this option that is the only one available in 99% of cases, since it is usually not physically possible to get to the consulate, and not everyone can or wants to fly to another country.
Simply signing at a notary in Canada is NOT ENOUGH, because a Canadian notary is not a government official in another country, and no one there knows them, so no government institution in that country will accept such a power of attorney.
Option # 1. Go to the desired country and make a power of attorney there in-person at a notary public.
Option # 2. The official representative of any other country in Canada is the consul of that country in Canada. This consul is also endowed with the powers of a notary, so you can make an appointment in person at the consulate and make a power of attorney there. In this case, study the requirements for paperwork on the website of the consulate. Usually, consulate entries are completely booked out for the next six months, and you can catch a free timeslot only if someone cancels their appointment, so usually people check on the consulate website every day at like 7 a.m. if any free timeslots pop up.
Please note that for some countries there are restrictions, for example, the consul may have the right to act as a notary only if the power of attorney is not related to the sale of real estate located in that country, or the sale of a share in the capital of an organization established in that country. Check the restrictions on the consulate's website.
Option # 3. Signing at a notary in Canada, authentication, and legalization.
This is this option that is the only one available in 99% of cases, since it is usually not physically possible to get to the consulate, and not everyone can or wants to fly to another country.
Simply signing at a notary in Canada is NOT ENOUGH, because a Canadian notary is not a government official in another country, and no one there knows them, so no government institution in that country will accept such a power of attorney.
Details on the Procedure for Getting a Power of Attorney Legalized
1
Drawing up the Text of the Power of Attorney
First you need to write the text of the power of attorney. It is better to do this initially in the language you need with the help of an experienced notary in your country (Vietnamese for Vietnam, Arabic for the UAE, etc.)
It is important not to forget to indicate all the correct names of state bodies.
It will be a pity to go through all the steps below and at the very end to find out that you forgot to write some abbreviation which was required.
It is important not to forget to indicate all the correct names of state bodies.
It will be a pity to go through all the steps below and at the very end to find out that you forgot to write some abbreviation which was required.
2
Certified Translation
This is what a translated client’s Affidavit looks like, certified by the seal of the certified translator.
Since the text was originally written in another language, it needs to be translated into English by a certified translator in order to correctly convey all the terms and nuances.
The translator will complete the translation with the necessary certification and send it to you for final approval.
The translator will complete the translation with the necessary certification and send it to you for final approval.
3
Verification of the Accuracy of the Translation
This is how the notary certification looks like for the translator's signature on their oath of fidelity of the translation, signed by the translator and the notary.
The translator must certify the accuracy of his translation at a public notary. You cannot do this yourself. Only the translator themselves can do this with their ID, at any notary.
4
Certification of Your Signature by a Notary
Then you will sign this English power of attorney online with our notary, who is based in Ontario.
It doesn’t matter where you are in Canada or even in another country — the entire process is done remotely via secure video call, and we’ll schedule it at a time that’s convenient for you.
The Ontario notary will verify your identity (so have your ID ready) and witness your declaration that the contents of the power of attorney are true.
It doesn’t matter where you are in Canada or even in another country — the entire process is done remotely via secure video call, and we’ll schedule it at a time that’s convenient for you.
The Ontario notary will verify your identity (so have your ID ready) and witness your declaration that the contents of the power of attorney are true.
5
Authentication
Since the COVID-19, it is now impossible to personally visit Global Affairs in Ottawa, but you can send them documents by mail. Address is here. Complete and attach their authentication request form. Link to the form is here; the file will not open in your browser or on your phone, download the file to your computer and open from your computer in Adobe Acrobat.
Enclose a prepaid postal envelope so they can send the authenticated document back to you at your expense. Take a photo of the tracking numbers on the envelopes so you can check where your envelopes are on the Canada Post website.
As of February 2023, this procedure takes 15 business days, plus postage back and forth.
If your country allows you to use provincial authentication authorities, for example, for Ontario it is ODS and it is located at 222 Jarvis Street in Toronto.
This is how the document authentication done in the Toronto office looks like:
Enclose a prepaid postal envelope so they can send the authenticated document back to you at your expense. Take a photo of the tracking numbers on the envelopes so you can check where your envelopes are on the Canada Post website.
As of February 2023, this procedure takes 15 business days, plus postage back and forth.
If your country allows you to use provincial authentication authorities, for example, for Ontario it is ODS and it is located at 222 Jarvis Street in Toronto.
This is how the document authentication done in the Toronto office looks like:
Next, this English power of attorney, certified by a Canadian notary, needs to be authenticated.
Authentication is a procedure when the Canadian minister checks whether there is such a notary in Canada, whether they were acting at the time of signing, and whether it's their signature and seal that are on the document.
Authentication is done either at Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa or at provincial or territorial offices.
For some countries, ONLY Global Affairs Canada is accepted.
For some countries, you can use provincial certification bodies in several provinces (Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, etc.).
Read more about the authentication procedure in Global Affairs here and here.
At the end of the Global Affairs authentication process, the Minister will put a red stamp on your document.
Authentication is a procedure when the Canadian minister checks whether there is such a notary in Canada, whether they were acting at the time of signing, and whether it's their signature and seal that are on the document.
Authentication is done either at Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa or at provincial or territorial offices.
For some countries, ONLY Global Affairs Canada is accepted.
For some countries, you can use provincial certification bodies in several provinces (Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, etc.).
Read more about the authentication procedure in Global Affairs here and here.
At the end of the Global Affairs authentication process, the Minister will put a red stamp on your document.
Here, the Canadian Minister Leah Dauphinee confirms that there is such a notary I. Karyakina, and it is indeed her signature and seal that are on the document.
Here Ontario Minister Kenneth Woo confirms that there is such a notary, David James Donnelly, and that it is their seal and signature on the document.
6
Translation of the Authentication
Since both the Global Affairs authentication (red stamp) and the provincial office authentication (a separate document as shown above, from Toronto) will be in English only, they will have to be translated back into the correct language.
Notary seals will also have to be translated, because Canadian notaries are required to affix seals in English only.
Notary seals will also have to be translated, because Canadian notaries are required to affix seals in English only.
7
Legalization
The last stage is consular legalization.
A power of attorney certified by a Canadian notary public, authenticated by Global Affairs Canada, translated into the desired language, with a notarized translator's statement of the correctness of the translation, can be submitted to the consulate of the desired country in Canada for consular legalization.
See the list of documents and all requirements on the website of the consulate. Usually they require at least an application in a standard form and a copy of the applicant's passport. This is a paid service: the consulate will charge a consular fee, they need a certified cheque from the bank (also called a "money order" or a "bank draft").
The consul will confirm that it is indeed the Canadian minister who signed everything for you at the previous stage.
After getting signed by the consul, your document will become fully legal in the country you need.
A power of attorney certified by a Canadian notary public, authenticated by Global Affairs Canada, translated into the desired language, with a notarized translator's statement of the correctness of the translation, can be submitted to the consulate of the desired country in Canada for consular legalization.
See the list of documents and all requirements on the website of the consulate. Usually they require at least an application in a standard form and a copy of the applicant's passport. This is a paid service: the consulate will charge a consular fee, they need a certified cheque from the bank (also called a "money order" or a "bank draft").
The consul will confirm that it is indeed the Canadian minister who signed everything for you at the previous stage.
After getting signed by the consul, your document will become fully legal in the country you need.
8
Receipt of the Finished Document
If you have enclosed a return prepaid envelope in a letter to the consulate, the consulate will usually send the finished documents in this envelope.
Be sure to take photos of the tracking numbers on the envelopes in order to track the status of the shipments on the courier's website.
The consulate usually sends documents within Canada, but in principle, nothing prevents you from giving them an envelope with an address directly in your country.
It is possible to ship using regular Canada Post, even regular mail without a tracking number, but we would trust UPS, DHL, and FedEx more.
Be sure to take photos of the tracking numbers on the envelopes in order to track the status of the shipments on the courier's website.
The consulate usually sends documents within Canada, but in principle, nothing prevents you from giving them an envelope with an address directly in your country.
It is possible to ship using regular Canada Post, even regular mail without a tracking number, but we would trust UPS, DHL, and FedEx more.
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DISCLAIMER
Information and services outlined on this page do not constitute legal services, legal advice, or legal representation under the Law Society Act in Ontario. The service provider is not a registered paralegal or a lawyer or a notary, does not pretend to be them, and is not licensed by the Law Society of Ontario.
The information compiled on this page is coming from official sources as is.
Services provided on this page are merely assisting clients with obtaining translations, collecting necessary documents, filling out necessary forms, and shipping documents.
The clients are advised to obtain legal advice from registered legal professionals (paralegals, notaries, etc.) in their province or territory.
Clients reading the contents of this page and submitting requests for further consultations and agreeing to use these services are agreeing to these terms and are discharging the service provider, his representatives, agents, heirs, and successors from any legal claims related to these services or this information.
Information and services outlined on this page do not constitute legal services, legal advice, or legal representation under the Law Society Act in Ontario. The service provider is not a registered paralegal or a lawyer or a notary, does not pretend to be them, and is not licensed by the Law Society of Ontario.
The information compiled on this page is coming from official sources as is.
Services provided on this page are merely assisting clients with obtaining translations, collecting necessary documents, filling out necessary forms, and shipping documents.
The clients are advised to obtain legal advice from registered legal professionals (paralegals, notaries, etc.) in their province or territory.
Clients reading the contents of this page and submitting requests for further consultations and agreeing to use these services are agreeing to these terms and are discharging the service provider, his representatives, agents, heirs, and successors from any legal claims related to these services or this information.
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