Apostille & Document Authentication
Get your Canadian documents recognized abroad — without guessing which office they need to pass through.
Studying, working, marrying, or doing business outside Canada often means proving your documents are genuine first. We handle the apostille, authentication, legalization, and notarization steps for you — start to finish, one point of contact.
Request a Free Quote
Tell us your document and destination — we reply with the exact process and cost.
What We Handle
Four services, one point of contact
Apostille & Authentication
Federal authentication through Global Affairs Canada, and provincial authentication where the destination requires it.
Common cases: birth/marriage certificates for immigration abroad, diplomas for work permits, corporate documents to open a foreign branch.
Legalization
Consular and embassy legalization for countries outside the Apostille Convention. We prepare the submission and liaise with the embassy directly.
Common cases: documents headed to China, Vietnam, UAE, and other non-member countries where apostille alone isn’t accepted.
Notarization
Notarized true copies and signatures through a licensed notary, prepared correctly so they’re accepted at the authentication stage.
Common cases: powers of attorney, certified passport copies, consent letters for travel with a minor.
Commissioner for Oaths
We administer oaths, affidavits, statutory declarations and affirmations, and witness signatures on documents that require independent certification.
Common cases: sworn statutory declarations, affidavits for court or government use, name-change declarations.
Not sure which one you need? Most people don’t — that’s normal. Tell us the document and destination country and we’ll tell you the exact path, free.
The Process
From first email to authenticated document
1
Tell us what you need
Document type and destination country. We confirm the exact authentication path and give you a firm price and timeline.
2
We prepare & submit
Notarization first if required, then submission through the correct federal, provincial, or consular office. Tracked until it clears.
3
Documents returned to you
Authenticated and ready to use — shipped or picked up, your choice.
A firm price and timeline before you commit — and one person handles your file from intake to delivery.
Documents rejected for the wrong stamp or missing notarization cost you weeks. We check the requirements for your destination country before anything is submitted, and you’re never re-explaining your case to a new agent each time you follow up.
Common Questions
Good to know before you start
What’s the difference between apostille and authentication?
Apostille is a simplified certificate recognized by countries in the Apostille Convention. Authentication plus legalization is the older two-step process still required for non-member countries. We confirm which one your destination needs.
Does my document need to be notarized first?
Some documents — powers of attorney, copies of a passport — need notarization before they can be authenticated. We tell you upfront whether that applies to yours.
How long does the process take?
It depends on the document, the office, and whether provincial authentication is required first. We give a firm estimate for your specific case before you commit — not a generic range.
Not sure which process your document needs?
Send the document type and destination country — we’ll tell you exactly what’s required and what it costs.
© Canada Document Services