George Brook, CEO of International Documents Canada covers questions about how to apostille a Canadian document.
He is going to answer three key questions in this video
• what is apostille
• what are the steps in the Canadian apostille process
• and what are my options for having my document apostilled
By the end of this video you will feel informed about the authentication and legalization process and know you have some resources you can turn to for additional help.
What is apostille?
Apostille is actually a confusing word for a straightforward concept. When you need a Canadian document certified as legal in another country it needs to go through a specific process.
This three-step process is called the apostille process
Question two; what are the steps in the Canadian apostille process?
There are three sequential steps in the apostille process in Canada
• step 1 is notarization
• step 2 is authentication
• and step 3 is legalization
Let’s quickly take a look at each step.
Notarization is the first step in the Canadian apostille process.
Notarization involves having a notary or lawyer witnesses signatures on a document. They will put their signed notary seal on the document certifying that the signature is legitimate
After your document has been notarized, the second step is to have it authenticated at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Ottawa otherwise known as DEFAIT. DEFAIT will check that the notary or lawyer who notarized a document is currently in good standing and will then attach a certificate of authentication to your document.
The final step in the Canadian Apostille process is to have your document legalized by the embassy or consulate at the country in question.
A consular official at the Embassy will check that all is in order with your document and that it has been properly authenticated and then will add a certificate legalization to the front page.
This completes a Canadian apostille process.
Your document is now recognized as legal in another country.
So to quickly recap the three steps in the Canadian apostille process:
• step 1: notarization, a simple procedure involving a lawyer or notary
• step 2 authentication, done by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Ottawa
• and step 3: legalization which is done by the embassy or consulate of the country that you’re sending your document to.
Now you might be asking yourself, what are my options for getting my document Apostilled?
you have two options:
• you can do it yourself or
• you can have a specialist do it for you
Let’s first talk about doing it yourself. This method is best for people with time and some perseverance. It has the advantage in being the cheapest method but it can take a long time, it can be confusing, and it is frustrating to try to get the right information.
To assist those who wish to manage the authentication and legalization of their own documents, International Documents Canada has partnered with the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association or CME.
The CME is the largest trade association in Canada with over a hundred thousand members.
Together we’ve developed the Authentication and Legalization InfoCenter.
This is the authoritative information resource for anyone needing to get a Canadian document through the apostille process.
It’s completely free and provides a wealth of essential information.
We’re adding to it and updating info all the time. This is a great place to start.
Your second option is to turn to a professional to manage the apostille process for you. Our company, International Documents Canada, specializes in managing the apostille process for clients like you every day. we save you the time and hassle of managing an often frustrating process, we provide a secure chain of custody for your documents throughout the process, and we dramatically reduce the risk of delays due to errors and document preparation. Overall we can cut processing time by as much as several weeks
Getting started with us could not be easier. Email us or phone us toll-free, we’d welcome a chance to discuss your apostille needs and how we can help
We hope this video has answered a lot of your questions about the apostille process in Canada.
At IDC we welcome a chance to answer any further questions you may have,
give us a call or send us a quick email
And don’t forget the wealth of information on the Authentication and Legalization Info Center website
it’s free. We hope you have a chance to check it out
We’ve created a short video called:
authenticating and legalizing a Canadian document: three essential tips
this adds to the information in this video, focusing on helping you avoid the common pitfalls that people run into when processing their documents.
Visit us at: http://www.idocscanada.ca/
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