When utilizing Canadian documents beyond the nation’s borders, the necessity often arises to have them authenticated and legalized. This comprehensive guide delineates the steps involved in legalizing your documents for international use and elucidates the role of Notarize.ca in facilitating this process.

What exactly is legalization?
Legalization denotes the procedure for validating Canadian documents for acceptance in foreign jurisdictions.

Three fundamental steps constitute the legalization process:

Firstly, enlist the services of a notary public to notarize your documents.

Next, have your documents authenticated either by the Government of Ontario’s Official Document Services or the Government of Canada’s Global Affairs Canada. Authentication serves as the formal confirmation of the genuineness of signatures, stamps, or seals on the documents.

Lastly, procure legalization of your documents from the embassy or consulate of the destination country. This entails affixing the embassy’s or consulate’s stamp or seal onto the document, rendering it official within that jurisdiction.

Is legalization synonymous with apostille?
In the Canadian context, legalization serves as the equivalent to apostille. Apostille, a term originating from a treaty agreement, refers to the process through which documents issued in one country are legally certified for use in another country. Given Canada’s non-membership in the apostille treaty, the authentication and legalization framework is employed instead.

Which documents are eligible for legalization?
Documents necessitating legalization encompass a broad spectrum, including but not limited to:

Birth certificates
Statutory declarations of marital status
Marriage certificates
Divorce certificates
Death certificates
Adoption papers
Powers of attorney
Educational transcripts and diplomas

How can I ascertain if my documents require legalization?
Each country maintains its own set of prerequisites regarding the legalization of documents. If uncertainty persists regarding the necessity of legalization for your documents, reaching out to the consulate or embassy of the destination country is advisable.

Can electronically notarized documents undergo legalization?
Typically, documents notarized through online notary services are amenable to legalization. However, both Global Affairs Canada and Official Document Services mandate the presence of the notary’s ink signature and embossing seal for authentication. Notarize.ca offers a solution by providing hard copy versions of electronically-notarized documents bearing the requisite signatures and seals, facilitating the legalization process.

Can Notarize.ca facilitate Authentication and Legalization?
Certainly! With Notarize.ca, authentication and legalization are streamlined into a simple three-step process:

Schedule an appointment and meet virtually with our Authentication and Legalization Specialists for notarization of your documents.
If located outside Canada, we can arrange for the mailing of your documents to us.
Electronically sign your documents and download the notarized version, thereby completing the process seamlessly.