Improving authentication services in Canada

News release

December 12, 2023 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

Global Affairs Canada today announced upcoming improvements to its authentication services for documents to be used outside Canada.

Starting on January 11, 2024, authenticating some documents in Canada will become faster and simpler. When the Apostille Convention comes into force in Canada on this date, a single certificate, called an “apostille,” will be issued to authenticate Canadian public documents. This will facilitate their use in more than 120 countries that are members of the convention, eliminating some of the steps currently required to have documents accepted outside Canada.

As part of this change, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan will be responsible for issuing apostilles for documents issued or notarized in their respective provinces.

Global Affairs Canada will issue apostilles for documents from the remaining provinces, the territories, and the Government of Canada.

Detailed information is available online at Changes to authentication services, found in “Associated links” at the first linked page below.

Quick facts

Public documents such as birth and marriage certificates, education documents and government-issued export and corporate records, as well as notarized documents, can be authenticated with an apostille certificate.
The Apostille Convention has become one of the most widely applied multilateral treaties for legal cooperation, with several million apostille certificates issued every year across the world.
In Canada, over 200,000 Canadian public documents are authenticated every year.

Associated links

Contacts

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @TravelGoC
Like us on Facebook: Travel.gc.ca -Travel advice from the Government of Canada.

Page details

Date modified:: 2023-12-12