Apostille Services in Canada: 3 Steps to Get Started

Updated September 2026. An apostille is an official certificate used to authenticate a public document for use in another country. Canada’s Apostille Convention took effect on January 11, 2024. The certificate verifies the official signature, capacity and seal; it does not certify that every statement in the document is true or guarantee that the destination will accept it.

Three steps to get started

• Tell us the document and destination. The issuing province, document type and country where it will be used determine the correct route. Ask the receiving authority exactly what it requires.
• Check whether notarization is needed. Many original government documents can be submitted under their own rules; other documents may need a qualifying in-person notarization. An Ontario document that is only commissioned cannot be apostilled, and Ontario Official Documents Services will not apostille a remotely notarized document.
• Submit to the competent authority. Ontario Official Documents Services handles eligible documents issued or notarized in Ontario. Other provincial authorities or Global Affairs Canada may handle other documents. After issuance, the document is returned or sent according to the chosen delivery method.

What should I prepare?

Have the original document or the version required by the issuing authority, the country of destination, any recipient instructions, and your delivery details ready. Birth and marriage certificates, school records, corporate documents and powers of attorney can follow different rules. Some documents cannot be authenticated even if notarized.

For a country outside the Apostille Convention, the destination may also require legalization by its embassy or consulate. We can help coordinate eligible steps, but only the competent authority issues an apostille and the receiving body determines its acceptance.

Need help with an Ontario document? Visit our apostille service page and submit an inquiry. You can tell us the document type, issuing authority and destination so we can explain the next practical step.

Sources: Ontario document authentication guidance; Ontario notaries guidance; Global Affairs Canada, authentication tips.