Authentication of documents | Legalization of document | DFAIT | Foreign Affairs Ottawa |

IRS - Authentication Service

How to authenticate a document at the Foreign Affairs ?

For information on how to have Canadian documents authenticated so that they will be accepted for use abroad, please read the following list:

Criminal record checks (police clearance) or fingerprint certificates

All criminal record checks, fingerprint certificates and documents originating from any local or provincial police station in Canada must first be notarized by a Canadian notary or a commissioner of oaths prior to authentication. Documents issued by RCMP headquarters in Ottawa do not need to be notarized

Contact the embassy or consulate of the country concerned to verify if a notarized photocopy of a document will be accepted or if you need to have the original document notarized. If you need an original document, you must request the police clearance from RCMP headquarters in Ottawa.

Documents originating in a foreign country

Documents that originate in a foreign country must be signed and sealed by an official of that country’s embassy, high commission or consulate accredited to Canada. Please ensure that the signatory’s name is printed in the Latin (western) alphabet.

Documents originating in Canada in a foreign language

Canadian documents in a foreign language must be translated by a certified Canadian translator into either English or French.

Both the original document and the translation must be signed and sealed by a Canadian notary public or commissioner of oaths. Note that we will not authenticate a document signed only by a certified translator.

Translated documents

• A translated document must be sent with the original document. An original document in a foreign language must be translated into English or French by a certified translator. Then the translation must be certified by a Canadian notary or commissioner of oaths.
• Translated documents (regardless of language) can only be authenticated if they are first certified, signed and sealed by a Canadian notary or commissioner of oaths.
• If the documents you send are not accompanied by an English or French translation, or if documents are not properly certified, signed and sealed, they will be returned to you without being authenticated.

Certificates of birth, marriage or death

We authenticate original long-form birth, marriage or death certificates issued by the office of vital statistics of the relevant province or territory. Note: We do not authenticate plastic, wallet-sized versions of these certificates.

Marriage search documents issued by the Province of Ontario must be notarized before they will be authenticated.

Photocopies of birth, marriage or death certificates can be authenticated. However, they must be certified true copies, signed and sealed by a Canadian notary or commissioner of oaths. If the photocopies you send are not properly certified, signed and sealed, they will be returned to you without being authenticated.

Religious documents will not be authenticated even if they are certified, signed and sealed by a Canadian notary or commissioner of oaths. Examples include:

• baptismal certificates;
• religious marriage certificates; or any documents issued by a religious institution.

Education documents

We only authenticate degrees or student transcripts issued by Canadian educational institutions recognized by the provincial/territorial ministries of education.

• CANADIAN UNIVERSITY or college degrees or transcripts must be signed and sealed by the relevant office of the registrar, and a full signature, name and title must appear on the document. Otherwise the document has to be notarized before it will be authenticated.
• Canadian high school or elementary school transcripts must be signed by the principal or vice-principal of the school that issued the documents, and a full signature, name and title must appear on the document. Only school diplomas and transcripts can be accepted without being notarized. All other letters have to be notarized before they will be authenticated.

Photocopies of degrees and transcripts can be authenticated. However, to get an authentication at DFAIT the photocopies must be certified true copies, signed and sealed by either the relevant office of the registrar or a Canadian notary or the commissioner of oaths. 

For more information, visit :

http://www.canadaauthentication.com

direct link : http://www.canadaauthentication.com/#!foreign-affairs/cr1y