Global Affairs Canada Authentication
Canada’s document authentication, legalization, attestation & apostille Ottawa service, making document Globally effective Easily-Accurately-Fast.
Authentication at Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada in Ottawa
Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) Canada recommends our service to Canadians in order to authenticate and legalize their document(s) easily, quickly and effectively.
Global Affairs Canada – Affaires mondiales Canada – authentication of document, previously use to be named” Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada” (DFATD), this department are responsible for authentication, attestation and legalization of Canadian issued document. By stamping yours document the department only authenticates Canadian public officials’ signatures on documents issued in Canada, for other document issued not in Canada but stamped by embassies in Canada or notarized please contact us.
"If you do not live in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, you can hire an authentication and legalization service. Visaenterprise is one such company. It's an Ottawa-based professional legalization and authentication company within close proximity to the DFATD."
Department of Foreign Affairs
Visaenterprise is an Ottawa-based professional document legalization, attestation and authentication trusted service provider within close proximity to the Global Affairs Canada.
Why using OttawaLegalization service? For legalization at Global Affairs Canada, Authentication Services Section (JLAC) in Ottawa?
- In order to authenticate and legalize Canadian issued document(s) easily, quickly and effectively at Global Affairs Canada Authentication Services Section (JLAC).
- Specially, even more if you need to stamp your document from another embassy located in Ottawa, then OttawaLegalization is your shortcut road.
- Visaenterprise Ltd. is an Ottawa based company formed from some of the most experienced agents in the industry. As an organization who is in the frontline of handling documents legalization and visa applications for over 150 embassies and consulates, we understand the process can sometimes be tedious, time consuming and stressful for both Global Affairs Canada, embassy staff and clients.
- When Global Affairs Canada or embassies receive applications and documents that are incomplete, the process is at risk of becoming lengthy while Global Affairs Canada or embassy staff members search for correct information and missing documentation which sometimes requires that documents be sent back to the client without processing and stamped. OttawaLegalization works proactivity to prevent the problems that may arise during the application process and insures that all information is presented exactly as required. So client will save time and money, and obtain the final product stress-free.
For information on how to have Canadian documents authenticated so that they will be accepted for use abroad, please contact the Visaenterprise Authentication Department. Our main business is serving you and making your documents internationally recognized and legitimate.
The authentication and legalization of documents at Global Affairs Canada (Foreign Affairs) can be completed by applying:
1. Through Visaenterprise secured and guaranteed quality service with same day or up to 3 business days processing time. The service fees charged by our office is meant to compensate for the effort and time spent to
- a) ensure documentation authentication comply with the DFATD procedures.
- b) submit the document(s) in person to the authentication office at the DFATD.
- c) collect the document(s) in person from the authentication at the DFATD.
- Please click here for processing to the order and payment form
Authentication of Documents by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada in Ottawa (DFATD / JLAC):
- Foreign Governments and organizations sometimes require documents to be authenticated before they will accept them. To have Canadian documents authenticated for use abroad, AA1 MSQ Visaenterprise Ltd. Legal department can assist you fully in the legalization, authentication and attestation procedure in Ottawa Canada for business, legal and personal purposes for all types of documents. Our professional experts will simplify and expedite the authentication process by the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD) and the legalization process by the embassies, consulates and any other legal institution. Please carefully review the information below before you send your document to us.
What is Authentication?
Authentication is a certification of the genuineness of the signature and seal or the position of an official who has the authority to execute, issue, or certify a document so that a document executed, issued or certified in one jurisdiction may be recognized in another jurisdiction. Authentications do not certify the genuineness, legality or credibility of the documents or their contents.
Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section (DFATD) / (JLAC) authenticates, attests and legalize documents for the public for a wide range of documents. You may request that a Canadian public document be authenticated by asking Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section (DFATD) / (JLAC) to confirm that a Canadian public official’s signature, seal or stamp on the document is genuine.
Does your document need to be authenticated?
Authentication requirements vary from country to country. Before sending your documents to Visaenterprise’s legalization section for (DFATD) / (JLAC) to be authenticated, please contact consult Visaenterprise’s website and you may call us for obtaining an accurate information about your authentication procedures at various embassy, high commission or consulate of the country where these documents will be used to determine whether the documents need to be authenticated and how?
If you require your documents to be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada (DFATD) / (JLAC), you should ensure to have the documents authenticated, attested and legalization prior to arranging for travel outside of Canada. Please note that Canadian missions or embassies abroad are often not able to authenticate, attest and legalize Canadian documents.
Short Cut or Urgent attestation and authentication Request
- If you are outside Ottawa.
- If you are outside of Canada or your attestation and authentication request is urgent, we strongly recommend that you contact and send your documents to Visaenterprise - an authentication, attestation and legalization service specialist - in Ottawa to have them processed on your behalf in person.at Global Affairs Canada DFATD/ JLAC, through Visaenterprise the processing time for document legalization, attestation and authentication can be just few minutes and your document will be obtains the stamps that make them internationally and legally recognized.
What documents can be authenticated, attested and legalized
- While authentication does not relate to a document’s content, Global Affairs Canada (DFATD) reserve the right to refuse to authenticate a document if a document’s content is misleading or we believe that a document is to be used for a fraudulent purpose. You will be informed if the document cannot be authenticated. Global Affairs Canada DFATD only authenticate those documents that you specifically request to be authenticated.
- Global Affairs Canada DFATD only authenticate Canadian public officials’ signatures on documents issued in Canada. Exception: Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section can authenticate the signature and seal of an official of a country’s embassy, high commission or consulate accredited to Canada. Please ensure that the signatory’s name is printed in the Latin (western) alphabet.
- Canadian religious documents will not be authenticated, even if they are certified by a Canadian notary public or Commissioner of Oaths.
- Photocopies must be certified appropriately as true copies by a Canadian notary public or a Commissioner of Oaths. If this procedure is not followed, they will be returned to you without having been authenticated.
- Please refer to the rules of the province or territory where the document is to be certified with respect to who may be able to certify documents appropriately.
What documents cannot be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section
- Simple Photocopies; In order to make them go through the legalization process, they must be certified appropriately as true copies by a Canadian notary public or a commissioner of oaths (showing the stamp of the notary public or commissioner of oath plus full printed name and contact information of signatory).
- Religious documents will not be authenticated and attested by Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section even if they are certified appropriately by a Canadian notary public or Commissioner of Oaths. Examples include:
- - baptismal certificates;
- - religious marriage certificates; or
- - documents issued by a religious institution.
- Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section /DFATD do not authenticate funeral homes death certificates.
- If the requirements for authentication described below are not followed, your documents will be returned to you without having been authenticated.
- Birth, marriage, divorce or death documents
- Education documents
- Criminal record checks (police clearance) or fingerprint certificates
- Documents originating in a foreign country
- Documents originating in Canada in a foreign language
- Statements In Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad
Birth, marriage, divorce or death documents
- Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section / DFATD only authenticate original only birth, marriage or death certificates issued only by the office of vital statistics (mainly signed by the Deputy Registrar or Registrar General) of the relevant province or territory. Note: Global affairs Canada (DFATD) do not authenticate wallet-sized versions of these certificates or certificate issued by religious institutions.
- Marriage search documents issued by the Province of Ontario must be notarized before they will be authenticated.
- Notarized copies of birth, marriage or death certificates cannot be authenticated.
- Divorce certificates and similar divorce related documents (divorce orders, divorce judgments etc.) must be issued by a Canadian court. They must bear the original signature of the relevant court clerk or registrar as well as the court seal or stamp. If the signature is not legible you must have the clerk print their name or apply a stamp bearing their printed name.
Education documents
- Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section only authenticate degrees or student transcripts issued by Canadian educational institutions recognized by the provincial/territorial ministries of education.
- Original 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.
- Original Canadian high school or elementary school diplomas and 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. School documents other than diplomas and transcripts must be notarized before they will be authenticated.
- If you request your document to be sent directly to Visaenterprise from an educational institution, Please request your transcripts to be accompanied by the “your Full name outside the envelop” so we can related to your file without open it.
- Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section cannot authenticate the following unless they are notarized by a Canadian Notary Public:
- Canadian university or college letters must be signed and sealed by the relevant office of the registrar, and a full signature, name and title must appear on the document.
- course certificates;
- Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificates;
- award certificates; or
- other documents issued by educational institutions that are not degrees or transcripts.
- Photocopies of degrees and transcripts can be authenticated. However, these must be certified appropriately as true copies by either the relevant office of the registrar, principal or vice-principal, a Canadian notary public or Commissioner of Oaths.
Criminal record checks (police clearance) or fingerprint certificates
- Criminal record checks, fingerprint certificates and documents originating from any local or provincial police station in Canada must first be certified appropriately as a true copy by a Canadian notary public or a Commissioner of Oaths. Exception: Documents issued directly by RCMP headquarters (black and white version with RCMP seal) in Ottawa do not need to be notarized.
- Contact the embassy, high commission or consulate of the country concerned to verify if a notarized photocopy of the police clearance 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.
- However, if a translation is required of these documents by the recipient institution, it must be certified appropriately by both a certified Canadian translator and Canadian public notary.
Documents originating in Canada in a foreign language
- Documents originating in Canada in a non- Canadian official language must be translated into English or French and certified by a Canadian certified translator, and by a Canadian notary public. Please note a notary Public can also certify the translation to be true if they speak both languages. Should that be the case, please ensure they write on the document that they attest to speaking both languages and certify the translation to be true accompanied by their signature and stamp.
Statements In Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad
- Some countries require a “Certificate of non-impediment to marriage” before a foreign national can marry within their jurisdiction. In Canada, it is not possible to issue such certificates. However, JLAC can prepare a Statement in Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad.
- If you need JLAC to issue a Statement in Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad, you must specifically request this on the “request form for Statements In Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad” see Forms section below. You must also specify on the form whether you are requesting the authentication of any accompanying documents.
- In order to determine whether you will require such a Statement, or any other documents, you must contact the relevant country’s embassy, high commission or consulate in Canada.
- Please note: Some countries require the Statement In Lieu of Certificate of Non-impediment to Marriage Abroad to be issued in Canada, before you travel, and will not accept a document issued by a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate abroad.
- You can submit your request for a Statement In Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad through Visaenterprise. It will take up to 25 business days to process it, regardless of how the document was delivered to us. The document cannot be provided to you in person.
- You must provide a statutory declaration stating your full name, present marital status and your permanent address in Canada. Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section do not accept P.O Boxes as a permanent address. Statutory declarations can be done before a Canadian notary public or Commissioner of Oaths.
- If you have been married before, you must submit your original or appropriately certified true copy of a divorce certificate or divorce judgment.
- If you are a widow or widower, you must submit the original or appropriately certified copy of the death certificate of your deceased spouse.
- If you were born in Canada, you must submit your original or appropriately certified true copy of a birth certificate. If you were not born in Canada, you must submit appropriately certified true copies of your Canadian citizenship card, Record of Landing form or Permanent Residency Card. If you have lost your Record of Landing Form, this must be mentioned in the statutory declaration of marital status.
Other documents
- The following requirements apply to all documents which have not been listed above:
- Please have your documents appropriately certified by a Canadian notary public or Commissioner of Oaths before sending them to Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section /JLAC for authentication.
- A few examples of documents that must first be notarized are:
- Powers of attorney
- Canada Revenue Agency documents
- Citizenship and Immigration documents
- Industry Canada documents
- Documents issued by Service Canada
- Documents issued by professional associations such as accountants’, engineers’ and dentists’ associations
- Apprenticeship certificates
Vital Statistics Offices in Canada: Links and Information
Please take note that the Global Affairs Canada, authentication of document section (DFATD) ONLY authenticates original or a notarized copy of the long form birth, marriage or death certificates issued by the office of vital statistics of the relevant province.
The Registrars of Vital Statistics in each of the provinces and territories in Canada handle the registration of births, marriages, deaths and name changes, as well as issue copies of certificates. Most also provide genealogy searches and certificates. Use these links to find the main Vital Statistics Offices in each province and territory and the services they provide. Listed below the contact information of the Vital Statistics Offices in Canada and for more information you may visit Passport Canada website:
Alberta
- Government Services Alberta Registries PO Box 2023 Edmonton AB T5J 4W7
- (780) 427-7013
- (780) 422-9117
- Non-Alberta Residents: Registry Connect PO Box 386 Edmonton AB T5J 2J6
British Columbia
- BC Vital Statistics Agency PO Box 9657 STN PROV GOVT Victoria BC V8W 9P3
- (250) 952-2681 (Victoria) or
- (604) 660-2937 (Vancouver)
- Toll free: 1 800 663-8328
- (250) 952-2527
Manitoba
- Vital Statistics Agency 254 Portage Avenue Winnipeg MB R3C 0B6
- (204) 945-3701
- Toll free within Manitoba: 1 800 282-8069 ext. 3701
- Electronic Information to obtain a birth certificate: (204) 945-7762
- (204) 948-3128
New Brunswick
- Vital Statistics Office Service New Brunswick PO Box 1998 Fredericton NB E3B 5G4
- (506) 453-2385
- (506) 444-4139
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Vital Statistics Government Service Centre Department of Government Services PO Box 8700 St. John's NL A1B 4J6
- (709) 729-3699
- (709) 729-2071
Nova Scotia
- Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Vital Statistics PO Box 157 Halifax NS B3J 2M9
- (902) 424-4381
- Toll free within Nova Scotia only: 1 877 848-2578
- (902) 424-0678
Northwest Territories
- Registrar-General of Vital Statistics Department of Health and Social Services Government of Northwest Territories Bag 9 Inuvik NT X0E 0T0
- (867) 777-7420
- Toll free: 1 800 661-0830
- (867) 777-3197
Nunavut
- Registrar-General of Vital Statistics Nunavut Health and Social Services Government of Nunavut Bag 3 Rankin Inlet NU X0C 0G0
- (867) 645-8002
- Toll free within Canada: 1 800 661-0833
- (867) 645-8092
Ontario
- Office of the Registrar General PO Box 4600, 3rd Floor 189 Red River Road Thunder Bay ON P7B 6L8
- Toronto: (416) 325-8305
- Toll free: 1 800 461-2156
- (807) 343-7459
Prince Edward Island
- P.E.I. Vital Statistics Department of Health and Social Services PO Box 3000 Montague PE C0A 1R0
- (902) 838-0880
- Toll free: 1 877 320-1253
- (902) 838-0883
Saskatchewan
- Vital Statistics Information Services Corporation 1301 First Avenue Regina SK S4R 8H2
- (306) 798-0641
- Toll free within Saskatchewan: 1 866 275-4721
- (306) 787-2288
Yukon
- Vital Statistics Health and Social Services Government of the Yukon PO Box 2703 Whitehorse YK Y1A 2C6
- (867) 667-5207
- Toll free within the Yukon: 1 800 661-0408 ext 5207
- (867) 393-648
Quebec
- In Quebec City: Le Directeur de l'état civil 2535 boul. Laurier Quebec QC G1V 5C5
- (418) 643-3900
- (418) 646-3255
- In Montréal (by mail or in person): Le Directeur de l'état civil Lobby, 2050 rue De Bleury Montréal QC H3A 2J5
- (514) 864-3900
- Elsewhere in Quebec:
- Toll free: 1 800 567-3900
- (418) 646-3255