The Apostille Convention

When the Apostille Convention comes into effect in Canada on January 11, 2024, authenticated documents will include a standard certificate called an apostille. The apostille eliminates steps required to get documents accepted in countries where the convention is in effect, including the legalization by a consular office of the country of destination. This will simplify the acceptance of Canadian public documents in the more than 120 countries including Czech Republic that have signed the convention. 

For more information, consult the list of countries that are signatories of the Apostille Convention.

 

Changes to authentication services in Canada

Currently, Global Affairs Canada issue authentication certificates for documents issued or notarized anywhere in Canada. As of January 11, 2024, they will be responsible for issuing apostilles for documents issued by the Government of Canada and for documents issued or notarized in specific provinces and territories.

Documents for which Global Affairs Canada will issue apostilles

You will send the following documents to Global Affairs Canada:

• Documents issued by the Government of Canada
• Documents issued or notarized in the following provinces and territories:
  • Manitoba
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • the Northwest Territories
  • Nova Scotia
  • Nunavut
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Yukon

If your document was notarized in the provinces and territories listed above, you will send it to Global Affairs Canada no matter where it was originally issued.

Documents for which the provincial competent authority will issue apostilles

As of January 11, 2024, competent authorities in the following provinces will be responsible for issuing apostilles for documents issued or notarized in their respective provinces:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Ontario
• Quebec (subject to the process underway to obtain the required government approvals)
• Saskatchewan

You will send documents issued in the provinces listed above to that province’s competent authority.

If your document was notarized in the provinces in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, or Saskatchewan, you will send it to that province's competent authority, no matter where the document was originally issued. In Quebec, the Competent Authority can authenticate a notarized document only if the original document was issued in the province.

Time limits to submit documents to Global Affairs Canada

GAC will continue to accept documents issued or notarized in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec or Saskatchewan until January 10, 2023.

If they receive these documents after January 11, 2024, they will return them to the applicants without being authenticated.

Information about current authentication requirements

Where to send notarized documents for authentication after January 11, 2024

Document issued by	Notarized in	Send to
The Government of Canada Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Prince Edward Island Yukon	Alberta	Ministry of Justice of Alberta
	British Columbia	Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia
	Ontario	Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery of Ontario
	Saskatchewan	Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of Saskatchewan
Alberta British Columbia Ontario Saskatchewan	Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Prince Edward Island Yukon	Global Affairs Canada
	Alberta	Ministry of Justice of Alberta
	British Columbia	Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia
	Ontario	Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery of Ontario
	Saskatchewan	Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of Saskatchewan
Quebec	Quebec	Ministère de la Justice du Québec (link to come) Apostille services in Quebec are subject to the process underway to obtain the required government approvals
A foreign government	Any Canadian province or territory	Canadian authorities do not authenticate foreign documents, even if they have been notarized by a Canadian notary or notary public. The country that issued the documents may authenticate them or obtain an apostille for them.

For information about provincial authentication services, see the links above. 

Using documents already authenticated in countries that are signatories of the Apostille Convention

If GAC has already authenticated your document, they  may not issue an apostille, even if you resubmit it.

Documents authenticated without an apostille may need to be legalized by the foreign representative office of the country of destination before they can be used in a country that is a signatory of the Apostille Convention. Consulate General of the Czech Republic will continue to superlegalize the documents without apostille, only authenticated.

 

More details can be found at the GAC website.