Apostille, Authentication and Legalisation

What is an Apostille?

 

An Apostille is a legal document issued by Secretary of State in the United States. It is needed for anybody to wish to travel and stay in a country that has participated in the Hague Convention 1961. There are sites on the internet that will give you a clear idea about the list of countries and their travelling and legal requirement. An Apostille certifies the documents that are to be used in the foreign country and authenticates the user.

What does an Apostille contain?

An Apostille will contain the following information:

  • The name of the country issuing the apostille
  • Name of the person who signed the apostille
  • The authority of the person who has signed it
  • The stamp or the seal of the issuing authority
  • The place of issue of the apostille
  • The date of issue of the apostille
  • The name of the issuing authority
  • The registration number of the issuing authority
  • The stamp of the issuing authority
  • The signature of the representative of the authority

What is Authentication and Legalization?

 

The countries which are not enlisted in The Hague Convention need the travellers entering the country to get their documents Authenticated and Legalized. Those who are living in Canada, and are planning to travel abroad need to get their documents authenticated and legalized. For this you need the service of a notary. A registered notary can provide you authentication and legalization services in Canada. Some of the documents that you need to provide for authentication and legalization of documents in Canada are: birth, marriage certificates, court judgments, corporate records and similar documents that contain your vital information.

The Steps Followed For Authentication And Legalization Of Documents In Canada are:

 

 It involves notarization of documents by a notary public. You need to sign the documents in his presence and get them affixed with their seal and signature. The seal certifies that the documents have been signed at the presence of a notary public and is legal.

Authentication: After getting the notary’s seal, you need to get it certified by the Department of Foreign and International Affairs (DFAIT) in Ottawa. They will verify the notarization and validate it.

Legalization: A document has to be legalized by the embassy or the consulate of the country you are planning to travel to. The consulate officer inspects the document and makes sure that all the necessary information has been provided. He will also check that it has been authenticated by the DFAIT. If your document is in compliance with all legal requirements, you will be issued a certificate of legalization from the embassy.

If you want to avoid all the rigorous process, Notariers is here to assist you with the appostile or authentication and legalization. This will be hassle free and cost effective for you. Contact Notarizers today by visiting us at Notarizers.ca for more useful information.

Victor Nnamdi Opara