Hague Apostille Convention
January 11, 2024
Changes to authentication services in Canada.
On January 11, 2024, following the entry into force of the Hague Apostille Convention in Canada, documents authenticated through Official Documents Services (ODS) and destined for Hague signatory countries will now include a standard certificate called an apostille. Documents destined for Non-Hague Signatory Countries will continue to receive certificates of authentication.
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 and will make it much simpler for Canadian Public Documents to be accepted in the more than 120 countries that have signed the convention.
Notarized documents issued by an Ontario Notary Public continue to be eligible for authentication, and, in many cases are the fastest route for authentication certificates or apostilles issuance, as Official Documents Services (ODS), which is part of the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery of Ontario, provides same day walk in service in Toronto but does not have an in-house Notary Public to notarize your documents.
The fastest route to the issuance of a certificate of authentication or an apostille issuance, is to take your notarized documents, and proceed to the Toronto office (full address listed below). You will be issued either the Apostille or the Certificate of Authentication for each document within a very short waiting time on the same day.
If you do not want to go to Toronto, and are not in a hurry, you may determine eligibility of your documents through the ODS Document Authentication Portal. Once the document eligibility has been confirmed, you will be able to submit an authentication request, which may take up to 15 days.
You can mail your documents or bring them to the Toronto Office, but you need to be aware that ODS does not have an in-house Notary Public, and you may have delays in finding an available Notary Public near the Toronto Office.
Hague Apostille Convention Countries
More than 120 countries signed the convention.
If you are unsure if your destination country signed the Apostille Convention, please consult the list of countries that are signatories of the Apostille Convention.
Documents eligible for authentication through ODS
New categories of Ontario-issued documents are now eligible for authentication without notarization.
You may check to see if your document is eligible for authentication by using the document authentication portal at Official Documents Services.
Documents in Languages other than English and French
Documents in languages other than English and French must be:
Issued within Canada, Notarized by an Ontario notary public and, accompanied by a translation issued by a Certified Canadian Translator or an attestation by an Ontario Notary Public who speaks English or French and the language in which the document was written.
Authentication of your documents
ODS will provide an Apostille for each document provided where:
- All parts of the signature and seal of the notary public are clearly displayed on the same page of the document.
- The name and seal are identical to those on file at Official Documents Services; and
- A hard copy of the document is provided.
Soft copy (electronic) documents will not be authenticated.
What Documents cannot be authenticated?
Some documents cannot be authenticated even if they are notarized.
Examples of documents that cannot be authenticated include:
- Documents commissioned by a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits;
- Documents issued outside of Canada, unless signatures are sworn/witnessed before an Ontario notary public;
- Religious documents (baptismal certificate, etc.);
- Legalized documents (previously authenticated document already legalized by a consulate or embassy); and
- Pseudo legal documents (legal-sounding documents stating false rules that claim to be law).
How to Speed up the Authentication Process?
To speed up the Authentication Process, ask your local Notary Public to Notarize all of your documents and then take your notarized documents to the following address:
Official Documents Services
222 Jarvis St, Main Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 0B6
Official Documents Services will process your request on the spot provided you have all of the required Notarization on each page of the document including the Notary Public signature and seal.
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