Authentication / Certificate of Identity / Apostille / Legalization

Any of the above terms can be used to describe the process of validating documents for use in a foreign jurisdiction. The Notary will prepare a Certificate of Identity, also known as a Form 10, (view sample), attach any required documents, such as an affidavit, criminal record check, or identification documents, and send the package to the Society of Notaries. The Society of Notaries will authenticate the Notary’s signature. Subsequently documents are forwarded to the Consulate of the relevant foreign country for certification. In some cases the documents may also need to go to the Dept. of Foreign Affairs Ottawa or the office of the Deputy Attorney General.

Fees vary depending on the process required and each client’s situation is different. Each level of certification has a fee, and there is no standard fee charged by Consulates. Our office will require a retainer in advance to cover fees charged by the Society of Notaries, the appropriate Consulate, and the costs of shipping documents via courier. This process can be time consuming. In some cases we have waited up to 8 weeks for return of finalized documents. Please allow a minimum of 4 weeks to complete the legalization process.