Citizenship Certificate Apostille in Canada: How It Works
Citizenship Certificate Apostille in Canada: How It Works ! Canadian citizenship certificate with attached apostille A Canadian citizenship certificate is issued by the federal government.
Citizenship Certificate Apostille in Canada: How It Works
A Canadian citizenship certificate is issued by the federal government. For use in a country that belongs to the Apostille Convention, the route runs through Global Affairs Canada, or through a province if you submit a notarized copy instead of the original. This article explains which route applies, what to submit, how long it takes and what to do if the destination country is not a member.
TL;DR
- A citizenship certificate is a federal document. Global Affairs Canada authenticates documents issued by the Government of Canada.
- Global Affairs Canada requires a paper document with an original, recognized signature. A photocopy is not enough.
- A notarized copy follows a different route. It is apostilled by the province where the notary is commissioned.
- Global Affairs Canada has no expedited service. Plan for weeks, not days, on the federal route.
- An apostille is for use abroad only. IRCC does not need one for a citizenship certificate you send to Canadian authorities.
Table of Contents
- What an apostille does for a citizenship certificate
- Which authority issues the apostille
- Original or copy: what you can submit
- Steps for the federal route
- Steps for the notarized copy route
- How long it takes
- What each route costs
- After the apostille: translation and legalization
- When you do not need an apostille
- Leaving Canada for good
- Our view
- Order a citizenship certificate apostille from us
- Common mistakes to avoid
- FAQ
- Sources
What an apostille does for a citizenship certificate
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document. It confirms that the signature, seal and capacity of the official who signed the document are genuine. It does not confirm that the contents are true.
Countries that belong to the Apostille Convention accept it in place of embassy legalization. Global Affairs Canada says the Convention covers more than 120 countries. The apostille is a separate sheet of paper attached to your document. It is not a stamp.
People ask for a citizenship certificate apostille for several reasons:
- Applying for citizenship or a residence permit in a second country.
- Registering a child's birth or nationality abroad.
- Proving nationality for a marriage abroad.
- Supporting a work or study application.
- Settling an estate or a legal matter in another country.
The receiving authority decides whether it needs the certificate itself. Ask it first. Some ask for the original with an apostille. Others accept a certified copy.
Which authority issues the apostille
The route depends on who issued or notarized the document. Global Affairs Canada states that the right office depends on where your document was issued or notarized.
A citizenship certificate is issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. That makes it a federal document. Global Affairs Canada authenticates documents issued by the Government of Canada.
The route therefore has two paths.
| Path | What you submit | Who apostilles it |
|---|---|---|
| Original certificate | The paper certificate issued by IRCC | Global Affairs Canada |
| Notarized copy | A copy certified by a notary or commissioner | The province where the notary is commissioned |
The place where you live does not decide the path. The path depends on what you hand in. Our guide on where to send Canadian documents for a Hague apostille explains the federal and provincial split in more detail.
Original or copy: what you can submit
Global Affairs Canada sets two conditions. The document must be in paper format. It must also carry an original, recognized signature and seal where one applies.
This rules out several things:
- Photocopies of the certificate.
- Scans and printouts.
- Digital files. We cover this in our article on why digital documents cannot be apostilled in Canada.
If you want to keep the original, use the second path. A notary certifies a true copy of the certificate. The notary signs and seals that copy. The province then apostilles the notary's signature.
This matters for a practical reason. The federal route takes your original out of your hands for weeks. The notarized route keeps it with you. Many people choose it for that reason.
Check with the destination authority before you choose. Some want the original certificate apostilled. Others accept a notarized copy. Our article on original, notarized or apostille documents across five provinces compares the options.
A lost or damaged certificate cannot be apostilled. Replace it through IRCC first.
Steps for the federal route
This route applies when you submit the original certificate to Global Affairs Canada.
- Confirm with the destination authority that it wants the original certificate with an apostille.
- Submit a request through the Global Affairs Canada online portal.
- Print the summary page the portal produces.
- Send or drop off the physical certificate with the summary page.
- Include a self-addressed stamped envelope or a prepaid courier label for the return.
The service itself is free. You pay only for postage or courier.
One detail causes returns. Global Affairs Canada does not accept courier waybills with account numbers for returning documents. Use a prepaid label.
Keep in mind that the original travels through the mail twice. Use a tracked service in both directions.
Steps for the notarized copy route
This route applies when you want to keep the original.
- Take the original certificate to a notary or commissioner. Bring government photo identification.
- The notary compares the copy with the original and certifies it as a true copy.
- The notarized copy goes to the provincial office that issues apostilles.
- The office attaches the apostille and returns the document.
In Ontario, notarized documents are filed with the provincial authentication office. Other provinces use their own offices. An apostille from a province covers documents notarized in that province. It does not cover a notary commissioned in another province.
Our Ontario Apostille and Notarization services handle both steps. A commissioned Ontario Notary prepares the certified copy. We file it in person at the provincial counter.
How long it takes
The federal route is slow. Global Affairs Canada reports that it is processing requests received about 25 business days ago. Mailing time is extra. The figure changes. Check the official page for the current number.
The department also states that it does not offer expedited services and that times can change with work volume. You can check the status of a request online.
The provincial route is faster. Turnaround depends on the office. In Ontario, in-person filing can bring the result back in one to three days. Same-day and next-day options exist for filings in Ontario.
This is the main reason to consider a notarized copy when you are on a deadline. A visa appointment or a court date will not wait for a federal queue.
What each route costs
The government does not charge for the federal route. Your costs are postage, courier and any notary fee.
The provincial route uses a service fee and a notary fee. Our published prices are below.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Notarization and certified true copy | 35 CAD per document |
| Second document | 50 CAD per document |
| Third to fifth documents | 45 CAD per document |
| Sixth document and beyond | 40 CAD per document |
Our quote includes the government fees. You see the total before you commit. Rush options are listed on our pricing page.
After the apostille: translation and legalization
An apostille does not always finish the job. Two more questions come up.
Translation
The destination authority may ask for a translation. Many do when the certificate is not in their language. Ask which translator it accepts. Some require a sworn translator in their own country.
The order matters. Authenticate the document first, then translate it, unless the authority says otherwise. We can refer you to a translation provider.
Legalization for non-Convention countries
If the destination country is not in the Convention, an apostille is not accepted. Global Affairs Canada notes that you may need legalization at the country's embassy, high commission or consulate after authentication. Confirm with the authority that asked for the document or with the nearest representative office of that country.
Our article on apostille versus legalization in Canada shows how to tell the two apart. We also offer consular legalization on our services page. The background on the treaty is in our guide to what the Hague Convention means for Canadian documents.
When you do not need an apostille
An apostille is for use outside Canada. The Hague Conference on Private International Law states that apostilles are strictly for the use of public documents abroad. They may never be used to recognize a document in the country that issued it.
This applies to IRCC. If you send a citizenship certificate copy to IRCC or another Canadian authority, you do not need an apostille. Follow the instructions on the form you are filing.
Leaving Canada for good
Many people who ask for a citizenship certificate apostille are moving abroad. A move also has a tax side. Before you file your last Canadian return, read about the Canada departure tax for emigrants and how residency status affects what you owe.
Our view
We handle citizenship certificate requests in two ways. The first question we ask is what the destination authority has told you it needs.
Most clients do not want to part with an original certificate for weeks. A certified true copy solves that. A commissioned Ontario Notary prepares it. We file it ourselves at the counter in Ontario. We do not pass it to an intermediary.
Our quote includes government fees. You see the total price first. If a filing error occurs, we correct it at no extra cost.
Some destination authorities insist on the federal apostille on the original. We tell you so before you pay. We then explain the federal steps in plain terms.
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Order a citizenship certificate apostille from us
We are based in Toronto. We prepare certified copies, file them in Ontario and return the apostilled document by courier. Typical turnaround is two to three days. Same-day and next-day options are available.
See the options on our pricing page. For urgent files, read about our same-day Ontario apostille. You can also start from our home page.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting a photocopy to the federal office. It must be the paper original.
- Using a courier account number for the return. The office rejects it.
- Using a notary from another province. The province that apostilles must match the notary's commission.
- Translating before checking. Ask the receiving authority which order it expects.
- Assuming every country accepts an apostille. Check Convention membership first.
- Leaving too little time. The federal queue is measured in weeks.
Our general guide, how to apostille a Canadian document, lists the same checks for other document types.
FAQ
Can a Canadian citizenship certificate be apostilled?
Yes. The original paper certificate can go to Global Affairs Canada. A notarized copy can go to the province where the notary is commissioned. The destination authority decides which one it accepts.
Does the federal government charge for the apostille?
No. The Global Affairs Canada service is free. You pay for postage or courier and for any notary service you use.
Can I rush a citizenship certificate apostille?
Global Affairs Canada does not offer expedited service. A notarized copy filed in Ontario can be returned faster. Same-day and next-day options exist for that route.
Do I need an apostille to send the certificate to IRCC?
No. An apostille is only for use abroad. Follow the document instructions on the IRCC form you are filing.
What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?
You will likely need legalization at that country's embassy or consulate after authentication. Ask the requesting authority to confirm the steps.
Sources
- Authentication of documents: Requirements, Global Affairs Canada
- Authentication of documents, Global Affairs Canada
- Five Tips for Authenticating Canadian Documents to Use Abroad, Global Affairs Canada
- The ABCs of Apostilles, Hague Conference on Private International Law