Federal Documents Apostille in Canada: Where to Send Them and What to Expect
Federal Documents Apostille in Canada: Where to Send Them and What to Expect ! Federal document being sealed for mailing Federal documents in Canada are apostilled by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Ottawa.
Federal Documents Apostille in Canada: Where to Send Them and What to Expect
Federal documents in Canada are apostilled by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Ottawa. Provincial offices do not handle them. Since January 11, 2024, GAC issues an apostille for documents going to Hague Convention countries. The service is free, it is processed in order of receipt, and it takes weeks, not days. This article explains which documents count as federal, how the request works, and how to avoid a returned file.
TL;DR
- GAC is the competent authority for federal documents. Provincial and territorial documents go to the province or territory that issued them, where that province issues apostilles.
- GAC does not charge a fee for authentication and does not offer expedited service. Its published processing time was 25 business days at the last check, plus 5 to 10 business days of mailing.
- Documents must be on paper with an original, recognized signature. Photocopies and laminated documents are generally not eligible.
- The destination country decides whether an apostille is needed. Confirm with its embassy or consulate in Canada first.
- Speedy Apostille Services reviews the file, arranges notarization where a signature is missing, and routes the document to the right authority.
Table of Contents
- What counts as a federal document
- What changed on January 11, 2024
- Requirements for a federal document
- How to submit a request to GAC
- Cost and processing time
- Do you need an apostille at all?
- Common reasons a federal request fails
- Our view on federal apostilles
- How Speedy Apostille Services can help
- Planning examples
- FAQ
- Sources
What counts as a federal document
A federal document is issued by the Government of Canada or signed by a federal official. The authority that issued the document decides where it is sent. It does not depend on where you live.
Common examples are RCMP background checks, documents from federal departments and agencies, and certified copies of some federal records. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, transcripts and most court documents are different. Provinces and territories issue them, so they are usually handled by the province or territory.
Canada's apostille system has a split structure. GAC processes federal documents, while Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan issue apostilles for documents from their own jurisdictions. Sending a document to the wrong office causes delay, because the request must be redirected or returned.
A simple check works for most files:
- Find the name of the office or official who signed the document.
- If it is a federal department, agency or official, the file goes to GAC.
- If it is a provincial office, court, school or notary, check whether that province issues apostilles.
- If the province does not issue apostilles, the document goes to GAC.
The last step matters for people in provinces that do not issue their own apostilles. GAC's own page states that some provinces are responsible for issuing apostilles for documents issued in their jurisdiction. The rest rely on the federal office.
What changed on January 11, 2024
Before 2024, a Canadian document usually needed a chain of steps. It was authenticated in Canada and then legalized by the embassy or consulate of the destination country. That chain still applies to countries outside the Convention.
The Apostille Convention entered into force for Canada on January 11, 2024. For member countries, one certificate now replaces the legalization step. More than 120 countries are members.
Two points are often misunderstood.
First, the apostille only confirms the signature, seal or stamp on the document. It does not confirm that the content is true.
Second, it only works between member countries. If the destination is not a member, the file needs consular legalization. We handle that step as well. See our page on consular legalization.
Requirements for a federal document
GAC lists three basic conditions. The document must have an original, recognized signature, be in paper format, and be sent to the correct competent authority.
Original paper documents
Photocopies are generally not eligible. Neither are glued or laminated documents. A digital copy cannot be apostilled. Our article on digital documents and apostilles in Canada covers that rule in detail.
A signature the authority recognizes
GAC checks signatures against its records. If the document has no acceptable signature, a Canadian notary public must first notarize it. The notary's signature must also be one that the authority recognizes. This is the step that sends many applicants back to the start.
A document with no signature at all, such as a printed letter or a plain copy, needs a notary before anything else. Notarization and certified true copies cost 35 CAD per document with us. A commissioned Ontario Notary handles them. Documents are not passed to intermediaries.
Correct routing
A federal document goes to GAC. A provincial one goes to the province. A package that mixes both needs to be split. Each authority processes only its own documents.
How to submit a request to GAC
GAC now uses an online triage portal. The portal verifies that the document meets GAC requirements and is eligible for authentication, and it lets you track the request. The physical documents are still sent by mail.
The usual sequence is:
- Confirm that the destination country requires an apostille.
- Confirm that the document is federal, or that its province does not issue apostilles.
- Check the signature. Arrange notarization if the document lacks a recognized one.
- Complete the online triage and submit the request.
- Mail the original document to GAC in Ottawa with the confirmation GAC asks for.
- Wait for processing and for return mail.
There is no standard walk-in service at federal offices. Applications go through the online portal and then by mail. A person who is outside Canada should contact the nearest Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate to ask what authentication services exist there.
Cost and processing time
GAC does not charge for authentication. GAC states that it does not currently charge a fee for document authentication. Provincial authorities set their own fees. For a comparison by authority, read our article on apostille costs in Canada by issuing authority.
Time is the real cost. The table below sets out the figures GAC publishes.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| GAC fee | None |
| Processing time (at last check) | 25 business days |
| Mail to Ottawa | Normally 5 to 10 business days from Canada |
| Return mail | Add to the timeline |
| Expedited service | Not offered |
Source for the processing time and the mailing allowance: GAC authentication page. The figure can change, so check that page before you plan.
GAC will consider priority processing only in documented circumstances that are exceptional, urgent and outside the applicant's control. A deadline you could have planned for does not qualify.
What a private service can and cannot do
A private service cannot make GAC work faster. Third-party services do not accelerate GAC processing, because requests are handled in the order received. We say this plainly.
What a service can do is remove the causes of delay. These are the wrong office, a missing notarization, an ineligible copy and a lost envelope. A returned request can add weeks to a federal file.
Do you need an apostille at all?
Canadian law does not decide this. The destination country does. GAC states that it cannot advise whether a specific country requires an apostille. Contact the embassy or consulate of that country in Canada.
Ask three questions:
- Does the country require an apostille for this type of document?
- Does it accept an alternative, such as a certified copy?
- Does it require a translation, and does the translation also need to be certified?
The answers differ by country and by purpose. A work visa, a marriage registration and a business filing can each have separate rules. Some countries also add their own attestation steps after the apostille. One example is the UAE, where marriage documents go through several stamps. A guide to UAE marriage certificate attestation shows how a destination country can add steps beyond the Canadian apostille.
Some applicants find that an alternative exists. In some cases, a document can be recognized abroad without GAC's involvement. Read the details on the GAC page about alternatives to authentication.
Common reasons a federal request fails
- The document is a photocopy or is laminated.
- The signature is not on file or not recognized.
- A provincial document is sent to GAC, or the reverse.
- The request skips the online triage step.
- The destination country needed legalization and not an apostille.
- Mail time was not counted in the schedule.
Most of these are avoidable with a short review before mailing. Our article on five questions that prevent a returned apostille lists the checks to run.
Our view on federal apostilles
We are based in Toronto and we file Ontario documents in person at the Official Documents Services counter. That is how we offer same-day and next-day turnaround for Ontario documents. Ontario's ODS is the authority that issues authentications and apostilles for Ontario public documents.
Federal documents are different. We cannot file them at a counter, because GAC has no walk-in service. We will not say we can shorten GAC's processing time. We cannot.
What we do is prepare the file so it is accepted the first time. We review the document, check the signature, route it to the correct authority and arrange notarization when it is needed. A commissioned Ontario Notary handles the notarization. We include government fees in the quote, so the total is known before work begins. If we make a filing error, we correct it at no extra cost.
Many files contain both federal and provincial documents. A newcomer applying for a visa may have an RCMP background check, a provincial birth certificate and a diploma. Each goes to a different place, and one error holds up the whole set. We split these files and send each document to its authority. For the provincial documents in Ontario, the counter route applies. For the federal ones, the file goes through GAC and the timeline is GAC's.
Our advice is to start the federal part first. It has the longest wait. Handle the quick provincial items while it is in the mail.
— Ken
How Speedy Apostille Services can help
We handle apostille and authentication for Canadian documents, including document review, required notarization and secure handling. Prices on our site include government fees. Notarization and certified true copies cost 35 CAD per document. Additional documents cost 50 CAD for the second document, 45 CAD each for documents 3 to 5, and 40 CAD each from the sixth document on.
See the services page for Ontario apostille, notarization and consular legalization. See the pricing page for Next-Day Priority and Same-Day Rush. Both of those apply to Ontario documents filed at the counter. For a general guide to the process, read how to apostille a Canadian document.
Planning examples
Immigrant needing a background check for a visa
The RCMP background check is a federal document. The visa office abroad may require an apostille. Confirm that with the consulate, check the signature, and send the request through the GAC portal. Plan for 25 business days plus mailing time, and expect that the figure may change.
Family relocating with a marriage certificate
A marriage certificate is a provincial document. It goes to the issuing province if that province issues apostilles. In Ontario, it goes to ODS, where a same-day or next-day filing is possible through us. The family should not send it to GAC.
Student with a diploma and a federal check
The diploma goes to the province or the school's authority route. The federal check goes to GAC. Starting both on the same day keeps the total wait close to the longest single step. Our guide on original, notarized or apostille documents by province explains which route applies.
Professional verifying credentials for work abroad
Credentials often combine a notarized copy with an official record. See the article on apostilles for work abroad for the common combinations.
FAQ
How do I get a federal document apostilled in Canada?
Complete the online triage on the GAC portal. The portal confirms that the document is eligible. Then mail the original paper document to GAC in Ottawa. The service is free of charge, but processing takes weeks.
Can I walk in to get a federal apostille?
No. GAC has no standard walk-in service for authentication. Requests are made online and the documents are sent by mail. Provincial offices have their own rules, and Ontario documents can be filed in person at the ODS counter.
Can a third party speed up the GAC process?
No. GAC processes requests in the order they are received, whoever sends them. A service can help you avoid rejection and lost mail time. It cannot move a file ahead of others.
Which countries require an apostille?
The destination country decides, and the answer depends on the document and its purpose. GAC does not advise on this. Contact the country's embassy or consulate in Canada before you start.
Sources
- Authentication of documents, Global Affairs Canada
- Authentication of documents: Requirements
- Authentication of documents: Notices and updates
- Authentication of documents: Frequently asked questions
- Authentication of documents: Alternatives
- Authenticate a document for use outside Canada, Ontario.ca
- HCCH: Apostille Convention enters into force for Canada