Need an Alberta document apostilled? I help prepare, submit, and verify public documents for international use via the Hague Apostille Convention.

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An apostille certifies the authenticity of a document for international use.

A document issued in one country must be authorized before being used in another. There are two types of legalization for international use: full legalization (a two-step process) and streamlined legalization (a one-step process involving an apostille). The Hague Apostille Convention marks a significant development in this system by allowing member countries to recognize each other’s public documents without the need for further consular legalization.

On January 11, 2024, the Canadian government established a simpler document legalization process called an apostille. This development occurred when the government of Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention, which established a key procedure of document authentication and legalization that allows countries to more effectively recognize each other's public documents. An authentication certificate known as an "apostille" now confirms the origin of Canadian public documents for use outside of Canada.

Previously, using Canadian public documents in another country required a two-step legalization process (first authentication at the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by legalization at the consulate), which took a significant amount of time and money. Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention on January 11, 2024, introducing a one-step process and providing an apostille certificate.

After obtaining an apostille, your document is acceptable and fully prepared for use in any other country that has signed the Convention, same as Canada. That means you no longer have to go to the consulate. This certainly reduces the length and cost of legalization.

If the destination country for which your document is intended is not a Hague Convention signatory (such as the UAE, Cuba, Jordan, and others), you must still continue with the consular legalization procedure after obtaining an apostille.

The official website lists all 127 nations that have signed the Apostille Convention, which means they accept apostilles.

To use a Canadian document in many other countries, only an apostille is now required.

The procedure for obtaining the apostille is nearly identical to the prior authentication process. Apostilles are issued by Global Affairs Canada for many documents, but some must be apostilled at a provincial Foreign Affairs office. It all relies on the province or territory where your document was issued or notarized.

Documents issued in Alberta, Canada, or certified by an Alberta Notary Public, are designed for use in another country.

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1) Certificates issued by civil registry offices, for example, certificates of birth, death, marriage, change of first name or last name, etc.
2) All notarial documents, including powers of attorney, statements, etc., which are drawn up or notarized by a notary
3) Diplomas, supplements/addenda/transcripts to diplomas, certificates and other documents related to education
4) Bank statements, court documents, divorce decrees
5) Cremation or burial certificates
6) Corporation registration certificates, bank statements, letters of guarantee from directors of a company, extracts from registers of corporations, certificates for products for export from Canada to other countries

All of these types of documents go through different authentication procedures.

The apostille procedure also includes all cases when a child born in Canada needs to obtain citizenship of another country (Cuba, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, etc.), because in order to obtain citizenship of another country, you'll need to provide a Canadian birth certificate, and it, in turn, will have to be apostilled or legalized (if the country is not a party to the Hague Convention).

The most common documents subject to this procedure are:

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Global Affairs apostilles documents only from the following provinces and territories:

• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Prince Edward Island
• Yukon

Documents from the provinces listed below can only be submitted for apostille in the same province:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Ontario
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan

Each provincial office has its own formatting and document translation criteria, as well as request forms to complete in order to obtain an apostille. Certain jurisdictions have strict guidelines regarding notarized document certifications.

The shortest way to obtain an apostille is in Ontario, where you can go to the ODS office and have everything done in one day. The document must be issued or signed by a notary in the province of Ontario.

Fortunately, I discovered a way to apostille any notarized documents in Ontario, regardless of the province or territory. A document must be signed by an Ontario notary public before it can be apostilled. You can sign your documents with my Ontario notary online or via video call and get your documents apostilled within a week!

Documents issued in other provinces and territories(birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, and references) do not have the same apostille processing time as Ontario-issued documents. However, in some cases, including for documents issued in other provinces and territories, I can obtain an apostille in Ontario using a notarized certified copy, saving you time.

I charge $150 for each apostille service, regardless of the number of documents in the order.

Translation fees range from $49 to $89 per page, depending on the language pair.

There are three choices for the final translation.

1. A direct translation from the original language.
2. Translation and notarization (extra expenses apply).
3. Translation + Notarization + Apostille (at an additional cost).

Additional expenses will apply, such as document shipment (within or outside of Canada), notary services (optional), and an apostille from the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A 13% HST tax will be added on top.

I provide document authentication, legalization, and apostille services for a wide range of documents—including government-issued, corporate, and academic records—so you can confidently use Canadian documents abroad. Whether you’re in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, or anywhere in Canada, I can help you submit your documents for authentication and ensure they meet the necessary international standards.

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Here's an example of an entire procedure for obtaining a turnkey apostille, including fees and processing times.

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Costs:
— For turnkey apostille services, I charge $150.
— For translations, I charge $49-89 per page.
— Notarization of the translation costs $75 per document (Optional).
— The cost of an apostille for a vital statistics document at ODS is $32 per apostille plus a bank fee of $10.
— The cost of one shipment with Xpresspost courier is $25, and it is 1 shipment to you. 1 * $25 = $25.
A 13% tax is added to the final amount.

Timelines:
— Translating a document takes 1-3 days.
— Notarization of the translation takes 1 day (Optional).
— Apostille at ODS is done in 1 business day.
— Delivery of documents by Xpresspost courier usually takes 1-3 days for each shipment.

As a second example, the steps for obtaining a "turnkey" apostille, including the associated fees and processing times, are outlined below.

Costs:
— For turnkey apostille services, I charge $150.
— For translations, I charge $49-89 per page.
— Notarization of the translation costs $75 per document (Optional).
— Apostille at Global Affairs is provided for free.
— The cost of one shipment via Xpresspost courier is $25; to Global Affairs and back, and then from me to you — that is 3 shipments. 3 * $25 = $75.
A 13% tax is added to the final amount.

Timelines:
— Translation of the document takes 1-3 days.
— Notarization of the translation takes 1 day (optional).
— Apostille at Global Affairs is usually placed within 20 business days.
— Delivery of documents by Xpresspost courier usually takes 1-3 days per shipment.


There is an alternative option for apostilling documents – through ODS (a provincial ministry in Toronto).

To apostille a document at ODS, a notarized copy of the document (True Copy) must be made by a notary from Ontario; then, the apostille is placed on this copy, not on the original. Some consulates and countries allow apostilling of notarized copies instead of originals, but not all.

Please check with the consulate of your country if this option suits you, and if yes, then the apostille process will take just one week.

Apostille certificates in Canada are very different depending on the province or authority that issues them. However, they all serve the same purpose: to prove that a document is authentic for use in other countries. Global Affairs Canada and a number of provincial agencies in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, and Saskatchewan issued the apostille certificates shown below. The samples illustrate the methods employed by each region in the preparation and presentation of its official apostille certificate.

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Here is an example of an apostille issued by Global Affairs:

Here are some examples of apostilles issued by the Province of Ontario:

And this is what an apostille issued by the province of Alberta looks like:

This is what an apostille looks like issued by an office in Victoria in British Columbia:

This is what an apostille issued in Quebec looks like:

Example of an apostille from Saskatchewan:

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Short Form without parental names
(document is blue, approximately A5 size)

Short Form with parents' names
(document is blue, approximately A5 size)

Long Form
(document is white, Legal size — approximately 1.5 A4 sheets in height)

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-2-

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— this certificate will NOT be suitable for use anywhere, as it lacks information about the parents

— usually suitable for consulates and for other purposes

— usually suitable for consulates

Note that Canadian birth certificates come in three forms:

For applying for citizenship at a consulate, usually only the Long Form of the birth certificate or the Short Form with parents’ names is suitable.

Typically, Canadian birth certificates are apostilled in order to apply for citizenship at your country’s consulate.

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* DISCLAIMER
I guarantee that all my work will be completed accurately and to the fullest extent possible, based solely on the official information available from government institutions and official websites. However, I do not and cannot guarantee the actions, timelines, or performance of third-party entities such as government offices (including those processing apostilles, authentication, and legalization, such as Global Affairs, Ontario Document Services, etc.), Canada Post, courier services, Chambre des notaires du Québec (CNQ), Barreau du Québec, embassies and consulates, notaries, and lawyers. I cannot be held responsible for delays, errors, or failures on their part.
The information and services described on this page do not constitute legal advice, legal services, or legal representation as defined under the Law Society Act of Ontario. I am not a licensed lawyer, paralegal, or notary, do not represent myself as such, and am not licensed by the Law Society of Ontario.
The information provided is compiled from official sources and presented strictly “as is.” The services offered here are limited to assisting clients with translation services, document collection, form preparation, and shipping coordination.
Clients are encouraged to consult a licensed legal professional (lawyer, paralegal, or notary) in their country, province or territory for any legal advice or representation.
By using the services described on this page, clients confirm their understanding and acceptance of these terms and agree to release the service provider (including any representatives, agents, heirs, or successors) from any legal liability related to the use of these services or the information presented herein.