Get your Canadian birth certificate apostille for use abroad. Fast and reliable processing. No embassy legalization required.

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An apostille confirms the legitimacy of a document for use in another country that is a signatory to the Hague Convention.

For birth certificates issued in Canada, an apostille confirms that the document is authentic and can be officially recognized in other countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention. This is commonly required for immigration, citizenship applications, marriage registration, and other legal processes abroad.

Prior to 2024, Canadian birth certificates had to undergo a two-step document legalization process: authentication and consular legalization, which was time-consuming and costly.

As of January 11, 2024, Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention, allowing for a simplified one-step process. With an apostille, your birth certificate can be recognized in other countries that are members of the Convention without the need for consular legalization.

If your destination country is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention (such as the United Arab Emirates, Cuba, or Jordan), the birth certificate must go through the traditional authentication and consular legalization process instead of an apostille.

The official website lists the 129 countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention and accept apostilles.

Preparing your Canadian birth certificate for international use typically requires an apostille, provided the destination country is a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention.

The procedure for obtaining an apostille is similar to the previous authentication process but is now completed in a single step. Apostilles are issued and processed by Global Affairs Canada or by designated provincial authorities, depending on where the document was issued or notarized.

All documents issued by the Canadian government or certified by a Canadian notary for use outside of Canada.

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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 application forms to complete in order to obtain an apostille. Certain jurisdictions have severe guidelines regarding notarized document certifications.

The fastest 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've found a way to apostille any notarized document in Ontario, regardless of province or territory. A document must be signed by an Ontario notary public before it is apostilled. You can sign your document with my Ontario notary online or via video call and get your apostille within a week!

Birth certificates issued in other provinces or territories do not have the same apostille processing times as those issued in Ontario. However, in some cases, including for documents issued in other provinces, I can obtain an apostille in Ontario using a notarized certified copy, saving you time.

My rate for obtaining an apostille is $150, no matter how many documents are in the order.

I regularly charge between $49 and $89 per page for translations, depending on the language pair.

There are three possibilities for the final translation.
1. Only a translation of the text.
2. Translation + Notarization (additional fees apply).
3. Translation + Notarization + Apostille for Notarization (an additional fee will apply).

Additional expenses will apply, such as the cost of delivering documents via courier (within Canada or outside Canada), notary services (optional), and the apostille at the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A 13% HST tax will be added on top.

I offer apostille services throughout Canada, including all major cities and provinces. No matter where you reside, whether you are in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal or elsewhere, I can help you get an apostille on your Canadian birth certificate. My service ensures your birth certificate is properly prepared and meets all international document requirements for use abroad.

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A detailed process for obtaining a turnkey apostille, including pricing and time durations, is presented below as an example.

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Costs:
— My fee for the apostille service is $150, regardless of the number of documents.
— 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 method for obtaining a "turnkey" apostille, including prices and timelines, is explained below.

Costs:
— My fee for the apostille service is $150, regardless of the number of documents.
— 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.

Apostilles in Canada may appear differently depending on the issuing province or authority, but they always serve the same purpose: verifying the legitimacy of a document for international use. The following are examples of apostille certificates issued by Global Affairs Canada and other provincial authorities in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. These samples illustrate how each region formatted and presented its apostilled official 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.