GET EXACT PRICE QUOTE NOW

Iranian Embassy in Ottawa (Consulate of Iran in Canada): Complete Guide

‹ Back to the list of Embassies

The Iranian embassy in Ottawa has been closed since 2012. Learn where Iranian citizens in Canada can get consular help and how to legalize documents.

Waving national flag of Iran

For decades, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Ottawa operated from Metcalfe Street in the Centretown neighbourhood, serving a large Iranian community across Canada. That changed on September 7, 2012, when the Canadian government suspended diplomatic relations with Iran, closed the Canadian embassy in Tehran, and expelled Iranian diplomats from Ottawa. Since then, there has been no Iranian embassy or consulate in Canada.

The relationship between Iran and Canada remains frozen. Italy has served as Canada's protecting power in Iran since 2012, and Global Affairs Canada currently advises Canadians to avoid all travel to Iran, warning that holding a Canadian passport can be reason enough for detention and that its ability to provide consular services there is extremely limited.

Meanwhile, life goes on for one of the biggest Iranian communities outside Iran. Most Iranian-Canadians live in the Greater Toronto Area, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary, and they still need to renew passports, sign powers of attorney, register births and deaths, and send papers home. So how do you handle all that with no embassy in Ottawa? Below, I walk through where to go now and how to get Canadian documents ready for Iran.

Need a certified Persian (Farsi) translation, a notary, or authentication for papers headed to Iran? I can walk you through it from start to finish. Contact me, and I'll tell you how long it will take and what it will cost.

Contact Details

With the Ottawa embassy shut, Iranians in Canada have to work with Iranian missions in other countries. In practice, that usually means the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington, D.C. It runs out of the Embassy of Pakistan and takes applications from both the U.S. and Canada. Most requests begin online in Mikhak, Iran's consular portal, and a separate Canada desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran also deals with files from Iranians living here.

When the embassy closed, it announced that it had no choice but to stop providing consular services to its citizens. The building on Metcalfe Street has not reopened since, so any website or social media account claiming to be an active Iran embassy in Canada should be treated with caution. Always confirm procedures on official Iranian government resources before you send original documents or payments.

Iranian Embassy in Ottawa, Canada (Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran)

The Iranian Embassy in Ottawa is permanently closed. On September 7, 2012, Canada suspended diplomatic relations with Iran and declared all Iranian diplomats in Canada personae non gratae, ordering them to leave the country within five days.

Consular services for Iranian citizens in Canada are provided by the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington, D.C., operating within the Embassy of Pakistan.

Canada's interests in Iran are represented by the Government of Italy.

Consular Services List

Consular work for Iranian citizens in Canada is split between the Mikhak online system, the Interests Section in Washington, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran. Requirements often include original documents sent by mail, so check every step carefully before submitting a file.

For Iranian Citizens

For Canadian Citizens and Foreign Nationals

For Businesses and Organizations

Canadian Document Legalization Process

There are two types of legalization:

Iran is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough for Canadian documents to be accepted there. To use documents issued in Canada in Iran, they must go through a full legalization process. Because there is no Iranian embassy in Canada, the process involves a mission outside the country.

Step 1: Authentication

Documents must first be authenticated by the appropriate Canadian competent authority — either Global Affairs Canada or a designated provincial authority.

Global Affairs Canada handles federal documents and documents from provinces and territories without their own office, while Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan have their own authentication services. Since Iran is not a member of the Apostille Convention, these authorities issue a certificate of authentication rather than an apostille.

One thing people often miss: private documents, copies, affidavits, and powers of attorney need a notary's stamp first. And a provincial office will usually only authenticate papers that were issued or notarized in that same province.

Step 2: Legalization

With the Canadian certificate in hand, your documents go to the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington, D.C., which covers people living in Canada. Most people courier them along with the forms, the fee, and a prepaid return envelope. And it may not end there: some offices in Iran will also want a stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.

You'll almost always need a certified Persian translation too. With two countries and several offices involved, one small mistake can mean weeks of waiting or a package sent back. I can get your documents ready, take care of the notary, authentication, and translation, and tell you how submissions work right now. Get in touch with me and tell me what you're working on.

Frequently Asked Questions

I update this page regularly, but official Iranian sites often lag behind, and rules can change overnight. Before you mail anything, double-check the fees and requirements with the Interests Section or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Why did Canada close the embassy in Tehran and expel Iranian diplomats?

In September 2012, Canada's then Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced the suspension of diplomatic relations, citing Iran's support for the Assad regime in Syria, its failure to comply with UN resolutions on its nuclear program, its threats against Israel, and its disregard for the Vienna Convention protecting diplomats.

Tehran hasn't stayed quiet. Foreign ministry spokespeople, most recently Esmaeil Baqaei, have repeatedly criticized Canada's stance. Still, no one has announced a plan to restore ties or reopen the embassies.

Was the famous Iranian Embassy siege in Ottawa?

No. The Iranian Embassy siege took place at 16 Princes Gate in South Kensington, London, from 30 April to 5 May 1980. Six armed members of the Democratic Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Arabistan, a group from the southern Iranian province of Khuzestan, seized the building shortly after the Iranian revolution that ended Pahlavi rule. They took 26 people hostage, including embassy staff, visitors, and police officer PC Trevor Lock, and demanded the release of 91 Arabs held in Iranian prisons and safe passage out of the UK.

Metropolitan Police negotiators, led by Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Dellow, used listening devices and talked to the hostage-takers for days, with an Arab ambassador offered as mediator. When the gunmen killed press attaché Abbas Lavasani and threw his body out, the British government ordered the Special Air Service (SAS) to storm the Iranian embassy. In Operation Nimrod, planned by Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Rose under Brigadier Peter de la Billière, soldiers abseiled down the rear of the building, used stun grenades, and smashed their way in. Five of the six terrorists were killed; one hostage died, and the remaining gunman, Fowzi Nejad, was imprisoned. The rescue operation became a landmark in counter-terrorism history.

Can I visit Iran with a Canadian passport?

Legally, Canadians can apply for an Iranian visa through the Interests Section in Washington. However, the Government of Canada advises against all travel to Iran and warns about the high risk of arbitrary detention of foreign and dual nationals.

Iran does not recognize dual nationality, so Iranian-born Canadians are treated as Iranian citizens and must enter on an Iranian passport. Canada has no office in Iran; routine help is provided by the Embassy of Canada in Ankara, Türkiye.

Who helps Canadians in Iran in an emergency?

Italy agreed to act as Canada's protecting power in Iran in 2012 and supports urgent consular cases. For emergencies, Canadians should contact Global Affairs Canada's 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

Canadians who plan to stay in the region should also register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to receive updates.

Can Iranian men renew passports without completing military service?

Military service status is a key requirement for Iranian men applying for or renewing a passport. Depending on age and circumstances, additional forms or an exemption may be required.

Women and minors may also need additional permissions. Check the latest requirements in the Mikhak system before you apply.

Get Your Documents Ready for Iran with Expert Support

Without an Iranian embassy in Canada, preparing documents for Iran means dealing with Canadian authorities, a mission in another country, and strict translation requirements. One missing stamp or incorrect form can add weeks to the process.

I work with clients all over Canada on certified Persian translations, notarization, and authentication, and I'll explain every step of the legalization route in plain terms. Contact me today, and you'll get straight answers and an exact quote for your documents.