Federal Authentications
Authentication is sometimes required before you can use a Canadian document abroad. Authentication speaks to the genuineness of the signature of a public official found on a document. In other countries, authentication is also known as apostille. After being authenticated, your document may need to be legalized by the authorities of the country of destination (e.g., by their embassy, high commission or consulate in or accredited to Canada). To be authenticated, your document must bear an original, recognized signature (and seal, if applicable). As some Provincially authenticated birth certificates will be missing the third signature and seal necessary for official Authentication, they will need to be sent off to Global Affairs Canada for Federal Authentication
Global Affairs Canada for Federal Authentication
Birth certificate
Birth certificates must be issued by a provincial or territorial vital statistics office. They do not need to be notarized.
Global Affairs cannot authenticate birth certificates that are:
- notarized copies (if you need a copy, it must be issued by the appropriate vital statistics office)
- issued by religious institutions
- pocket-sized
Please note that they do not authenticate proofs of birth issued by hospitals containing the name of a newborn, even if they are notarized.
If they cannot authenticate your document, they will inform you in writing.
note: If all or part of your document written in a language other than English or French, you must send a certified, notarized translation.
Global Affairs cannot authenticate the following documents:
- documents without an original signature or seal (for example, plain photocopies)
- documents with unknown seals or with signatures we are unable to verify
- religious documents (for example, baptismal certificates, religious marriage certificates, or other documents issued by a religious institution)
- documents are of foreign origin (we can only authenticate Canadian documents)
- documents issued by unrecognized educational institutions
- glued documents
- laminated documents
- documents covered with any substance that would make it difficult to place a stamp on them
They can decline authentication and refer your case to the appropriate authority if:
- the content of your document is believed to be misleading
- the document or the authentication process may be used for fraudulent, illegal or misleading purposes
- they have doubts about the veracity of the document, or the notarial act, or if we deem it to infringe upon our policies.
Fee
They do not charge a fee Global Affairs Canada Authentication service.
Processing times
15 business days
from the day the request is delivered to their office. You must add up to 5 business days for mailing time. Please note that the processing time posted above is an average estimate at a point in time. Some types of requests may be processed more quickly and others may take longer depending on their nature or complexity. Please also note that processing time may fluctuate depending on work volume and operational factors. This turnaround applies to all the requests submitted prior to the current date.
They do not offer expedited services. For that reason, please send your request with as much notice as possible and ensure to take into consideration all the timelines and deadlines that apply to your case. If you have exceptional and urgent circumstances (generally defined as an unexpected event outside of your control that makes it impossible to wait the regular processing time) and want us to consider processing your document in priority, you may contact us.
*Before contacting their office, please read authentication steps 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the Frequently asked questions
Sending your request by mail or courier
In Canada
When sending your documents by mail to Global Affairs, please make sure to enclose:
- the Authentication request form
- all certificates requiring authentication
- a self-addressed stamped envelope or a prepaid courier shipping label
IMPORTANT: Their office is unable to confirm receipt of your request or provide a status update of your request before the minimum wait time has lapsed. Therefore, if you wish to obtain confirmation of delivery, we strongly encourage you to send your application using registered mail or courier, which will allow you to track the delivery status.
Courier waybills with account numbers are not accepted. They will be returned by regular mail. They accept prepaid shipping labels only.
Follow the mailing instructions provided at the bottom of this page to properly document, for your records.
Send your documents to:
Global Affairs Canada
Authentication Services Section (JLAC)
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
Canada
In person drop off
Please note: If you drop off your request at their department’s Distribution Centre, it will be processed as per their current processing time. The Authentication Services Section does not offer in-person service. Please also note that the Distribution Centre is unable to answer questions regarding our service or provide status updates.
Location of Global Affairs Canada’s Distribution Centre:
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive, Kind Edward entrance
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
Please ensure to address your envelope to the Authentication Services Section (JLAC).
Hours of operations: Monday to Friday (except statutory holidays) 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Getting your documents returned
Once processed, your documents will be returned to you by mail or, if you included a prepaid label or prepaid envelope, by courier (courier waybills with account numbers are not accepted). If you wish to have them returned by mail, ensure include a self-addressed stamped envelope. If you wish to have your documents forwarded to a foreign embassy, high commission or consulate, they will be shipped as per the methods outlined in the next section.
Check the status of your request- If you are in Canada and have not received your documents back from our office after 25 business days (which is approximately 5 weeks), you can fill out the Authentication of Documents Status Request Form to seek an update on the status of your request. If you submitted your document from abroad, the wait time to request a status update is 30 business days (which is approximately 6 weeks).
Mailing Instructions:
Your mailing packages will include:
- 10×15 white or brown envelopes: (sending & returning) 2x per package
- Authentication cover letter completed with your information
- Registered mail stickers: up to 2x per package
- Birth Certificates/ROLBs to be federally authenticated
- Stamps for sending and return envelopes (check for what is needed for sending and returning envelopes when at post office)
Follow these instructions when sending to Global Affairs Canada, be sure to fill out the authentication request form and cover letter accordingly. Sign the cover letter with just your First & Middle name with blue pen. (You’re not the visible King/Queen yet!) Have your Witness also sign the document with a blue pen. Put the long skinny domestic Registered Mail stickers on the top right hand side of your cover letter in the train tracks.*Optionally attach the other one to the receipt from the post office you get at the post office after sending. In the top left-hand corner of the
- Sending envelope in blue ink, write:
First Middle,
Near: Your home address,
[Postal code in square brackets] - Put the correct sending address in the middle of the Sending envelope in blue ink (Global Affairs Canada).
- In the center of the Return envelope, in blue ink, write:
First Middle, Grantee
Near: Your home address,
[Postal code in square brackets]
(We want them to rubber stamp their address into the top left-hand side of the return envelope, so do not put their address there, leave blank) - Put the folded Return 10X15 or 9×12 return envelope into the sending envelope. – folding this 10X15 envelope so they do not have to fold your Authenticated documents. If you can not find one, you can use a 9X12 envelope and they will fold the bottom 2 inches of your documents backwards in order to fit them into your return envelope.
- Put one of the long Registered Mail stickers on the top right hand side of your cover-letter and attach the other one to the receipt you get at the post office when sending and put the cover letter and authentication request form into the sending envelope.
- Go to the Post Office and send Registered Mail.
- When your provincially authenticated documents come back, keep that Return envelope! This will serve as evidence later.
Put the envelope and your new provincially authenticated documents in your long 8.5X14 Estate binder when you get it, in order to keep them in good shape!!
This is a sample of the back of your federally authenticated Birth Certificate and ROLB:
Comments are closed.