An Apostille is a certificate used to authenticate certain public documents for use in another country. Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention on January 11, 2024, making the process of using Canadian documents abroad much simpler.

If your document is being used in a country that is also a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, it may require an Apostille. In Ontario, Apostilles are issued by Official Documents Services. Depending on the type of document, it may first need to be notarized by an Ontario Notary Public. Walk-In Notary can assist you with the notarization step.

Once an Apostille has been issued, documents being used in another Hague Convention country generally do not require the additional embassy or consulate legalization that was required under the old process.

If your document is being used in a country that is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, different authentication and legalization requirements may apply. We recommend confirming the requirements with the organization receiving your document or the appropriate embassy or consulate.

Walk-In Notary provides notarization services but does not issue Apostilles or provide authentication or legalization services.