If a document is in a foreign language, we can only witness your signature on it. Our stamps indicating we witnessed your signature will be in English, so please check with the recipient of your document to be sure this will satisfy their requirements.

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.

We provide an electronic copy of your document for a small additional fee. As we do not act as intermediaries, we will send you an email with your documents attached to forward on and you are welcome to wait in our waiting area until they have given the okay on your documents. If you require additional assistance, please be patient if we have other clients we are assisting.

We work with you, our client, and do not work directly with other people in other provinces or countries. We ask that all documents and instructions be sent to you, and by you, as we do not act as intermediaries.

We certainly notarize Wills, however, there are different scenarios depending on your situation. If it is your own Will, we can notarize the signature of yourself and your witnesses or notarize an Affidavit of Execution of one of your witnesses. If you have a Will that was previously signed, either by yourself or that belongs to someone else, we can create a certified copy of the Will. Please read more about wills on our Wills and POAs page.

A certified copy, also called a true copy or a notarized copy, is a copy of an original document where the Notary Public examines the original document, makes a photocopy and stamps it as a certified copy. A document must have original marks such as a seal or signature for a certified copy to be made. Once a certified copy is made, it is considered an original document.

To create certified copies, the owner of the document does not have to be in attendance. You can bring someone else’s documents in to have certified copies created. You will have to bring a piece of valid photo identification for yourself.

You are welcome to copy or scan your notarized documents as you wish. Please note that any scanned or copied document is not an original document, and the recipient of your document may specifically want the original document. Please check with them to be certain of what they will accept or what they need. To keep a copy for your own records, we can provide a scanned copy for a small fee or you are welcome to scan or copy your own.

At Walk-In Notary, we only offer drafting services on a very limited basis for simple letters or declarations, such as invitation letters, consent to travel, OSAP income or marital status, etc. We do draft RIN letters.

Generally speaking, witnesses must be over 18 years of age and not named within the document. Beyond that, please check with the recipient of your document to be certain who acceptable witnesses are.