So, let’s say that you want to travel to a foreign country for work, school, or simply to experience life in a different part of the world – what do you need to do? While some people might think that all you need to do is pack your passport and your bags, the process can be a little bit more complicated.
Depending on your situation, you’ll need to authenticate and legalize your documents, so the foreign government recognizes them as legitimate. Let’s take a look at a few different situations and documents that require authentication and legalization along with the steps you need to take next.
Why not Apostille?
Many countries require that you have your documents apostilled; however, Canada is excluded from this. Why is this? The primary reason is that Canada was not a signee of The Hague Convention. For this reason, you cannot obtain an apostille for your Canadian document. Instead of the quick apostille process, you’ll instead need to have them authenticated and then legalized.
This two-part process can be confusing for some people, which is why many choose to work with us, and we’ll take care of all of the hassle. Here are some of the documents that will require authentication:
Documents That Require Authentication
There are a variety of different documents that require authentication and legalization. As a good rule to remember, if you need the document in the foreign country you’ll be traveling to, you should check to make sure you’ve had it authenticated.
A few of the most common documents that people have authenticated include:
- Adoption papers
- Birth certificates
- Marriage licenses
- Background checks
- School admission papers
- Divorce certificates
- Diploma
- Enrollment letters
- And more
The Authentication of Documents Process
The first step in the process is authentication. This process is completed at Global Affairs Canada where a professional will look over each of your documents to ensure that they are 100% legitimate. You’ll need to make sure that you are only presenting the original documents and not any copies. After that, you’ll have them legalized.
How do you have them legalized?
After authentication, you’ll need to have your documents legalized. This process usually happens at the embassy of the country you’ll be traveling to in Canada. It’s crucial that you do this before you leave for the country as not every nation will authenticate and legalize them once you arrive.
We’re Here to Help
If this is your first time going through the process, you might need some help. We can help save you time and stress and will handle the entire process for you. Get in touch with us to learn more about our services.