Mexico is one of the biggest trading partners of Canada, with the United States joining the two to form CUSMA. It’s no surprise, then, that many Canadians seek opportunities in this southern country. The beautiful sandy beaches remain a popular wedding destination, as well as a retirement location. Work opportunities, personal or corporate, are engaging and rewarding. However, there’s no doubt that before you can enjoy Mexico’s warm embrace, you must go through the process of authentication and legalization or document apostille.
CANADIAN DOCUMENT APOSTILLE: AUTHENTICATION AND LEGALIZATION
DEFINTION
What is “apostille”? And why must you do both authentication and legalization of your documents? This all due to the Hague agreement or Apostille Convention, which Canada hasn’t signed. Canadian documents need to go through two levels of authentication and legalization. This means that in order for your documents to be valid and usable in Mexico, they need to be authenticated by Global Affairs Canada first, and then legalized at the consular section of the Mexican embassy in Ottawa.
AUTHENTICATION AND LEGALIZATION OF DOCUMENTS FOR MEXICO
Depending on the reason for your visit to Mexico, different documents will be required to go through the authentication process. For example, birth certificates and marriage certificates for those who wish to marry there, pension documents for retirement, tax residency letters, powers of attorney for personal work, and certificates of incorporation for corporate work. This list is no way complete, however. Always double check with the Mexican embassy to ensure that you have all of them. In the case for corporate work, partnering companies usually produce the full list of required documents for you.
PROCESSING TIMES
Always make sure that you’re aware of processing times. Global Affairs Canada can take up to 20 business days to authenticate your documents, sometimes even longer. Each embassy has their own requirements, such as notarization before authentication, and more. For someone who is unfamiliar with the process of apostille, this can be very confusing and hard to follow. We, at LSC Canada, are here for you every step of the way. With our rush service, we can get your documents authenticated and legalized in just 2 business days! Tight deadlines are not a problem for our experienced agents, with more than 10 years of experience in the world of Canadian document apostille.
CANADIAN CORPORATE DOCUMENTS: APOSTILLE, AUTHENTICATION & LEGALIZATION
In Mexico, emphasis has been put on the democratization of health care in the recent years, with the quality of said healthcare increasing. Thus, Mexico became an attractive place for expansion and/or partnership of pharmaceutical and other health-related companies. If you’re venturing for a corporate business opportunity, the documents you need to get authenticated and legalized depend entirely on the requesting party. They may include powers of attorney, certificates of incorporation, various certificates such as SCC, CPP, GMP, ISO, certificates of incorporation, certificates of origins, commercial invoices, tax residency letters, permits, etc. In addition to the two-step authentication and legalization process, a lawyer or a notary public must validate your documents. Notarization is often a prerequisite for apostille. If you’re unsure about any of these steps, don’t hesitate to contact us and an agent will be with you shortly!
CANADIAN DOCUMENTS: PERSONAL WORK IN MEXICO
The documents needed for non-corporate (personal) work are different from corporate documents. In fact, they include “vital statistics”. They’re simply your birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates and death certificates. You will need the aforementioned if you’re planning to retire or to marry in Mexico, as well. They will need to go through the process of authentication and legalization. However, Global Affairs Canada recognizes the signatures in the provincially issued vital statistics, so there’s no need for notarization.
CANADIAN DOCUMENTS FOR RETIREMENT IN MEXICO
If you’re planning to retire in Mexico, in addition to submitting your vital statistics, you will have to include a criminal record check and proof of pension. Our experts at LSC Canada recommend obtaining an RCMP police check instead of a local police issued one. An RCMP police check is always more thorough, as it’s based on fingerprints. Global Affairs Canada recognizes the check, meaning that clients don’t need to spend extra money on hiring a notary. This also saves you time, as the GAC may take up to 20 business days to process your documents. If you wish to speed the process along, we will be more than happy to oblige with our three different offered service times. Always double check to see if you have all the required documents. If you’ve ever lived or worked in Mexico, you may be eligible for certain pension benefits. This information can be found here.
CANADIAN DOCUMENTS FOR WEDDINGS IN MEXICO
If you’re planning to marry in Mexico, firstly, you picked a beautiful place! Secondly, clients need to authenticate and legalize marriage certificates, in addition to vital statistics. Always refer back to the Mexican embassy for a comprehensive list of all you need for the ceremony. If you were born in Canada, widowed, divorced, or born abroad, you’ll also have to submit a Statement in Lieu of Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage Abroad. You must directly request for this document, and then authenticate it. If you don’t know how or where to start, don’t hesitate to contact us!
NEED HELP? WE ARE HERE FOR YOU
It can be difficult to keep track of all the demands of the Mexican Embassy as a client! We understand more than anyone, especially if this is your first time having to authenticate and legalize your documents. Our experts at Legalization Service Centre Canada (LSC Canada) have more than 10 years of experience with document authentication and legalization of Canadian documents, so we’re always working tirelessly to ensure the easiest process for you. Our client’s 5 star reviews will assure you of our quality, reliable and fast service, and our solid interpersonal relations with each embassies and consulates in Ottawa and Canada will provide you further confidence.
Image Credit: Traveller World Guide