Known for its emerald lakes, volcanoes, and largest rainforest in Central America, Nicaragua has become a prominent tourist hub in recent years. As tourism increases, knowledge of everything this hidden oasis has to offer has also spread. A rich history of colonialism and ethnic changes contributes to its diverse food and culture. It isn’t a surprise why many Canadians look forward to making Nicaragua their new home after retirement.
But retired people aren’t the only ones setting up for long-term living here. The cost of living and generally low expenses has attracted many businesses and educational institutions as well. This has given many Canadians a variety of reasons to visit, stay, and create a community of their own.
Regardless of your reason to visit, you should know that the country has strict paperwork requirements. To make the process of your visit or move easier, it is best to start preparing your paperwork early. Read on to find out how to legalize your birth certificate for use in Nicaragua!
Prepare Ahead of Time
Nothing beats good preparation. This is especially true when dealing with a foreign country where many review and documentation processes are still manual. Don’t forget that Nicaragua is a struggling country with scarce resources. This makes preparation all the more important to allow time for delays.
When preparing your documents such as a birth certificate for Nicaragua, if you don’t already have the originals, keep in mind that sourcing these documents will also require time. Allow for at least two months in Canada to gather and process all documents. Create a file and review the process for document attestation, known in Canada as authentication and legalization. Notarize all true copies of the original.
Authentication of your Birth Certificate for Nicaragua
In Canada, document attestation is a two-step process. During the first step, your original or true copy of your birth certificate for Nicaragua will be reviewed by Global Affairs Canada to ensure that the seals and signatures on your document are valid. This step reviews for the legitimacy of your document, ensuring that it was produced and signed by the institutions and authorities that are entitled to do so. Once GAC has matched the signatures with records in their registry, they will place a large red stamp to indicate that the document has been effectively authenticated.
Legalization of your Birth Certificate for Nicaragua
Following legalization, your birth certificate will need to go to the Nicaraguan Embassy. Here, the embassy will complete the second and last stage of attestation known as legalization. The embassy is reviewing your document and GAC’s seal to ensure that they are valid and acceptable. Once they are sure that GAC has truly certified your document and that it meets their own standards for use, they two will place a stamp or certificate to indicate the completion of legalization. This confers attestation of your birth certificate for Nicaragua, making them good for use for any official purpose in Nicaragua.
The Time Involved
You should be aware that the process of attestation is lengthy and can take several weeks to months. This has been especially true since earlier this year, when GAC made changes to their review process. Whereas same-day services were common practice prior, now, each submission must take the required two to three weeks for review. Beware that you will still have to wait for one week of processing time, even if GAC does allow the expedition.
Feel Free to Ask for Help!
Changing government and embassy regulations can make it very difficult to keep up with attestation processes. Especially if this is not something you have done previously, the paperwork can be tedious and cumbersome. At Legalization Service Centre, we understand that when you need these documents prepared, you also have a lot else on your plate. That’s why our team is prepared to make your document journey less stressful. We specialize in everything related to document attestation and work across the country. Regardless of whether you are mid-process or just beginning, give us a call. We have a friendly staff to give you great tips and services to help you gain momentum and speed!
Image Credit: Tropicaldryforestsofnicaragua