Paperwork can be daunting and we get that. Unfortunately, when you need documents from one country to use in another, there is even more administration involved. Not only do these documents often need to be notarized, they also need to be attested to ensure that they are legally admissible in the intended country of use. For anyone who hasn’t gone through the process before, attestation or authentication and legalization (what does that even mean?) can seem like a headache. From ordering the right document to having them reach their final destination, there is just so much involved! Not to mention the trip to Ottawa for legalization that you probably didn’t have in your travel plans.
So what do you do? We recommend getting in touch with Legalization Service Centre Canada (LSC Canada). Not just because we’re the best in the industry, but because we take all of your attestation stress away. And when we say all, we mean from A to Z. Here’s how.
1. Getting your documents together
You know what document you need, but do you know where to order it from? What about which version is right? For example, if you need a birth certificate attested, you may not be aware that the long form can save you a lot of headache down the road. In fact, most times the short version won’t even be accepted. Moreover, often there are documents you need along with the basic ones that you may not even be aware of. For example, if you need a divorce certificate attested to clear you for a marriage abroad, it may be a good idea to include your marriage certificate to that person as well. There are many examples like these where people often have to repeat the process simply because they forgot to include a document the first time around.
When you go through us, we know what the end goal is because we’ve done the job plenty of times. We’ll know not just how to efficiently complete attestation of the document of your interest, but will also advise on everything else you may need.
2. We take care of all of the applications and travel
Did you know that the Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and most embassy offices are located in Ottawa? That’s why our head office is also situated in the heart of Ottawa, just minutes away from all of these key points that you’ll need to touch. If you aren’t in Ottawa, that doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? Traveling to Ottawa for the purpose of attestation of your documents isn’t a great use of your time. But it is a very good use of ours! Once you transfer all of your required documents to us, we’ll fill out the necessary applications and submit everything on your behalf. They will first go to Global Affairs Canada for authentication and then to the appropriate embassy for legalization. No matter how many times these offices need to be visited for your paperwork, we’ll make the necessary trips.
3. Document transfers and mailing
Once all of your documents are fully authenticated and legalized, we package them up and courier them to your requested address. In many instances, this means that you don’t even have to worry about mailing in the documents to their final destination. Our mails are sent through secured channels so that you can track them until they reach their destination.
Moreover, there are perks to using LSC as your service provider that you wouldn’t enjoy otherwise. For example, did you also know that now it takes 10 business day or more for GAC to complete your authentication? We can help expedite this process as long as you have proof of your deadline!
Still not sure what to do? Don’t fret, we know that the process can appear complicated. We are always here to help you with your attestation needs. If you have any questions, give us a call and we’ll go over more details. At LSC Canada, we are happy to help you with your attestation needs at every step of the way. Even if that means just having a reassuring and informative conversation!