Apostille & Legalization in Canada

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One of the most common documents you need to attest are birth certificates. This isn’t surprising if you think of all of the applications of the document. Whether you are going through immigrations, applying for a visa, need to document a live birth in another country, or are planning a marriage in another country, you may need to include a birth certificate. Things are no different for your affairs in Colombia! If you’re in need of attesting a birth certificate for Colombia, keep reading for some pro tips!

Tip # 1: Go for the long form of the birth certificate!

Just take our word for it on this one – you’ll thank us later. In general, for official purposes you will almost always require the full length document of any sort. A birth certificate for Colombia especially would need to be non-wallet sized. The long-form certificate includes a lot more details which add great value to your overall application. These details add strength to your application and solidify the facts that you state in other areas.  The additional information shows details of the parents which help to demonstrate these connections officially.

Tip # 2: Gather everything in one place

The birth certificate most likely won’t be all that you need. Start the application/official process early and dedicate a file to start assembling the pieces together. Remember that you must keep your important documents in physical records, even in today’s digital era for attestation. It’s also important to keep them safe, intact, and easily accessible. Also, remember that when paper transfers hands, they can get worn out or dirty. Consider keeping them in plastic sheet protectors to prevent damage to the paper or ink. Having a designated file for storage and transfers can also lend to keeping them safe, protected, and easily accessible.

Tip # 3: Keep your documents confidential

It’s important to keep your birth certificate in a safe place to prevent loss or theft. Legal documents such as your birth certificate and IDs contain personal information about you that can create havoc in the wrong hands. In fact, one of the ways identity theft can happen is if original documents fall into the hands of someone with malicious intentions.

Tip # 4: Start your process early

No really – please start early. Often when we tell our clients that they need to start the authentication process months ahead of their scheduled application date, they think we’re exaggerating. We really aren’t. Authentication and legalization can take quite some time to complete. And your birth certificate for Colombia will need to undergo both of these steps. In fact, until early this year, you could pay extra for rushed same day services at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) for document authentication. However, GAC has taken that option entirely off the tables and now all authentication services take a minimum of one week to complete, even those requested for rush.

If your service is not “rush”, it will take about a month to be authenticated. Only after this can you proceed with legalization which can take another month, depending on factors such as time of year, embassy availability, etc. Note: GAC authentication rush services are subject to application and approval. You must have a valid reason for requesting a rush service and not all requests are granted approval.

Tip # 5: Hire us for the job!

Not to be tooting our own horn, but a service like Legalization Service Centre can make your document attestation journey a really easy one. We understand the nitty-gritty details of authentication and legalization because it’s all we do.

When you call us to take care of your attestation needs, you can rest assured that your document processing has been entrusted to professionals with years of service experience and a seriously good rating on Google! We also stand with an A++ status with the Better Business Bureau. Our reputation is our crown and because we take our business so seriously, we work tirelessly on each case with individualized attention from start to finish.

Does this mean we’re expensive? Absolutely not! We stand for fair pricing on our projects and quote based on only what you need. So give us a call – at the very least we’ll give you the guidance you are looking and answer any questions you may have.

 

 

 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Javier Crespo and Fodor’s Travel

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