FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q. What are the steps to getting my document authenticated and legalized?
Q. What is the fine print or the terms and conditions?
Q. How long does it take for you to authenticate and legalize my document?
Q. How much is my document going to cost?
Q. Why do I need to complete and send a Quote Request?
Q. What are the benefits of using your document authentication and legalization service?
Q. Do you have offices outside of Ottawa?
Q. What are the steps to getting my document authenticated and legalized?
1. Ensure that your document meets the Requirements set down by DFAIT in order for it to be authenticated. If you are still unsure contact us via our Quote Request .
2. Decide what speed of authentication service you require for your document.
3. To legalize your document the embassy charges a fee, please confirm the fee and any other embassy requirements via our Quote Request.
4. Complete the Order Form using the information from the previous points and arrange for Shipping using one of the many companies that delivers to our office daily. Ensure that your document and our order form as well as any embassy requirements are enclosed.
5. Confirm with our Agent that your document has been forwarded so that we can begin the process of keeping you up to date regarding the receipt, progress and completion of your document.
Q. What if I live outside of your office area or Canada can you still help me authenticate and legalize my document?
Yes. The majority of our clients live outside of our region, or Canada for that matter, so over the years we have developed systems that ensure an easy to follow process whether around the corner from us or around the world. Our experienced agents work closely with clients on a daily basis from every region concerning their various types of documents for the authentication and legalization process with ease and efficiency.
Q. Do you have specialized agents available to help me complete the forms or answer any further questions that I may have about the process?
Yes, being Canada’s first specialized authentication and legalization firm has allowed us to gather a team of helpful experts with years of assisting people from across the world. Unlike competitors or other industries we do not use call or message centres to process your request for assistance but instead follow the traditional method of having agents available to assist you during our business hours Monday to Friday 9:00am until 5:00pm Eastern Time using the various contact methods i.e. phone, fax, email and of course regular mail. If you have questions outside of business hours we encourage you to forward them using our Quote Request or via our regular email.
Q. What is the fine print or the terms and conditions?
Q. How long does it take for you to authenticate and legalize my document?
Depending on your urgency we can authenticate your document in 1, 3 or 10 working days. For legalization each embassy has a different processing time, from 1 day up to 10 days. This processing time will be confirmed with you when making a request for service and updated as our office processes your request. Thus the total amount of time to process your document is the authentication time plus the legalization time.
Q. How much is my document going to cost?
This depends on many factors such as, the amount of documents to be processed, speed at which you need it completed, nature of your document, country to be used in, etc. Thus we request that before asking this always important question that you complete our Quote Request as this will ask the important questions that we need to know in order to answer this question for you in detail.
Q. Why do I need to complete and send a Quote Request?
Our Quote Request form has been developed by us over the years to ask the necessary questions required for providing our specialized services. By answering these questions it will allow us to provide you with the important details such as the costs of our services and the related Embassy disbursements. Further to this it allows us to verify your document for processing by DFAIT or the respective countries Embassy. Finally it allows us to provide you with any further requirements that we may need to authenticate and legalize your document.
Q. If I have two documents to be processed but they are identical is this considered one or two documents?
This would be considered two documents. Documents are calculated by volume not content. Another way to consider it would be that if you require it to be stamped for authentication or legalization it is calculated as a document.
Q. What are the benefits of using your document authentication and legalization service?
Being the first in Canada to recognize the need and provide this important service has allowed us to gather more than a decade of experience, becoming Canada’s experts to ensure your documents meet the requirements for authentication so you don’t waste time or money. Our various levels of service offer solutions for the person requiring urgent authentication to someone who is not in such a rush, and may be price conscience but still recognizes the benefit of an expert who ensures the completion and safe return of their sensitive document. Current processing times with DFAIT directly via mail or courier is 25 working days (5 weeks) for the completion of your authenticated document, or an update as to its status. The further legalization of your document, at any of the various embassies, adds to this time line so if your documents are time sensitive our service is your answer.
Q. I have been asked to have an Apostille certificate for my Canadian document is this the same as having it authenticated and legalized?
Yes. As Canada did not sign the Hague Apostille Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (1961), the Canadian government does not issue Apostille Certificates but continues to use the original full authentication and legalization process. This process is also known as Super Authentication and accepted as the equivalent to an apostille certificate by Hague Apostille Convention countries. Thus, in order to be valid your document must follow the two step process of first having it authenticated at the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAIT) and then further legalized at the respective embassy for the country in which it is to be used.
Q. Do you have offices outside of Ottawa?
No. As our specialized authentication and legalization services require us to attend at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and then the at the various embassies, all located here in Ottawa, our strategically located office has been chosen to benefit our clients. Through the years we have implemented an easy to follow system to ensure the processing of documents on a daily basis from clients around the world. By following our 5 easy steps, from the comfort of your office or home, allows you the benefit of having your document authenticated and legalized the quickest way possible in Canada, guaranteed.
Q. Can I have a document that I need authenticated and legalized sent directly to your office when requesting it from another party/agency or if I am unable to send it myself?
Yes. Some clients find it convenient to use our address for the forwarding of their requested and needed document as it saves them valuable time with the authentication and legalization process. We only ask that before your document is received at our office you complete our Order Form with your particular request details and forward it to us via email or any other convenient way listed on our Contact Us web page so that we can open a request file under your name to ensure the proper identification and processing of the document when received by our office.
Q. If I only want to use your DFAIT Authentication Services once my document is authenticated can you then forward it to an Embassy/Consulate for further action?
No. If you are only using our DFAIT Authentication Services once completed the authenticated document will only be returned to you or a third party individual who can accept the sensitive document on your behalf. This is done for privacy and security reasons amongst others and our policy on this matter is final.
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