September 02, 2024 . 5 mins read

How To Apostille a Document in Alberta?

Do you know How to apostille a document in Alberta? After Canada joined the Hague Convention in January 2024, the procedure of getting Canadian documents recognized internationally has become more streamlined. For authentication of a public document’s origin, the Apostille certificate remains necessary. All member countries of the Hague Convention recognize this document.

The residents of Alberta can now obtain an Apostille for Canadian documents without undergoing the hassle of the authentication and legalization process that existed earlier. The document apostille process in Alberta is as follows.

How to Apostille a Document in Alberta?

The following steps are necessary for getting a document Apostilled in Alberta.

1. Define Eligibility

To begin with, make sure the document is eligible for Apostille in Alberta. The following list has some documents that generally require an Apostille.

Vital records like Birth certificates, death certificates, etc which are issued in Alberta
Educational transcripts and diplomas from institutions in Alberta
Documents notarized by a notary in Alberta
Court documents issued by Alberta Court

2. Document Preparation

The document should be in the right format:

Certified Copies: For certified copies, notarization by an approved notary public in Alberta remains necessary.
Original Documents: For public documents like those issued by Vital statistics, you must submit the original documents.

3. Notarization (if necessary)

Some documents may require notarization in Canada before they can be apostilled. Follow these steps for the process:

Find an approved notary public in Alberta.
Make sure that the notary public notarize your documents with all required seals and signatures.

4. Submission to Alberta’s Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice of Alberta issues Apostilles in the province. The document submission process is as follows:

Mail Submission: Send your document via mail to the office of Alberta’s Ministry of Justice. Do not forget to include a return address and pay the required fees, if any. Note that the ministry does not provide rush or walk-in services at present.

5. Apostille Fee Payment

You can pay the Apostille fee as applicable using any of the following methods.

Credit card
Money order
Debit card
Certified cheque

6. Processing Time

The time needed to get an Apostille varies from case to case. It could be a few days or a couple of weeks based on the method of submission or volume of requests. Errors or incomplete applications can cause further delays.

7. Getting the Apostille

Post-processing, the authorities give the document back to you with the Apostille attached to it via the return envelope you provided.

Things to Remember

Consult certified apostille agencies like Globeia who have years of experience dealing with the process at the Ministry and can provide seamless apostille services
Double-check all the country-specific requirements to ensure that you obtain the apostille for your documents based on the requirements.
Keep copies of your original and apostilled documents.
Keep track of submission status for documents sent via mail.

Conclusion: How to apostille a document in Alberta?

Owing to Canada’s participation in the Hague Convention, the Apostille process has become smoother and faster.

By following the above-mentioned steps, you can you can get your documents Apostilled in Alberta without much ado. However, if you find the method baffling, Globeia can assist you throughout the process and make your documents ready for use abroad.

Written by :

We are a background screening and document verification agency in Toronto. While we cover the Greater Toronto Area for in-person appointments, the bulk of our clientele uses our online services from different countries of the world. Globeia makes it simple and cost-effective for companies and individuals to navigate governmental red tape without breaking the bank.

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