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 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. 
   i. Vital records like Birth certificates, death certificates, etc which are issued in Alberta
   ii. Educational transcripts and diplomas from institutions in Alberta
   iii. Documents notarized by a notary in Alberta
   iv. 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:
   i. Find an approved notary public in Alberta.
   ii. 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. 
   i. Credit card
   ii. Money order
   iii. Debit card
   iv. 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.
    

• 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. 
   

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