October 21, 2024 . 5 mins read

Who Can Certify Documents In Alberta?

Do you know - Who can certify documents in Alberta? After Canada’s recent accession to the Hague Apostille Convention as of January 2024, the international document authentication process has become more streamlined. In Alberta, the Ministry of Justice is responsible for apostilling Canadian documents.

Understanding an Apostille?

An apostille certificate verifies the genuineness of a document to be used in member countries of The Hague Apostille Convention. This process simplifies international document use by removing authentications and legalizations.

The Ministry of Justice – The Role It Plays

The Ministry of Justice of Alberta has been entrusted with the responsibility of issuing public document apostilles. An apostille certifies:

The validity of the signature
The person’s capacity to sign the document
The identity of any seal or stamp on the document

Eligible Document Types for Apostille

The Ministry of Justice in Alberta can apostille the following types of documents which were issued or notarized in Alberta:

Public records like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates.
Legal documents like Judgments, affidavits, and orders.
Private documents like powers of attorney, notarized statements, contracts, etc.
Academic documents like diplomas, transcripts, and degrees.
Corporate documents like certificates of good standing, and articles of incorporation.

An Apostille in Alberta – How To Get One?

It is a five-step process which includes:

1. Document Preparation

Documents (original or certified copies) issued by the recognized authority remain eligible for apostille certificate. Notarized documents require a notarization by Alberta’s registered notary public.

2. Document Submission

Once the documents are ready, it is time to submit them to the Ministry of Justice to get an apostille certificate. You can submit them to the Ministry of Justice by mailing them along with the request form and the applicable fee.

3. Processing Time

Typically, the applicants receive the apostilled documents within a few weeks. However, the process may get delayed if there are any errors in the document.

4. Document Completed

Applicants will receive the apostilled documents directly from the Ministry’s office using the return envelope provided by the applicant.

Benefits of the Apostille Convention

Document apostille in Alberta has made the process easier, hassle-free and faster by eliminating multi-level authentication and legalization process. Therefore, it has also become a more time-saving and cost-effective process.

Conclusion: Who can certify documents in Alberta?

After Canada participated in The Hague Convention, Alberta’s Ministry of Justice has been bequeathed with the responsibility of verifying and certifying the documents to be used abroad. This new process significantly improved the efficiency of this process.

By seeking help from trustworthy agencies like Globeia, you can ensure to follow the proper procedures for apostille including document preparation and submission to facilitate a smooth apostille process and ensure that errors do not significantly delay the process for you.

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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