Procedure for Apostille of Canada Birth Certificate

To facilitate immigration, school enrollment, marriage registration, foster care, visa extensions, it is necessary to provide the Canada birth certificate with a Hague Apostille authentication.

In Canada, birth certificates come in two categories: the complete version and the simplified version.

The complete birth certificate includes details about the child and their parents, while the simplified version only covers information about the child.

The complete version provides the child’s name, date and place of birth, gender, registration date, registration number, as well as the parents’ names and their places of birth. This type of birth certificate is required for various processes, such as settling, enrolling in school, applying for residence permit, extending a visa, foster care, and applying for permanent residency – all of which necessitate information about both the child and the parents.

On the other hand, the simplified version includes the child’s name, date and place of birth, gender, registration date, and registration number, but it excludes information about the parents.

An Apostille is a specialized form of authentication recognized by countries that are parties to the Hague Convention. The process aims to simplify the authentication of documents for international use by eliminating the need for further Consular legalization.

There are two approaches to authenticate a Canada birth certificate for Hague recognition. One option involves authenticating a copy of the birth certificate, while the other requires authenticating the original document. Applicants have the flexibility to choose the method that best suits their individual circumstances.

STEP 1. Notarization: Get Canada Birth Certificate notarized by a solicitor or a Notary Public.

STEP 2. Apostille Issuance: The final step is obtaining the Apostille from competent provincial authorities , or Authentication by Global Affairs Canada. This endorsement ensures the Canada Birth Certificate’s acceptance in Hague Convention member countries.

A scanned copy of the birth certificate

Obtaining apostille on a copy of the Canada birth certificate typically takes around 5 business days, excluding shipping time.

Steps: Original birth certificate is sent to competent authorities of its issued province , or by Global Affairs Canada for Apostille.

Birth Certificate issued in Ontario is sent to Ontario for authentication;
Birth Certificate issued in British is sent to Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia for authentication;
Birth Certificate issued in Alberta is sent to Ministry of Justice of Alberta for authentication;
Birth Certificate issued in Quebec is sent to Ministère de la Justice du Québec for authentication.

Apostille by competent authorities of its issued province is around 5 business days, excluding shipping time. While obtaining apostille on the original Canada birth certificate by Global Affairs Canada typically takes 2-3 months for authentication.

Original birth certificate