Government of Canada services and information in Port Louis, Mauritius

The office provides the following notarial services, by appointment only by phone or email, to Canadian citizens and, in limited cases, to non-Canadian citizens if the documents are intended for use in Canada. Note: Documents must be in English or French, or accompanied by an official translation in English or French.

Authentication/Attestation (certify the document signature, the position of an official and the seal are genuine):

Getting a document authenticated or obtaining an apostille is sometimes required before you can use a Canadian document abroad. Authentication or apostille speaks to the genuineness of the signature of a public official found on a document. After being authenticated, if your documents are intended for use in a country that is not a party to the Apostille Convention, you may need to get it legalized by the authorities of the country of destination (for example, by their embassy, high commission or consulate in or accredited to Canada).

If you obtain an apostille and your document is intended for use in a country that is a member of the Apostille Convention, it should be accepted in the country of destination without additional steps. Note that we will issue apostilles for all authenticated documents, even if you intend to use them in a country that is not a signatory of the Apostille Convention.

Canada is a party to the Apostille Convention, which simplifies the authentication process by removing the requirement for legalization for documents intended for use in other countries that are party to the convention. Documents authenticated by a Canadian competent authority will be issued an apostille certificate, or “allonge,” which is a separate document that will be securely affixed to the underlying authenticated document.

To be authenticated, your document must bear an original, recognized signature (and seal, if applicable).

Documents you will be required to send to a provincial competent authority

Competent authorities in the following provinces are responsible for issuing apostilles for documents issued or notarized in their respective provinces:

• Alberta (Ministry of Justice of Alberta)
• British Columbia (Ministry of Attorney General of British Columbia)
• Ontario (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery of Ontario)
• Québec (Ministère de la Justice du Québec)
• Saskatchewan (Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of Saskatchewan)

You will send documents issued in the provinces listed above to that province’s competent authority.

The Consulate of Canada can only issue an apostille certificate for the following documents:

• issued by the Government of Canada. This includes federal agencies and bodies such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
• original Canadian vital statistics documents from all provinces and territories (this includes birth, marriage and death certificates)
• issued or notarized in the following provinces and territories:

• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Prince Edward Island
• Yukon

If your document was notarized in a province or territory listed above, you will be required to send it to the High Commission of Canada in Pretoria no matter where it was originally issued.

For the High Commission of Canada to authenticate a signature on a Canadian document, we will require the original document.

Certified copy (certify the document is a true copy of the original):

• Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply).

Witness a signature (consular officer witnesses a signature):

• Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply).

Note: Complete all documents before booking an appointment. Sign all documents in front of the consular officer.

This office does not provide passport services. Contact the High Commission of Canada in Pretoria: pret-consul@international.gc.ca

No visa or immigration queries are handled at this office.

Refer to Travel documents – Visas.

• Apply to travel, study, work or immigrate to Canada.
• Find a visa application centre (VAC) to book an appointment to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
• Submit an enquiry using the IRCC web form to contact a visa office.

Permanent residents of Canada: Find out how to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD).