Authenticate your documents - Send your document (Step 4)

On this page

• Submitting your document for authentication
• Sending your request by mail or courier
  • In Canada
  • Outside of Canada
• In-person drop-off
• Getting your documents returned
• Forwarding your authenticated document to a foreign mission in Ottawa
  • Regular mail
  • Expedited mail or courier
  • Global Affairs Canada’s internal mail system
• Authentication Request form
• Trouble opening the form?

Submitting your document for authentication

There are two ways to submit a request to authenticate your documents:

1. Online portal submission: If you used our triage portal to submit your authentication request, you are still required to send your physical documents to us for authentication. More information on how to submit your documents is available on the portal.

2. Manual submission (instructions on this page): You can submit your request by following the instructions below, including printing out and submitting the completed Authentication Request form. These steps apply only to requests submitted by mail or in person without using the triage portal.

When submitting your documents, please make sure to enclose:

• a completed Authentication Request form
• all documents required for authentication
• a self-addressed stamped envelope or a prepaid courier shipping label for the return of your documents
  • Courier waybills that include account numbers are not accepted and will be returned by regular mail. We only accept prepaid shipping labels.

Please note that we do not offer in-person service. Please see the available shipping methods below for instructions on how to send your documents to us.

Sending your request by mail or courier

If you are in Canada

Send your documents to:

Global Affairs Canada
Authentication Services Section
2421 Lancaster Road
Ottawa, ON K1B 4L5
Canada

If you are outside of Canada

Check with the nearest Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate to see whether they can authenticate your documents. If they cannot do so, you can mail the documents to our office in Ottawa using the above address.

Authentication services provided at Canadian missions abroad are subject to fees under the Consular Fees (Specialized Services) Regulations.

Foreign authorities may not accept documents that have not been legalized by their embassy or consulate in Canada.

In-person drop-off

Location of Global Affairs Canada’s Distribution Centre:

2421 Lancaster Road, Ottawa, Ontario

Please ensure to address your envelope to the Authentication Services Section.

Hours of operation: Monday to Friday (except statutory holidays) 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Getting your documents returned

Once processed, your documents will be mailed to the address indicated in your submission and on the return envelope included with your request. We do not accept courier waybills with account numbers as a method of returning your documents. Authentication requests that do not include a return envelope will be returned by regular mail.

If you wish to have your documents forwarded to a foreign embassy, high commission or consulate, they will be shipped as per the methods outlined in the next section. Please note that if we are unable to authenticate one or more documents, we may return them to the address they were initially mailed from.

Forwarding your authenticated document to a foreign mission in Ottawa

Upon request, we can forward your authenticated documents to an embassy or high commission in Ottawa. If the office to which you want us to forward your documents is located outside of Ottawa, your document will be forwarded by regular mail unless you include a prepaid label or prepaid envelope.

Documents that have been issued an apostille certificate and are intended for use in a country that is a party to the Apostille Convention may not require additional legalization prior to use in that country. Please confirm with the receiving country whether additional legalization is required for your apostilled document.

Items to be submitted only to the foreign mission and not to Global Affairs Canada should be placed in a separate sealed and clearly marked envelope. Such items could include:

• Payment for the foreign mission (excluding cash payments)
• Cover letters, completed forms, or other documents meant only for the foreign mission

Please note that if we are unable to authenticate one or more documents, we may return them to you instead of forwarding them to the foreign mission.

You have 3 forwarding options:

Regular mail

Include a stamped envelope with the address of the embassy or high commission in Ottawa.

Expedited mail or courier

If you want our office to forward your processed documents to an embassy or high commission in Ottawa using expedited mail or courier, please enclose a prepaid label or prepaid expedited mail envelope with your request.

Global Affairs Canada’s internal mail system

This service is offered at no charge. The delivery time normally ranges from 2 to 4 business days; however, this may be longer depending on several factors. Please note that if you select this option, you will not be able to track the delivery of your documents from our department to the foreign mission. If you wish to track your request and get confirmation of delivery to the foreign mission, include a prepaid label or prepaid expedited mail envelope.

Warning:

• Global Affairs Canada is not responsible for the loss of items sent to a foreign mission.
• Check with the embassy, high commission or consulate about their requirements to return the documents to you.
• Do not include cash payments to be forwarded on to the embassy, high commission or consulate. If the foreign mission requires cash payment, please send it to them directly.
• Failure to follow these instructions may result in your documents being returned to you without being authenticated.

Authentication Request form

All service requests that are not submitted through the triage portal must include an Authentication Request form. The person submitting the request must:

• complete the form
• print the form
• sign the form
• date the form

The person submitting the request does not need to be the person whose name appears on the documents to be authenticated.

Trouble opening the form?

Try saving it to your desktop first. If you are still having trouble, try these PDF form instructions.