Divorce Certificate Authentication Legalization or Divorce Certificate Apostille
If you're planning to get married abroad, you may be required to have your Divorce Certificate authenticated and legalized. This process may also be referred to as a Divorce Certificate Apostille or Attestation in other countries. The good news is that authenticating and legalizing your Divorce Certificate with the right service provider is easy.
Why You Need a Divorce Certificate Authentication and Legalization
You may have been asked to get your Divorce Certificate authenticated and legalized for various reasons. Regardless of the reason, it's important to know that if you complete the two-step process, your Divorce Certificate will be considered valid and equivalent to an apostille.
Getting Your Divorce Certificate
If you've lost the original, you can request a new Divorce Certificate from the court where the divorce application was filed. You can find the links to the provincial courthouses on our document resources page.
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Step 1: Global Affairs Canada Authentication
The Global Affairs Canada Authentication Services Section can authenticate both original and certified copies of your Divorce Certificate. To ensure a smooth process, make sure to have the spelling of the name of the court official who signed the Divorce Certificate. If you're unable to confirm the spelling, you can contact the court for assistance. You can find links to all the provincial court websites on our Document Authentication Resources page.
It's important to start the authentication process as soon as possible, as processing times are longer than ever at Global Affairs Canada. You can find out their current processing time here.
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Step 2: Legalization – Attestation at the Embassy Consulate
The second step of the Divorce Certificate legalization process takes place at the embassy or consulate of the country where you'll be using it. Most embassy consulates are located in Ottawa and charge a fee for their document legalization services. Some may have additional requirements or changing processing times, but a reputable service provider will take care of all that for you. After the Divorce Certificate has been authenticated and legalized, it can be returned to you or anywhere else in the world using a reliable shipping solution or your preferred delivery method.
Other Documents You May Need to Authenticate and Legalize
Along with your Divorce Certificate, you may have other documents such as a Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Power of Attorney that also need to be authenticated and legalized. A reliable service provider can help you with this and more, so speak with one of their friendly agents about your specific needs.