Why do I need to get my Marriage Certificate Authenticated and Legalized to use it internationally?

A Canadian Marriage Certificate is initially only valid for use in Canada therefore a foreign country will not accept a Canadian Marriage Certificate. To make the Marriage Certificate valid for use in a foreign country, it will first need to go through the process of Authentication at Global Affairs Canada and then Legalization at the Embassy Consulate of the country in which the document will be used. In both steps the authenticity of the foregoing signature is verified, effectively making the document valid for use in that foreign country. Some countries might ask you to get your Marriage Certificate Apostilled since that is the process most used in that foreign country. Since Canada has not signed the Hague Apostille Convention, the original two-step process of Marriage Certificate Authentication and Legalization is considered the international equivalent of an Apostille and serves the same purpose.