New Ontario Official Document Services Process
Big news for Official Document Services in Ontario on January 11, 2024, Canada implemented changes due to its participation in the Hague Apostille Convention. This involvement leads to two key updates in how documents are authenticated:
- Streamlined Authentication for Certain Public Documents: Now, specific documents such as diplomas, degrees, and transcripts from Ontario's public post-secondary institutions (issued since January 2019), along with court documents from Ontario (issued since January 2002), can be authenticated directly. This process eliminates the need for notarization before authentication.
- Altered Requirements for Documents Going to Hague Convention Countries: Documents that are authenticated and destined for countries part of the Hague Convention may no longer need to undergo legalization at consulates or embassies. However, it's important to still check with the respective consulate, embassy, or the document's final recipient to confirm specific requirements.
Beginning January 11, 2024, documents intended for Hague Convention member countries will be issued with apostille certificates. For countries not in the Hague Convention, the current authentication process will remain, and these documents will receive regular certificates of authentication, with no service changes for these non-member countries.
Official Document Services Authentication Options
Authenticating Documents in Ontario has never been easier with Global Document Solutions services. Our 30 years of serving clients in cities like Ottawa, Toronto, Mississauga, North York, and others in Ontario have made us the go-to experts.
Despite Global Affairs Canada's suspension of same-day service, Ontario Official Document Services (ODS) remains "Open for Business" and offers in-person service, providing a faster alternative to Global Affairs Canada. Our experts will determine if your document is eligible for the process and if it will be accepted by the target country's embassy.
Ontario Official Document Service Requirements
Requirements for Ontario Official Document Services Official documents are needed when conducting important matters abroad, whether it's for personal reasons like a new birth, employment, marriage, education, or for a business needing corporate documents or powers of attorney for foreign markets. Our experts will assist you with your needs.
The requirements for ODS are simple. If a document is Notarized or Commissioned in Ontario, it can be authenticated. ODS does not verify the content of the document, only the seal, stamp, and signature of the Ontario Notary Public or Commissioner appointed by the Ministry of the Attorney General. If you have a vital statistic document like a birth, marriage, or death certificate issued by the Registrar General of Ontario, ODS can authenticate it without the need for notarization or commissioning.
Types of Documents Ontario Official Document Services Authenticates
Ontario Document Services ODS authenticates all types of documents. Some of the more common ones include:
Ontario Official Document Services FAQ's
This depends on what time of the day we receive your document and whether it needs extra attention to meet ODS authentication requirements. As an example, it could be done in 1-2 or 4-5 business days if no extra attention is required. The normal processing time if mailing or couriering directly to ODS is 15 business days so we can save you up to 13 business days. If you are on a tight timeline speak with one of our friendly experts, they will be able to provide you an estimated time for processing at ODS.
No, they can either authenticate the original document, if it has an official signature recognized by ODS or a notarized copy made by a Ontario Notary or a Commissionaire of Oaths. The authentication process requires the document to be physically present because it is reliant on the official signature on the document and not the content of the document. What ODS is doing when authenticating a document is verifying the official signature on your document and confirming it matches the one in their registry. If the document is a digital scan or photocopy there is no real signature to authenticate only a copy of a signature. If you need help with sending your document to us for authentication, simply ask your Global Document Solutions agent about our easy shipping solutions.
When using a document internationally it’s important to check with the requesting party in-country for requirements to find out the correct type of document that you need. In most cases, they will need you to provide your document in a certain format style or the original document itself. To reiterate, in no way can a digital scan or photocopy of a document be authenticated with ODS.
Our fees for processing your documents are categorized into various steps. To receive a cost estimate tailored to your specific requirements, we kindly ask you to Request a Quote or reach out to our dedicated Global Document Solutions agent at 1-800-336-1132 from anywhere in North America. Our agent will be more than happy to assist you.
If you have been asked to validate your document for official purposes in a foreign country you want to get it right the first time. Time is of the essence for most of our clients, the sooner it’s done, the sooner you can move on with the important matter related to why you have been asked to authenticate the document. We understand that waiting 15 business days for authentication will not work for your timelines. With Global Document Solutions having locations across Canada offering free shipping we save you time and money. Our order status tracker and up to the minute email updates provide peace of mind throughout the process. Choosing Global Document Solutions authentication services means no red tape frustration waiting for ODS to authenticate your document, we take the guessing out of the process. Global Document Solutions saves you time giving you Canada’s international document experts on your side to answer any question you may have with the utmost customer service. For our clients, this is what differentiates Global Document Solutions from navigating the public service on their own they want an expert to guide them.
Not always but in some cases, you may want to make a notarized copy of your original document to keep it in pristine shape for use in the future. For those clients that must have their document notarized, it is because their document does not have an official signature on it that is recognized by Ontario Official Document Services. In these cases, you will need to have your document notarized by a Ontario Notary or sworn by a Commissionaire of Oaths. This is a service we can provide if you send the original document to our office our Notary will ensure it meets the requirements. If you need Notary services simply ask your Global Document Solutions agent.
Some documents such as an Ontario birth, marriage, or death certificate issued by the Ministry of the Attorney General can be authenticated as is and do not need further attention. If you are not sure about your document not to worry your personal agent will review your document to clarify if any extra steps are needed.
No unfortunately it will not be accepted in some countries but if it has been legalized by the countries Embassy Consulate in Canada it may meet the requirements. As this is determined on what country it is being used in and the type of document it is best to speak with one of our experts.
