Authentication of documents: Glossary

A

Affidavit

An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, administered by a person who is authorized to do so by law.

Allonge

An allonge is a separate slip of paper bearing an apostille that is attached directly to the authenticated document.

Apostille

An apostille is a type of authentication certificate that is accepted by any of the countries that are members of the Apostille Convention. It fulfills the requirements that are laid out in Article 3 of the Apostille Convention (Hague Conference on Private International Law).

Apostille Convention

See Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.

Authentication

Authentication attests that the signature and seal of a public official on a document are genuine, so that the document may be recognized in another country.

C

Competent Authority

A competent authority is an authority designated by a member country to the Apostille Convention to issue apostilles. In Canada, the following provinces have been designated as Competent Authorities in addition to the federal government: Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan.

H

Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention)

The Apostille Convention, signed on October 5, 1961, simplifies the authentication process by removing the requirement for legalization for documents intended for use in other countries that are party to the convention. The Apostille Convention entered into force in Canada on January 11, 2024.

L

Legalization

Legalization is the process of certifying a public document for use abroad. It generally comprises multiple separate authentications, including by the country of issuance and by the embassy or consulate of the place in which the document is to be presented. The Apostille Convention abolishes the requirement of legalization for documents intended for use in a country that is a member of the convention and replaces the process with the issuance of a single apostille.

N

Notarization

Notarization is an act performed by a notary public. The act could be one of the following: witnessing a signature, receiving a declaration or affidavit, or certifying a document to be a true copy of the original.

Notary public

A notary public is an individual authorized by law to be a witness to the signing of documents, such as affidavits, contracts, powers of attorney and other legal documents. They can also certify copies of original documents. In Canada, notaries public are appointed by the province or territory in which they practice.