There are two ways to authenticate a document: (1) Global Affairs Canada (Ottawa), or (2) Official Document Services (Toronto). Each Embassy and Consulate has a preference, so be sure to consulate the country specific information found here before following either of these authentication procedures. 

Before you can authenticate a document, you may need it notarized by a duly appointed Notary in Ontario. All notaries working with notary-toronto.ca have been appointed by the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario. 

Once you have notarized your documents you can submit them for authentication. 

In Ontario, there are two ways to submit your documents for authentication, by mail or in person. 

If you wish to submit the documents in person, you must go to the Office of Document Services located at 222 Jarvis Street, Toronto, Ontario, M7A0B6 (its on the north side of the building and is not accessible through the main entrance). They are open between 8:30 am and 5 pm, however, it is strongly advised that you get there early as possible as the lineup can get pretty long. The government says that the average wait time is 30 minutes. You will then pay the authentication fee based on the following criteria:

If you go in person, the Office of Document Services accepts the following forms of payment: Cash, Visa, Mastercard, debit, certified cheque or money order.

You can also mail your document(s) into the Office of Document Services (see address above). The authentication process takes about 15 days from when the government receives your documents. A quick tip: if you want your documents back as soon as possible, include a pre-stamped express envelope inside the package you send to the Office of Document Services. They will use that envelope to send your documents back. You can also inquire about the status of your documents over the phone (416-325-8416).

Notary-toronto.ca has extensive experience in this area and can help authenticate your documents with Official Document Services. Please call 647-470-5266 or email info@notary-toronto.ca for a quote and more information! Or you can fill in the form below and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.