How to Get an Ontario Birth Certificate Apostilled

If you plan to use your Ontario birth certificate in another country—for citizenship, marriage abroad, dual nationality, or school enrollment—you’ll likely need to have it apostilled.

Since Canada joined The Hague Apostille Convention in January 2024, the process for verifying Canadian public documents has become faster and simpler. Here we will explain what documents you need, and how DG Notary can help you complete the process efficiently.

What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is an international certificate that verifies the authenticity of a document. It confirms that the signature and seal on your document are genuine and recognized under The Hague Apostille Convention.

Before 2024, Canadians had to go through authentication and legalization, which was slower and required embassy verification. Now, for countries that are Hague members, you only need an apostille.

Make Sure You Have the Correct Birth Certificate

Only official Ontario birth certificates issued by Service Ontario can be apostilled.

✔ Accepted:

• Long-form or short-form birth certificates

❌ Not accepted:

• Wallet-sized laminated versions

• Photocopies or older versions that can’t be verified

If you need to order a replacement, you can do so through the ServiceOntario website.

Processing Times

Typical for an Ontario provincial apostille, the processing times would be within 5 business days. We also offer a rush service, next business day for an additional fee.

Using the Apostilled Birth Certificate Abroad

Once the apostille certificate is attached, your Ontario birth certificate is recognized as valid in any country that is a member of The Hague Apostille Convention.

If your destination country is not a Hague member, you’ll need to follow the authentication and legalization process instead.

Translation (If Required)

Some countries require documents to be in their local language. In this case, you’ll need a certified translation by an accredited translator. DG Notary works with certified translators that can assist with this process.

How DG Notary Can Help

At DG Notary, we assist clients across Ontario and Canada with apostille, notarization, and document legalization.

We can:

• Verify your document meets apostille requirements

• Prepare submissions

• Provide certified translations if needed

Our goal is to make the apostille process simple, secure, and stress-free.

✅ Quick Checklist Before You Send Your Birth Certificate

•  You have an original long-form or short-form certificate

•  You confirmed your destination country accepts apostilles

• Do you need it translated?

GET STARTED