Almost any personal or business document can be apostilled. Vancouver Apostille often assists clients with personal or corporate transactions, property purchases and sales, estates and probate documentation, educational documentation, overseas marriages, and more. The most common documents we see are powers of attorney, passports, corporate documents, property deeds, diplomas, and vital statistics certificates.

Personal documents (examples): affidavits; identification; bank letters; utility bills; bills of sale; birth, death, divorce, and marriage certificates; contracts; passports; police and RCMP criminal record certificates; powers of attorney; proof of non-marriage (single-status declarations); property deeds; warranty deeds; timeshare documents; diplomas; transcripts; degrees; warrants; authorizations; wills.

‍Business documents (examples): incorporation certificates; notice of articles; articles of incorporation; assignments; amalgamations; company bylaws; bills of sale; certificates of good standing; commercial invoices; patents; trademarks.

Turnaround time depends on the type of document and any file-specific requirements (for example, certified translations). Most files currently take about 2–3 weeks. Please contact Vancouver Apostille for a more accurate timeline.

All disbursements are included as part of our apostille service. Vancouver Apostille takes care of everything, including the payment of administrative, translation, government, and courier fees.

We accept cash, cheque, money order, e-transfer, debit cards, credit cards, bank transfers, and wire transfers.

Certain documents require a certified translation prior to being apostilled. To streamline the process, Vancouver Apostille works closely with BC-certified translators on a regular basis. We have translated documents into and from over 100 languages.

Contact us by phone or email with a description of your documentation and the country where it will be used. When you contact Vancouver Apostille, you’ll speak with an international-transaction specialist (not a clerk or receptionist), so your questions will be answered right away. We’ll send a clear written quote so you’re fully informed before deciding to proceed. Once you’re ready, you can book an appointment to visit our Vancouver office. In certain circumstances, you can courier documents to us. Either way, once Vancouver Apostille has your documentation, we’ll take care of everything else. As soon as your documentation has been successfully apostilled, you can pick up the completed paperwork from our office, or we can scan you a copy and deliver the originals to your overseas contact.

An apostille is a special certification used to authenticate a document when it is being sent overseas. It certifies a document for international use under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (the “Apostille Convention”). The Convention entered into force on October 5, 1961. When a country joins the Apostille Convention, it agrees to issue and accept apostille certificates. An apostille can only be used if both countries are members of the Convention. For Canada, the Convention entered into force on January 11, 2024, so apostilles are now available in Canada. For more information, see the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH): hcch.net.

An apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature or seal of the notary public, lawyer, or other authority who signed or sealed a document, and the capacity in which this was done. Apostilles do not add any weight to the content of the underlying document; rather, they validate the document’s origin for international use. Once a document has been apostilled, it can be sent overseas.

Apostilles and consular legalizations (authentications) have a similar effect but are two different procedures. Legalization is the historic diplomatic “chain” method: documents are authenticated by the appropriate local agency and then stamped by the foreign consulate or embassy. The apostille is the modern process introduced in 1961. Although they differ, the apostille process and the authentication and legalization process are essentially equivalent and serve the same purpose. As Canada now issues apostille certificates, if you have been told to “authenticate and legalize” your document, you will instead need to have it apostilled. Foreign escrow agents, notaries, and lawyers may inadvertently use the wrong term or use the terms interchangeably. Vancouver Apostille will ensure your documentation is apostilled correctly for your recipient country.

Vancouver Apostille is a professional company specializing in apostille services. Simply put, we process local documents for international use. Vancouver Apostille is Western Canada’s leading global document-processing company.Vancouver Apostille is local — our office is conveniently located in downtown Vancouver, across from the Law Courts. You can visit our office to sign paperwork or drop off your documents. This matters because, when you visit, we carry out an expert review of your paperwork to ensure everything is in order. You won’t be frustrated by inexperienced agents or the inherent delays, oversights, returns, rejections, or missing items.Vancouver Apostille is independent — all apostille services are provided by Vancouver law firm Brosgall Legal. You’ll always deal with lawyer and owner, Adam Brosgall, at our Vancouver office. He is experienced and knowledgeable. So instead of the usual “Good question — I’ll get back to you on that,” you’ll get immediate answers and results. Vancouver Apostille is a leader in our field. From the first time you contact us to the moment you receive your apostilled documentation, you’ll experience smooth, professional service.

An apostille is needed when official certificates or notarized documents are being sent from one country to another.

Vancouver Apostille specializes in international transactions. Over the past decade, we’ve apostilled thousands of documents for use in more than 100 countries. All notarial and legal services are provided by BC notary public and lawyer Adam Brosgall of Brosgall Legal, a Vancouver law firm. Adam is an international-transaction specialist whose practice focuses on apostille services. Vancouver Apostille works closely with the British Columbia Attorney General and Global Affairs Canada. We also deal with other provincial government agencies, foreign consulates, and embassies across Canada. We regularly handle complex foreign transactions — quite often for other BC law firms — and we coordinate with foreign notaries and lawyers to ensure everything is aligned. We have significant experience validating personal and business documentation for overseas use. Simply put, we get things right.