Apostille for Canadian documents

If you need to use a Canadian document in Türkiye, this is the step that must happen in Canada — and only in Canada.

The rule that admits no exception

Türkiye cannot apostille a Canadian document. No Turkish governorate, courthouse, ministry or consulate can do it. An apostille certifies the signature of a public official, and only the authority in the country where that official serves can verify it. A document that arrives in Türkiye without one has to go back.

Recent change, outdated advice

Canada joined the apostille system on 11 January 2024. Before that date a longer chain of authentication and consular legalisation applied. A great deal of guidance published earlier is still online and still describes the old route, which is why people arrive with the wrong expectations. Check the date on any page you rely on — including this one.

Which authority

Competence is split. Some documents are handled federally, others by the province that issued or registered them, and the split depends on the document rather than on where you live. Identify the issuing authority first; that determines where to apply. Provincial procedures differ from one another in form, delay and method of submission.

Documents that are not public acts

A private document — a contract, a company letter, a declaration — is not apostilled as it stands. A notarial step on the signature comes first, and it is that notarial signature which receives the apostille. Allow for this extra stage in business files.

Before you apply

1. Check the version of the record: an apostilled short extract is still a short extract.
2. Check the date: documents with a short acceptance window in Türkiye should not be apostilled months early.
3. Count your copies: each copy needs its own apostille.

Do not break the set

The apostille and the document form one unit. Do not detach, staple through, or punch holes for filing. A separated apostille can cause the document to be rejected on arrival.

Then what

The apostilled document travels to Türkiye, where it is translated and, if the receiving office requires it, certified. That part we do. See using Canadian documents in Türkiye.

Provincial variation is real

Because competence is split, two documents belonging to the same person can follow different routes: a federally issued record and a provincially registered one are not handled by the same office. Check each document separately rather than assuming the whole file goes to one place. Where several documents are involved, identify the slowest route first — it sets the date on which the entire package can be couriered to Türkiye.