What Distinguishes Authentication from an Apostille?

Expanding a company internationally opens up additional avenues for growth and income. One of the several difficulties in conducting business globally, however, is that the company must confirm and authenticate specific documents, like the articles of incorporation, in order to carry out any operations, like opening a bank account.

Businesses must take further steps to confirm the authenticity of these corporate documents in other jurisdictions, even though they might be legitimate and acceptable in the country’s of use.

The procedure is complex and calls for getting authentication from a number of authorities in the country where the document was issued as well as at an official residence—such as an embassy or consulate—of the nation in which the document will be used.

A company firm needs to understand the proper procedure for authenticating relevant documents in order to achieve compliance with this document certification approach. There are two ways to do this: authentication and apostille.

What is an Apostille?

Apostille is a type of authentication designed to make the process of legalizing and authenticating official document easier so that they can be accepted across borders by countries who have ratified the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty.

An apostille, which is essentially a certificate, is used to authenticate documents. It can be obtained by Global Affairs Canada (JLAC) or by provincial authorities like the Official Document Services or an accredited company such as Document Legalization of Canada.

Apostilled documents usually don’t need to be further certified or legalized by the foreign country’s embassy or consulate where the business plans to operate.

What is a Document Authentication?

A company must adhere to an authentication procedure for authenticating corporate documents if it plans to establish a business presence in a country that is not a party to The Hague Convention.

The process of authenticating documents is having them notarized (a sealed certificate that attests to the authority of a public official, typically a notary public), and finally authenticated by Global Affairs Canada

A company must next apply for certification in the foreign jurisdiction after securing an authentication. This procedure, known as “legalization,” is carried out at the country’s embassy or consulate in Canada.

Are Authentication and Apostille Equivalent?

Apostille and authentication are not interchangeable, and the right procedure needs to be followed. Making the incorrect decision could lead to the other country rejecting the document.

For instance, the apostille procedure is inapplicable for countries who is not a signatory to the Hauge Apostille Convention, An apostille that is unintentionally submitted for verification in order to be used in those countries will be refused and become useless. A company that wants to resubmit to a foreign embassy or consulate must first obtain a clean version on the requirements for authenticating a document.

Conclusion

To guarantee worldwide success, one must successfully navigate the difficulties of the apostille and authentication procedure. As such, it’s critical to budget for what may prove to be a difficult and time-consuming procedure. Many companies might be inexperienced with this kind of geographic area. In which case, it may be beneficial to use a legal services provider such as Document Legalization of Canada who can assist you in authentication or apostille your document.