Why should I obtain a Death Certificate? How to obtain it? And why I should apostille the Death Certificate?
When a loved family member dies, as most of us will pass through this difficult moment in our lives, the last thing you are thinking about is how to obtain a Death Certificate. Unfortunately, this long and time-consuming process cannot be avoided for several reasons. The list below explains why you need a Death Certificate in Canada?
You may need an original death certificate in order to:
- Transfer ownership of the real estate
- Transfer the ownership of a motor vehicles
- Transfer money from bank accounts
- Remove the content of a safe deposit box
- Access certain government services
- Cancel government services such as driver license, health card, or voter registration
- Transfer ownership of bonds, stocks, or other investments
- Redemption of bonds or other financial investments
- Filling for final tax returns
How to obtain a Canadian Death Certificate?
Canadian Death Certificate must be obtained from the vital statistics office of the province in which the event occurred. Also, if you require to authenticate the Death Certificate from Global Affairs Canada (JLAC). They only authenticate the original certificate issued by the office of vital statistics (mainly signed by the Deputy Registrar or Registrar General) of the relevant province or territory. Global Affairs Canada do not authenticate funeral homes death certificate. You can visit our helpful link on our website for a list of vital statistic offices in the province where the death occurred.
What is death certificate authentication?
Document authentication is a process used to confirm the authenticity of a Canadian document, it is usually done by Global Affairs Canada (JLAC) in Ottawa. It is the first crucial step in the authentication and legalization process and for your document to be legalized at the foreign embassy at a later stage. If you have been asked to present a Canadian death certificate in another country, you will likely need to get it authenticated and legalized first.
What is death certificate legalization?
Death certificate legalization is the final step in certifying the authenticity of the death certificate so that it will be officially recognized in another country. To have the death certificate legalized it requires to be submitted to the embassy or consulate of the country where the certificate will be presented. This process alone can be complex and time-consuming as each foreign embassy has its own rules and procedures in the legalization of this type of document.
After having the Death Certificate legalized by the embassy it confirms to the officials in the destination country that the death certificate has been verified by their representative in Canada.
How do I notarize a death certificate?
Usually, this was done before Global Affairs Canada changed its rules. A notary can make a “certified true copy” of a Canadian death certificate. However, Global Affairs Canada will no longer authenticate copies of death certificates. Only original documents issued by the vital statistics office will be accepted for authentication. Furthermore, Global Affairs Canada does not authenticate funeral homes’ death certificates.
Contact us today! Our friendly staff will explain the process, outline your options and answer your questions. No pressure or obligation. Call toll-free at 1-833-700-5342 or fill the online form and we’ll get right back to you.
