Apostille for Canada
Since 11 January 2024, Canada is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. Indian documents for Canada no longer go through the Canadian High Commission – the MEA apostille is now the final stamp. INFINITYGRO handles the apostille for Canada in Delhi for degrees, police clearance, birth and marriage certificates, powers of attorney and company documents, and prepares English or French translations with the translator’s affidavit.
- Provincial offices
- Courts & lawyers
- Real estate & POA
- Colleges & universities
- Professional licensing
- Marriage & name change
- Banks
- Company registration
apostille
An apostille for Canada is the MEA apostille placed on an Indian document after it is verified by the right Indian authority. Since Canada joined the Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024, Canadian provincial offices, courts, lawyers, banks and institutions accept the MEA apostille instead of High Commission legalisation. IRCC itself usually asks for copies and certified translations rather than an apostille.
Apostille for Canada replaced High Commission legalisation
Before 2024, Indian documents for Canada needed MEA attestation followed by legalisation at the Canadian High Commission. That chain ended when the Apostille Convention entered into force for Canada on 11 January 2024.
Today the MEA apostille – with a QR code that can be verified online – is all a Canadian authority needs to accept the Indian signature on your document.
Important: IRCC (immigration) generally does not ask for apostilles. For PR, study and work permits it wants clear copies and, for non-English or non-French documents, a translation with the translator’s affidavit. The apostille for Canada is mainly needed by provincial bodies, courts, lawyers, notaries, banks, schools and regulators.
Documents that need an apostille for Canada
Typical documents and their route in India:
| Document | Route in India | Who asks for it in Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney | Notary → Home Department → MEA apostille | Property sale or purchase, banking, legal matters |
| Birth certificate | Notary → SDM / Home Department → MEA apostille | Provincial vital statistics, name change, school records |
| Marriage certificate | Notary → SDM / Home Department → MEA apostille | Provincial registration, divorce or court matters |
| Degree, diploma, transcripts | State education department / university → MEA apostille | Colleges, professional regulators (when they ask for it) |
| Police clearance (Passport Seva) | MEA apostille directly | Employers, regulators, adoption files |
| Affidavits & court documents | Notary → Home Department → MEA apostille | Canadian courts and lawyers |
| Company documents | Chamber of commerce → MEA apostille | Opening a Canadian company or bank account |
Apostille for Canada by purpose
Property & POA
Powers of attorney for selling or buying property in Canada or India, apostilled for Canadian lawyers and banks.
Courts & family law
Indian marriage, divorce and birth records apostilled for Canadian family courts.
Colleges & regulators
Degrees and transcripts apostilled when a college or licensing body specifically asks for it.
Name change & vital statistics
Birth and marriage certificates for provincial name-change and registration procedures.
Adoption & guardianship
Civil records and police clearance apostilled for adoption files.
Business
Board resolutions and incorporation documents apostilled for Canadian companies.
English or French translation with your apostille for Canada
Canada works in English and French. Documents in Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati or other languages need a translation – and for most Canadian authorities, a translation with the translator’s sworn affidavit. Get the apostille for Canada first, then translate the document and the apostille together.
See our IRCC translation page for the affidavit format, and Punjabi or Gujarati translation for regional-language certificates.
Apostille for Canada sample – what the MEA apostille looks like
This is a real apostille for Canada on an Indian degree certificate, with personal details hidden. Read it from top to bottom: the notary stamp, then the SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) stamp, and finally the MEA apostille sticker issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. The sticker carries a unique apostille number and a QR code, so the receiving office in Canada can check it online instead of asking you for embassy legalisation.
How it worksApostille for Canada in 5 steps
- Confirm who is askingProvince, court, lawyer, college or bank – we check that they want an apostille and not just a copy.
- Scan checkWhatsApp the documents; we verify names, dates and issuing authority.
- Courier or walk inSend originals to Delhi or drop them at our New Ashok Nagar office.
- Verification + MEA apostilleNotary/SDM/state verification where needed, then MEA apostille – 2 to 7 working days.
- Return + translationTracked return by Blue Dart or similar; English/French translation with affidavit if required.
Can you visit Delhi? You are welcome to hand over your documents and collect the signed translation at our office in New Ashok Nagar. From another state or country, just email or WhatsApp a clear scan – the soft copy comes back by email and the signed, stamped copy by Blue Dart or another reputed, fully tracked courier.
FeesApostille for Canada – fees
For a document that is already ready for the MEA – for example a Passport Seva PCC or a document that already carries the required notary and SDM stamps. We take it to the MEA and you get the QR apostille for Canada.
The complete route shown in the sample above: we arrange the notary and SDM attestation in Delhi, then the MEA apostille – one price, one handover.
Degree certificates and other educational documents that must first be verified by the state education department or the university are quoted separately. Certified English or French translation for Canada is also quoted on its own. See our degree, birth and marriage fee pages, or ask on WhatsApp for one written quote for your whole Canada file.
Most requests we receive for an apostille for Canada come from Indian-Canadian families handling property through a power of attorney, and from residents needing Indian civil records for provincial procedures. Because the rules changed in 2024, many older guides online still describe High Commission legalisation – that route is no longer needed for an apostille for Canada.
FAQsApostille for Canada – FAQs
Does Canada accept the Indian MEA apostille?
Yes. The Apostille Convention entered into force for Canada on 11 January 2024, so Canadian authorities accept the MEA apostille.
Do I still need Canadian High Commission legalisation?
No. Since January 2024 the MEA apostille replaces legalisation by the Canadian High Commission.
Does IRCC need an apostille for PR or study permits?
Usually not. IRCC generally asks for copies and certified translations; an apostille is needed only if a specific office asks for it.
Which documents commonly need an apostille for Canada?
Powers of attorney, birth and marriage certificates, court documents, degrees for some regulators, and company documents.
Do I need a translation as well?
Yes, if the document is not in English or French – normally with the translator’s affidavit.
How long does it take?
About 2–3 working days for a Passport Seva PCC and around 5–7 working days for documents needing state verification.
Related pages
Start your apostille for Canada
Send a clear scan of every page on WhatsApp or email – you get a written quote and delivery date before any work starts.
INFINITYGRO · C-5 A/2, New Ashok Nagar, Delhi – 110096Last updated: 24 October 2026 · INFINITYGRO apostille desk, New Ashok Nagar, Delhi