Validating Canadian Documents for use in Cyprus
The island nation of Cyprus is one of the most sought after destinations in the Mediterranean for many reasons. It is nothing short of a tiny paradise laden with beaches, ancient architecture, and delicious cuisine blended from Middle Eastern and European influences. This has made it more than a tourist destination for many around the world including many Canadians. Indeed, every year thousands of Canadians choose Cyprus as their destination for work, marriage, or retirement. Unfortunately, it is not as easy as simply moving there. There are various processes that need to be completed and one of those will likely involve using Canadian documents in Cyprus. These can range from Birth Certificates and Marriage Certificates to Powers of Attorney and RCMP police checks. Likewise, these documents cannot be used in Cyprus in their original state as there is no way for the authorities in Cyprus to know if the documents are real or fake. This is why a process was developed to assess the validity of documents issued in foreign countries. Many countries around the world use the apostille process which you may have heard of. It is even possible you have even been told have your Canadian documents apostille for use in Cyprus. However, Canada uses a different process for making documents valid for international use. This process is called authentication and legalization and it is legally equal to an apostille. In fact, the countries which currently use the apostille process used authentication and legalization prior to the Hague Apostille convention which Canada has not signed. If you have Canadian documents that need to be used in Cyprus or elsewhere in the world, your documents will need to go through this process.
Canadian Document Apostille, Authentication Legalization for Cyprus
Authentication and legalization is very easy to understand but very difficult to do. It simply involves validating the signatures of recognized authorities at two places: at Global Affairs Canada and at the consular section of the embassy of Cyprus. For Global Affairs Canada to authenticate your Canadian document, it must contain a signature which they recognize and have on file. These can be from a Canadian lawyer or notary public or the signatories at the various provincial vital statistics offices across Canada as well as some others. Your document must also meet the requirements listed by Global Affairs Canada for authentication. Once your documents have been authenticated they are ready for legalization at the consular section of the embassy of Cyprus. The consul examines your document and legalizes it by validating the signature from Global Affairs Canada. This is commonly done by placing a stamp, seal, and signature on the document but every embassy does this differently (and sometimes even the different consulates of the same country). They also have a series of additional requirements which you will need to provide for legalization to occur. Once these two steps have been completed your document is valid for use in Cyprus. What makes this process so difficult is the long processing time at Global Affairs Canada, which can take over 20 business days to authenticate your documents if you send them in by mail. Each embassy also has their own processing times which vary and fees which change often. This can make it very difficult to coordinate authentication and legalization in a timely manner and this process can easily take months to complete without assistance. Thankfully there is an easy way to minimize errors, delays, and save up to 20 business days of processing time: ALSC.
For over 20 years we have been processing Canadian documents for use in over 100 countries around the world. In fact, we are the first company to specialize in this service in Canada and have remained the leaders in our field since then. We are experts in all manner of Canadian documents. From powers of attorney, birth certificates and university degrees to certificates of incorporation, certificates of pharmaceutical products, and international trade certificates, we know exactly what you will need to make them valid for use in Cyprus and elsewhere. As a result of working with Global Affairs Canada and dozens of embassies in Ottawa and across Canada, we have established ourselves as trustworthy clients and developed professional relationships that allow us to resolve issues promptly and be up to date on their ever changing requirements and fees. The result is an unparalleled level of service that can save you up to 20 business days off of the processing time you could otherwise face. On our priority same business day authentication service, your documents are authenticated on the same day they arrive at our office. We also offer a standard 3 day and economy 10 business day service which combine speed with affordability. Either way, you save time. Most importantly, when you choose to use our services you are covered by our service guarantee. This means that we promise your document will be valid for use within the country of your choosing. From start to finish you will receive detailed updates on the progress of your documents and will have an agent available at all times during our office hours to answer your questions and address your concerns. Once your document has been made ready for use in Cyprus, we can send it anywhere in the world you’d like via one of our many trusted shipping partners. If you have Canadian documents that need to be used in Cyprus and are rushing to meet a deadline, you should contact us immediately. Feel free to refer to the rest of the article for more information on some Canadian documents commonly used in Cyprus, how you can get them, and how we can help you.
Canadian Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate for use in Cyprus
If you have a Canadian Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate you need to use in Cyprus, you’re in luck. Canadian vital statistics documents like those just mentioned are some of the easiest to process for international use. This is because they come issued with signatures that are recognized by Global Affairs Canada, making them valid for authentication in their original state. The only versions of these documents which are valid for international use are those issued by the provincial vital statistics office of the province where the life event occurred. This means that marriage certificates issued by churches or death certificates issued by funeral homes are not valid for authentication nor legalization. This is true even if they have been notarized, so make sure yours clearly indicates that it has been issued by a provincial body. If you would like you can have notarized copies made of your birth certificate, marriage certificate, or death certificate for international use. However, this is not recommended as notarized copies are not always accepted by requesting parties overseas. Furthermore, making notarized copies may be more expensive in some cases than simply ordering a new Canadian birth certificate, marriage certificate, or death certificate. If you do need to order your Canadian birth certificate, marriage certificate, or death certificate for use in Cyprus, there is one last thing to keep in mind. This is that when ordering a new Canadian vital statistics document, it is always best to use the long form versions with the most detail. Wallet sized birth certificates are not valid for authentication at Global Affairs Canada. These larger documents may be referred to as a “Copy of an Act of Birth” or a “Registration of Live Birth” depending on the issuing province. Make sure to check that you have ordered the appropriate size of Canadian vital statistics document when you order it. Finally, you can save time by having your new Canadian Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death certificate shipped straight to our head office in Ottawa for processing. This can save you processing time and many of our clients choose to do this, especially if they are currently located out of the country. Refer to the links below to order a new Canadian vital statistics document.
Click here to order your Manitoba Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate (application form to be sent by mail or fax)
Click here to order your Nova Scotia Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate
Click here to order your New Brunswick Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate
Click here to order your PEI Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate
Click here to order your Ontario Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate
Click here to order your Quebec Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate (using the DEclic! system or by contacting Services Quebec here)
Click here to order your Alberta Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate
Click here to order your Saskatchewan Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, or Death Certificate
Canadian Power of Attorney, Police Check for use in Cyprus
Unlike Canadian Vital Statistics documents, Canadian Powers of Attorney will require notarization by a lawyer or notary public to be valid for authentication at Global Affairs Canada. The same is true of all police checks except those issued by the RCMP headquarters here in Ottawa, which contain signatures that are on file at Global Affairs Canada. Powers of attorney are often required for matters related to property whereas police checks are frequently required for employment and similar purposes such as immigration. If you have already gotten your power of attorney or police check notarized for use in Cyprus, take a second to make sure that the stamp, seal, and signature are all legible. If Global Affairs Canada cannot read the name of the lawyer or if one of those three elements are missing, they may not be able to authenticate your document. Similarly to vital statistics documents, particularly birth certificates, not all police checks are ideal for international use. In fact, the preferred police check for international use is an RCMP police check. This is because the RCMP has an international status similar to bodies such as Interpol, and consequently contain more information on the document such as fingerprints. If you already have a locally issued police check which has been notarized, not to worry. Just make sure to check with your requesting party in Cyprus if a regular police check that has been authenticated and legalized will be sufficient for your purposes in Cyprus. If you would like to get your RCMP check for use in Cyprus, you can get started by following the steps listed here. As our office is minutes away from the RCMP headquarters, we recommend you have your police check sent directly to our office for processing if you ordered it from their Ottawa office. This can save you a lot of time!
Canadian Documents in Cyprus: Trust the Experts
Authentication and legalization is very difficult to do without help. This is even true if you have gone through the process before. The constantly changing requirements and fees make it likely that the process has changed, sometimes significantly, since the last time you went through it. It is always stressful and time consuming. However, trusting a third party with your sensitive documentation can sometimes be even more difficult. Our A+ rating with the BBB and dozens of 5-star verified reviews on Facebook and Google prove that we are both trustworthy and efficient. This hasn’t stopped us from continuing to actively look for ways to serve our clients better. This is why we have over a dozen service centers across Canada and counting. We pride ourselves in being the most accessible service provider in our industry, offering free shipping via FedEx to our head office for processing when you drop off your documents at any one of our service centers. Upon completion we can send your documents anywhere in the world they need to go at an additional cost, or back to any one of our service centers for pick up via FedEx courier free of charge. Prior to enjoying this service advantage, you must contact out head office and make an appointment, without which your documents may not be accepted at the service center. Whatever your documents and whatever your purposes, your affairs are safe in the hands of the experts when you choose ALSC. Click below to get started with your Canadian documents for use in Cyprus!
