About Certificates of Authentication
ODS formally authenticates legalized documents requested by foreign consulates and embassies. ODS authenticates notarized or commissioned:
* birth, adoption, marriage or divorce certificates;
* property ownership documents;
* school, college, or university admission papers and transcripts;
* business, commercial import-export documents and contracts dealing with incorporation, partnerships, product standards and distribution, fiscal matters, approval certificates for customs, etc.;
* certain Ontario government official documents.
The authentication of seals, stamps and signatures by ODS validates the status of a Notary Public or Commissioner for taking Affidavits appointed in the Province of Ontario. Foreign consulates and embassies request our certificates of authentication in order to accept the validity of various documents.
The ODS mandate is to verify the document submitted by comparing the signature and seal/stamp (as applicable) on the document against the information on file pertaining to the Notary Public or Commissioner for taking Affidavits. ODS does not validate the contents of any document.
ODS staff must be able to visually inspect all the relevant information on the notarized/commissioned document in its entirety in order to continue the authentication process.
Authentication will only proceed if:
* all parts of the signature, seal and/or stamp of the Notary Public or Commissioner
for taking Affidavits are visible on the same page of the document; and
* the Notary Public or Commissioner for taking Affidavits is registered on file with ODS; and
* the name, seal and/or stamp is identical to that on file at ODS.
