Legalization of Canadian tribunal documents (e.g. Divorce Decree)
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The German missions offer legalization for Canadian tribunal documents for use in Germany.
For instance: You want to apply directly at a German court for recognition of your Canadian divorce decree.
Please note that you will need court-certified copies of your Certificate of Divorce, your Divorce decree and your Marriage Certificate (each to be authenticated by DFAIT first) for the recognition of your Canadian divorce.
Authentication from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Prior to legalization from the German mission the original document has to be authenticated by the Authentication and Service of Documents Section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) first:
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Authentication and Service of Documents Section (JLAC)
111 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
mailing adress:
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Att.: Authentication and Service of Documents Section (JLAC)
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0G2 Canada
Tel.: 1-800-267-8376 (toll-free in Canada)
(+1) 613-944-4000 (in the National Capital Region and outside Canada)
(+1) 613-944-9136 (TTY for the deaf)
www.international.gc.ca/about-a_propos/authentication- authentification_documents
fee: to our knowledge none
Please advise that the authentication is for the German foreign missions in Canada and ask for a handwritten signature. Please be aware that your certificate of authentication without a handwritten signature by the Official Documents Services cannot be legalized by the German foreign missions.
Process time will be 40 business days (8 weeks) from the time your documents are received.
Please bring the authenticated document to the Embassy or Consulate, either in person or through a representative.
The fee for the legalization is approximately CAD$ 60.00 per document, depending on the current exchange rate.
Mailing Process
If you are not able to process the legalization with the German Mission yourself the process can also be conducted by mail. Please send the following paperwork to the German Embassy or Consulate:
- the certificate and authentication you wish to be legalized
- certified cheque or money order for the amount of CAD$ 60 for each document, made out to the competent German mission ("German Embassy Ottawa," "German Consulate Toronto" or "German Consulate Vancouver"); for security reasons we would not recommend to mail cash.
- a self-addressed stamped envelope (Xpresspost from Canada Post)
The legalized document will be returned in your prepaid envelope. For any references please quote your phone number and / or e-mail-address.
The German Embassy or Consulate Generale does not assume liability for documents lost in the mail.
Process for persons residing in Germany
If you are in Germany and want the legalized document to be sent to an address in Germany, send your document to the competent Canadian Authority for authentication first. Please ask in your covering letter to forward the certificate and authentication together with your letter to the German Embassy or Consulate for legalization.
In your letter to the German Embassy or Consulate include a declaration (in German or English) that you will pay our fee of €50 (€40 for the legalization + €10 for postage) and provide your address in Germany to which the legalized document should be sent. If we do not have a German adress the legalization can not be processed. We will send an invoice with the legalized document so that you can pay the fee into an account in Germany. The invoice will contain the necessary bank details. We do not accept advance payment.
For any references please quote your e-mail-address.
The German Embassy or Consulate does not assume liability for documents lost in mail.
