Mail-In Services Only
In the best interest of public health, we will not be accepting any walk-ins. All authentication services will be provided by mail-in services only. No exceptions.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
When Authentication May be Necessary
If you need to use a notarized document outside of Canada, you may require a certificate of authentication. This is known as an authentication, and it confirms the notary public’s status, signature and seal.
There are a variety of documents, such as powers of attorney and death/birth certificates, that are requested by consulates, embassies and foreign governments that may require the authentication of certain signatures.
For efficient and timely processing of your documents, please follow this checklist:
1. Gather your documents.
- Confirm the requirements by contacting the authority requesting your documents or the embassy, high commission, or consulate of the country where your document(s) will be used.
It is your responsibility to check with the consulate or embassy for the documents they require and how the documents should be packaged (several documents together or separate).
Our office does not advise on consulate and embassy requirements, and we are not authorized to contact the consulate or embassy on your behalf.
2. Get your documents notarized.
- Documents must be notarized by a Saskatchewan Notary Public with an original signature, notarial seal and expiry date of the notary public (practicing lawyers do not need an expiry date).
- For eHealth documents (birth or death certificates), check with your consulate or embassy to see if they require the original or a certified copy (a photocopy that is notarized). Original ehealth documents can be authenticated.
- If more than one document is being sent in, please staple or clip them together as you want them packaged (fee is $50 per certificate package).
Our office does not notarize documents, please see a lawyer notary public for this service.
We cannot advise on how to notarize a document, questions regarding notarization of documents should be directed to the Commissioner and Notary’s office.
Send only the documents that are to be authenticated (our office does not require your ID or supporting documents).
3. Provide your contact information.
- In the package, please include your name, daytime phone number and/or email address for your contact information.
4. Form of payment.
Fee for authentication – $50 per certificate package.
- We accept personal cheques or money orders made payable to "Minister of Finance".
- A credit card over the phone is also accepted. By including your contact information, we can contact you for your credit card information once we receive and authenticate your documents.
5. Mailing your documents.
- Mail only the documents to be authenticated in the package to:
Ministry of Justice and Attorney General
Authentication Services
1010 - 1874 Scarth Street
Regina SK S4P 4B3
Documents are returned by regular mail, unless you include a prepaid, self-addressed return courier envelope (such as Xpresspost, available at Canada Post).
Process of authentication (please allow up to three to five days):
- The Deputy Attorney General will verify that the Notary's signature is valid.
- A certificate signed by the Lieutenant Governor will verify the Deputy Attorney General's signature.
- The documents are then bound with a green ribbon, stamped with the Great Seal of Saskatchewan (red seal) and considered authenticated. In Canada, this process is done in place of an Apostille. Canada is currently not a party to the Apostille Convention, and it does not issue apostilles.
- Documents are returned to the client.
Contact:
If you have any further inquiries that are not addressed above, please call or email our office at:
Phone: 306-787-5972
Email: authserv@gov.sk.ca