Before any apostille is issued, the competent authority checks for a verifiable signature. That is the foundational requirement. Which document category you submit determines whose signature is being verified.

An original carries the issuing authority's own signature and official seal - a birth certificate from a Vital Statistics office, a court document with the clerk's signature and embossed seal, a transcript certified by the registrar. The authority can verify these signatures directly because it holds records of official signatories from its jurisdiction.

Originals are the preferred format for apostille submissions. The apostille attaches to the original, and the receiving party abroad gets the actual government record plus the apostille certificate.

You can order multiple originals. Vital Statistics offices issue as many certified copies as you request and pay for. Each carries its own serial number and is equally valid. If you need one for a visa and one for a foreign registry, order both at the outset.

A certified true copy is a copy that a notary public has examined against the original and certified as accurate. The notary signs with wet ink, applies their stamp or embossed seal, adds the date, and includes a statement such as: "I certify this to be a true copy of the original document presented to me."

The competent authority does not see the original. It sees the notarized copy and checks whether the notary's signature matches its registry.

A certified true copy is used when the original cannot be surrendered, does not carry a government-verifiable signature on its own, or is a private document. A foreign birth certificate, a diploma you intend to keep, a contract - these fall into this category.

Not accepted. No Canadian competent authority apostilles a photocopy or scan without notarization. There is no verifiable signature or seal on a photocopy, so there is nothing for the authority to authenticate.

The route follows a simple decision:

• Government-issued original with official signature and seal → submit the original directly
• Private document, foreign document, or copy → have a notary certify a true copy, then submit
• Unsure → contact the relevant authority or use GAC's triage portal