Country Requirements & Apostille
Police Certificates, Fingerprinting & Apostille Requirements by Country
Foreign Police Certificates
Need a police certificate from another country while in Canada? Find country-specific information on fingerprinting and application requirements.
International Fingerprinting
We provide professional fingerprinting for foreign police checks, visas, immigration, employment and other international purposes.
Apostille & Legalization
Using Canadian documents abroad? Find out whether your destination country requires an apostille, authentication, legalization or other document processing.
Find Requirements for Your Country
Select a country below to view information on foreign police certificates, fingerprinting requirements, and requirements for using Canadian documents abroad.
How to Obtain an Afghan Police Certificate from Canada
Due to the current political situation in Afghanistan, the Afghan Embassy in Ottawa and Consulates in Canada are active but operating independently from the current administration in Afghanistan. Consequently, they do not have direct access to database registries to issue standard police clearance certificates.
If you require a police certificate for Canadian immigration (IRCC) or other formal purposes, you must contact your nearest Afghan Embassy or Consulate to request a formal reference or clearance letter.
Using Canadian Documents in Afghanistan
Afghanistan does not follow the standard Apostille process for Canadian documents.
If you require your Canadian documents to be used in Afghanistan, you must contact the receiving Afghan authorities or the nearest Afghan Consulate or Embassy directly to verify the exact procedure required for your specific situation.
Important Information
As an RCMP-accredited fingerprinting agency, we have years of experience assisting clients with international fingerprinting, foreign police certificate requirements, and apostille, authentication and legalization of Canadian documents for use abroad. Requirements vary by country and purpose, so we have compiled the country-specific information above to help you understand the process before proceeding.
International Fingerprinting – Two Sets Recommended
When fingerprints are required for a foreign police certificate or other international purpose, we recommend obtaining two original sets, even if only one is requested. A second set provides a backup if an impression is rejected, damaged or cannot be accepted by the foreign authority, helping avoid the need to have your fingerprints taken again.
Country-Specific Requirements
Fingerprinting, police certificate and document requirements can vary by country and may also differ depending on your citizenship, the purpose of the application and the receiving authority. While we make every effort to keep our country-specific information current, requirements can change without notice. We recommend confirming the latest requirements with the relevant embassy, consulate, government authority or receiving organization before submission.
Apostille Validity
A Canadian apostille itself does not expire. However, the country or organization receiving your document may require the underlying Canadian document to have been issued within a specific period or may impose its own acceptance requirements. Where available, country-specific validity information is provided above, but final requirements should be confirmed with the receiving authority.
Foreign Police Certificate Applications
Where fingerprints are required to obtain a police certificate from another country, our office can complete the required fingerprinting in Canada. Applicants are responsible for submitting their fingerprints and supporting documents to the appropriate foreign authority.