Legalising Malaysian Documents for Canada (High Commission of Canada)

Oct 24

Short answer: Canada joined the Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024, but Malaysia has not, so a Malaysian document cannot get an apostille for Canada. It goes through legalisation instead: a certified English or French translation if it is in Malay, a Malaysian Notary Public where a certified copy or a signature has to be certified, attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra), and then authentication of Wisma Putra's signature and seal by the High Commission of Canada in Kuala Lumpur.

Need documents legalised for Canada? We handle the translation, the Notary Public, Wisma Putra and the High Commission of Canada for you. Send them on WhatsApp for a fixed quotation.

Last reviewed: 24 October 2026.

Do you need legalisation for Canada?

Legalise a Malaysian document when the Canadian office that receives it asks for an authenticated or legalised document: provincial registries (for example for a marriage, a name change or a divorce recognition), courts, professional regulators, and some employers and universities. For most immigration applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), clear copies with certified translations are what the checklist asks for, so legalise only when your checklist or the office asks for it.

How it works, step by step

Certified translation into English or French of every document in Malay. Canada wants the translator's membership stamp and the translator's statements; our certified translations for Canada include them.
Notary Public: a Malaysian Notary Public certifies the copies and the translations, or witnesses a signature (an affidavit, statutory declaration or power of attorney for Canada).
Wisma Putra (Consular Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Putrajaya) attests the document and its translation.
High Commission of Canada in Kuala Lumpur authenticates the signature and seal of Wisma Putra. Its notarial services are by appointment only, at 17th Floor, Menara Tan & Tan, 207 Jalan Tun Razak.
Delivery: we courier the legalised originals and translations to you in Canada or anywhere else.

Every translated page is legalised together with its original, so the Canadian office receives the original and the translation with the same chain of stamps.

Government fees

Wisma Putra: RM 20 per document for civil-status documents, notarised documents and powers of attorney; RM 10 per certified translation or certified true copy.
High Commission of Canada: CAD 50 per document for authenticating the signature and seal of a foreign authority, paid by credit card; CAD 50 per document for witnessing a signature; CAD 20 per certified true copy.
Our quotation is fixed before you pay and covers the whole chain. See document legalisation fees and processing times in Malaysia.

What delays a legalisation for Canada

A document that skipped Wisma Putra: the High Commission authenticates Wisma Putra's signature, so that step always comes first.
A translation without the translator's membership stamp and statements, or one made by the applicant or a relative.
An affidavit or statutory declaration signed without a Notary Public or a consular officer present.
Pages missing from a multi-page document, or a translation that does not cover every stamp and endorsement.
No appointment at the High Commission: book early when your deadline is close.

From our own submissions

In our experience, the High Commission of Canada authenticates Malaysian documents for use in Canada once Wisma Putra has attested them, and it accepts us as your authorised representative under your authorisation letter, so you do not need to come to Kuala Lumpur. We notarise the copies and the translations, lodge them at Wisma Putra, attend the High Commission appointment and courier everything back to you.

Canadian documents for use in Malaysia

Malaysia is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so a Canadian document for Malaysia is authenticated in Canada (by Global Affairs Canada or the competent provincial authority) and then legalised by the High Commission of Malaysia in Ottawa. A document in French also needs an English or Malay translation for most Malaysian offices.

Common questions

Can I get an apostille in Malaysia for Canada?

No. Malaysia is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so Malaysian documents for Canada are legalised through Wisma Putra and the High Commission of Canada instead.

Does IRCC need my Malaysian documents legalised?

Usually not. IRCC asks for copies and certified translations of documents that are not in English or French. Legalise a document when your checklist, a visa office or another Canadian authority asks for it.

Do I need to go to the High Commission of Canada myself?

No. We attend the appointment as your authorised representative under your authorisation letter. You only need to come in person to sign an affidavit or declaration before a consular officer, and we can arrange a Malaysian Notary Public for that instead.

Does the translation have to be legalised too?

Yes, when the Canadian office asks for legalised documents: each translated page goes through the Notary Public, Wisma Putra and the High Commission together with its original.

My document is already in English. What do I need?

No translation. The document, or its certified copy, goes to Wisma Putra and then to the High Commission of Canada.

Ringkasan (Bahasa Melayu)

Kanada menyertai Konvensyen Apostille pada 11 Januari 2024 tetapi Malaysia belum, jadi dokumen Malaysia untuk Kanada perlu dilegalisasi: terjemahan bertauliah ke bahasa Inggeris atau Perancis, Notari Awam jika perlu, pengesahan Wisma Putra, kemudian pengesahan tandatangan dan cop Wisma Putra oleh Suruhanjaya Tinggi Kanada di Kuala Lumpur (melalui temu janji). Kami menguruskan keseluruhan proses sebagai wakil anda.

摘要（中文）

加拿大于2024年1月11日加入《海牙认证公约》，但马来西亚尚未加入，因此马来西亚文件不能办理海牙认证（Apostille），须办理领事认证：马来文文件先做英文或法文认证翻译，需要时经马来西亚公证人公证，再经马来西亚外交部（Wisma Putra）认证，最后由加拿大驻吉隆坡高级专员署认证外交部的签名和印章（须预约）。我们以您的授权代表身份办理全部手续。

Related guides

Sources

Zhihan Chew