AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
Alberta documents are authenticated by Official Documents and Appointments, part of Alberta Justice, which works by mail or courier only and charges $25 per document (Alberta page, published Dec 2025). It issues an apostille even for countries outside the Apostille Convention; because Nigeria is not a party, the Nigerian office receiving the document may also expect legalisation by the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa, so ask before you post anything.
Which office handles Alberta documents
The competent authority for Alberta is Official Documents and Appointments, part of Alberta Justice, at #111, 9833 109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2E8 (phone 780-427-5069). Global Affairs Canada's own guidance confirms the split: documents issued or notarised in Alberta go to Alberta's Ministry of Justice, not to Ottawa, and Global Affairs returns Alberta documents unprocessed. The rule follows the notary as well as the issuer: a document notarised by an Alberta notary goes to Alberta even if it was issued elsewhere.
The front counter is closed. Alberta says it does not accept documents in person and offers no rush, walk-in or while-you-wait service, so plan on post or courier from the start.
Why an apostille may not be the last step for Nigeria
Canada now issues apostilles under the Hague Apostille Convention. An apostille confirms the signature, the capacity of the official who signed and, where relevant, the seal. It says nothing about whether the content of the document is true.
Nigeria is not listed as a contracting party on the Hague Conference status table (last updated June 2026). Alberta's page says it will still issue an apostille for a non-signatory country, and that you may then need further authentication and legalisation by that country's representative office in Canada. Global Affairs Canada says the same: documents for non-party countries may still need legalisation by the destination country's embassy, high commission or consulate.
For Nigeria, the representative office is the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa. Its published passport page does not set out a document-legalisation procedure or fee, so contact the mission directly and ask the Nigerian body that will receive your document (a university, court, bank, the CAC or a land registry) what it accepts. Some receivers take the apostille alone; others ask for the mission's stamp as well. See legalisation at the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa.
What Alberta will and will not accept
Alberta lists birth, marriage and death certificates, education records, notarised documents, export records, corporate records and criminal record checks not issued by the RCMP. Each type has its own condition:
| Document | What Alberta needs |
|---|---|
| Alberta birth certificate | Original on polymer paper issued after 1 February 2008; laminated or wallet-size not accepted |
| Alberta marriage or death certificate | Original issued after 1 January 1999 |
| Certificate of Divorce | Original signed by the court clerk with an impressed court seal |
| Education records (transcripts, degrees) | Certified by the institution's registrar as an official record or true copy, with wet signature and embossed seal |
| Power of attorney, life certificate, corporate or export records | A copy notarised by an Alberta notary public, signed, sealed and dated |
| Criminal record check not from the RCMP | Notarised first |
| RCMP criminal record check | Not Alberta: send to Global Affairs Canada |
Documents longer than ten pages must be printed double-sided. If Alberta cannot issue an apostille, it returns the documents with a written explanation.
Steps from Alberta to a Nigerian desk
- Ask the Nigerian receiver in writing what it needs: apostille only, or apostille plus High Commission legalisation, and whether it wants originals or certified copies.
- Get the document into an accepted form: a recent original vital statistics certificate, a registrar-certified transcript, or a copy notarised by an Alberta notary.
- Pay the fee online through Alberta eServices: $25 per document, one payment per submission (five documents is $125). Cash is not accepted. Print the emailed receipt.
- Complete the Apostille Request Form, or a cover sheet with your name, contact details, return address and the destination country (Nigeria).
- Post the form, documents and printed receipt to the Edmonton address, with a prepaid Canada Post Priority or Xpresspost envelope, or a prepaid electronic courier waybill. Handwritten waybills are refused.
- Allow at least 7 to 10 business days; Alberta processes in order of receipt and does not take status enquiries.
- If the Nigerian receiver wants legalisation, take or send the apostilled document to the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa under its current procedure.
- Send the finished document to Nigeria by a tracked service and keep scans of every page, including the apostille.
A worked example
Example only: you need your Calgary-issued marriage certificate and a power of attorney for a Lagos property matter. The marriage certificate goes as an original (issued after 1999); the power of attorney is signed before an Alberta notary, who certifies it. That is two documents, so the Alberta fee is 2 x $25 = $50, plus return postage. Any High Commission charge is separate and should be confirmed with the mission.
What to check first
- Whether the document was issued or notarised in Alberta. If it was notarised in Ontario or Saskatchewan, that province's authority handles it instead.
- That the certificate is the right edition: older Alberta birth certificates on paper are not accepted.
- Whether the Nigerian receiver needs the document recently issued; some ask for certificates issued within the last few months.
- Whether the High Commission must see the document before or after it leaves Canada.
If your document needs a notary first, our guide to using a Canadian notary for Nigerian documents covers what to bring. For a power of attorney, see a power of attorney from Canada for use in Nigeria.
Where Pryme fits
Authentication fees in Canada are paid in dollars, but many Nigerian charges that follow (agents, couriers, registry fees) are paid in naira. A Pryme account, opened from Canada, holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR, and Swap shows the rate and the fee before you approve a conversion. Receipts and statements from Pryme can be issued as verifiable documents through VerifyDoc.ai when a Nigerian office asks for proof of payment.
Questions people ask
Where do I get an apostille in Alberta?
From Official Documents and Appointments, Alberta Justice, #111, 9833 109 Street, Edmonton T5K 2E8. It works by mail or courier only; the front counter is closed.
How much does Alberta charge for an apostille?
$25 per document, paid online through Alberta eServices, as at Alberta's page published December 2025. Cash is not accepted.
Does Nigeria accept a Canadian apostille?
Nigeria is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so acceptance depends on the receiving office. Some may also want legalisation by the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa; ask before you send.
How long does Alberta take to authenticate documents?
Alberta asks you to allow at least 7 to 10 business days, plus postage both ways. It does not answer status enquiries.
Sources
- Alberta: Document authentication for use in other jurisdictions and countries (published 5 Dec 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Global Affairs Canada: Authenticate your documents, step 1 (modified 26 Aug 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status table (last updated 30 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria High Commission Ottawa: E-passport application procedures and requirements · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.