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The short answer
Documents issued in Quebec are authenticated by the Ministère de la Justice du Québec, whose Délivrance des apostilles office in Montreal works by post. Public documents such as a recent birth certificate from the Directeur de l'état civil go straight in; private documents need a lawyer's or notary's declaration and a Barreau or Chambre des notaires certificate first. Nigeria is not an Apostille Convention party, so confirm with the Nigerian receiver whether it also wants legalisation by the High Commission in Ottawa.
Who authenticates Quebec documents
Global Affairs Canada lists Quebec's Ministry of Justice as the competent authority, but only for documents whose original was issued in Quebec. The Ministry runs the service through Délivrance des apostilles, 276 rue Saint-Jacques, bureau 301, Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1N3. Its guidance sheet, the aide-mémoire, is in French; the steps below translate its requirements.
An apostille confirms the signature and seal of the official or professional who signed; it does not vouch for the content. Nigeria does not appear as a contracting party on the Hague Conference's Apostille Convention status table (updated June 2026), and the Quebec sheet simply tells applicants to check whether the destination needs further legalisation. Global Affairs Canada is clearer: documents for non-party countries may still need legalisation by that country's mission in Canada, which for Nigeria is the High Commission in Ottawa.
Three kinds of Quebec document, three routes
| Type | Examples | What comes first |
|---|---|---|
| Public document from a Quebec body | Divorce judgment; birth certificate issued by the Directeur de l'état civil in 2015 or later; transcript from a school recognised by the Ministère de l'Éducation | Nothing extra: send the original or a copy certified by the issuing body |
| Notarial act | A deed signed before a Quebec notary | A certificate of authenticity from the Chambre des notaires du Québec |
| Private document | Power of attorney, private contract, employment confirmation | An official declaration by a lawyer or notary, plus a signature authentication certificate from the Barreau du Québec (lawyers) or the Chambre des notaires (notaries) |
The Ministry refuses cards such as driving licences, glued or laminated documents, illegible documents, unsigned documents, documents without the signatory's name, and documents too old for the signature to be verified. If your Quebec birth certificate predates 2015, order a new one from the Directeur de l'état civil before you start.
Translation: the Quebec point most people miss
Many Quebec records are issued only in French. Nigerian offices work in English, so ask the receiving body whether it wants an English translation. The Quebec sheet sets two rules:
- If the destination wants a translation, check whether the translation must carry its own apostille. If so, your request covers two apostilles, one for the original and one for the translation, and you pay for each.
- For a private document in a language other than French or English, the lawyer's or notary's declaration must be made by a professional who masters that language, or the document must come with a translation by a member of the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ). The declaration must say which.
In practice, a French birth certificate going to a Nigerian university usually means an OTTIAQ translation, then a decision about whether that translation is apostilled too. Settle that with the receiver before paying a translator.
Steps
- Confirm with the Nigerian receiver: apostille only, or apostille plus High Commission legalisation; English translation or not; original or certified copy.
- Get the document into the right form: a post-2015 birth certificate, a certified transcript, or a notary's or lawyer's declaration with the Chambre or Barreau certificate.
- Arrange any OTTIAQ translation.
- Fill in the Ministry's online form, adding each document with its issuing body and type, then print and sign it.
- Pay per document, online by credit card or by bank draft or money order payable to the Fonds des registres du ministère de la Justice. The aide-mémoire does not print the amount; the Quebec Apostille page shows the current fee.
- Mail the signed form, originals or certified copies, declarations and certificates, payment (if not online) and, optionally, a return envelope at least 8.5 x 11 inches with a Canada Post or courier label. Clip together the papers that make up one apostille.
- Keep the apostille number, registration date and tracking details; the Ministry lets you follow a request's status.
- If legalisation is needed, take the apostilled document to the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa under its current procedure.
A worked example
Example only: a Montreal family needs a child's Quebec birth certificate for a Nigerian passport application and a school in Abuja. The certificate is from 2012, so they first order a new one. The school wants an English version, so they commission an OTTIAQ translation and the Ministry issues two apostilles. The Nigerian passport desk, by contrast, lists a copy of the birth certificate among its documents, and may not need any apostille; ask each body separately.
What to check first
- Was the original issued in Quebec? If not, the issuing province's authority, or Global Affairs Canada, may be the right office.
- Is your certificate recent enough to be accepted?
- Does the receiver want the translation apostilled too?
- How will the document travel to Nigeria, and who will sign for it?
For the general picture across provinces, read whether Nigeria accepts a Canadian apostille, and for mailing originals home see sending original documents from Canada to Nigeria.
Where Pryme fits
Translation, apostille and courier costs are paid in Canada, while the Nigerian end (agents, school fees, registry charges) is often in naira. A Pryme account holds NGN alongside USD, GBP and EUR, and sending to a Nigerian account shows the rate and the fee before you approve.
Questions people ask
Who issues apostilles in Quebec?
The Ministère de la Justice du Québec, through Délivrance des apostilles, 276 rue Saint-Jacques, bureau 301, Montréal H2Y 1N3, for documents originally issued in Quebec.
Does my Quebec birth certificate need translating for Nigeria?
If it is in French, ask the Nigerian receiver. If it wants a translation, Quebec expects an OTTIAQ translator and the translation may need its own apostille.
Is my old Quebec birth certificate accepted for an apostille?
The Ministry's example of a ready public document is a birth certificate issued by the Directeur de l'état civil in 2015 or later. Older ones may need replacing first.
Do I still go to the Nigerian High Commission after a Quebec apostille?
Possibly. Nigeria is not an Apostille Convention party, so some Nigerian bodies may also want legalisation by the High Commission in Ottawa. Confirm before sending.
Sources
- Ministère de la Justice du Québec: Aide-mémoire, demande d'apostille · 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
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