Canada has acceded to the Apostille Convention. The Convention will come into effect for Canada in January 2024. This is actually pretty big news, given the volume of US/Canada cross-border business, the number of families with roots on both sides of the border, and the generally close and friendly ties between the two countries. The old process for legalization of US public documents for use in Canada was cumbersome and time-consuming, as anyone who has ever done a “chain legalization” knows. The new process cuts away the clutter, requiring only an apostille, which can be issued by many US authorities, to certify the genuineness of an official’s signature and seal.

The humble apostille is one of the Hague Conference’s great success stories. And unlike most of the conventions, which are really for the use of lawyers, the Apostille Convention is one that anyone can use with relative ease (though I’m sure it’s mostly used by lawyers). One hundred twenty-five states are now parties to it, and let’s hope that number continues to grow.