Shipping documents safely from Canada to Brazil
The final Canadian route became radically simpler since 2024: one apostille in place of the old authentication-legalisation chain. The rest is the ritual: copy, declare, track — with the Canadian winter as the only extra character.
Before shipping: the right apostille and the scanner
A document from Ontario, Quebec, BC, Alberta or Saskatchewan: apostille at the designated provincial authority. From the other provinces and federal ones: Global Affairs Canada. The flows are mostly postal — the back and forth a local address shortens. And digitise everything before the final envelope, apostille included.
The shipping options
- Ordinary Canada Post — no, for originals.
- International Xpresspost/registered — tracked on the Canadian stretch: acceptable, 2-4 weeks.
- Courier (FedEx/UPS/DHL — an excellent network in Canada): 3-6 days, full tracking: the standard for proceedings.
- A bearer on the Toronto/Montreal→São Paulo flights: the bridge exists; when someone crosses, use it.
The package
A rigid envelope, inner plastic (snow and thaw soak), the complete Brazilian address with postal code and phone with country code, the declaration “personal documents, no commercial value”. Documents pay no tax entering Brazil.
If it goes missing
An online rebuy at the province (the usual Anglo-Saxon replacement corridor — minutes), a new apostille, a new shipment. The repeated fees and weeks hurt; prevention (tracking, a digital copy, duplicate copies apostilled together) remains unbeatable.
Frequently asked questions
Translation: English and French in the same proceeding?+
Each document is translated from its language — Ontario's long form from English, Quebec's copie d'acte from French. Two sworn translators, two budgets; English is cheap, French a step above.
Are documents authenticated under the old regime valid?+
Yes — what was authenticated/legalised before the apostille remains valid. For new issuances, the path is the direct apostille: cheaper and faster.
Informative content about request procedures. We do not cover citizenship or visa eligibility. Rules and amounts may change; always confirm before acting.