TRANSLATION/NOTARIZATION/ATTESTATION/CERTIFICATION of NIKAHNAMA

Any document which is not in English or French must to be accompanied by : (bit.ly/2FBv1Hs)

• the English or French translation; and

• an affidavit from the person who completed the translation; and

• a certified copy of the original document.

Q1) What is document notarization?

To have a document notarized means to have a specially authorized person, called a Notary Public, witness the signing of the document. The Notary Public will then place their signature and stamp on the document, certifying that they have witnessed the signature and verified the identity of the parties involved.

Q2) What is an affidavit?

An affidavit is a document on which the translator has sworn, in the presence of a commissioner authorized to administer oaths in the country in which the translator is living, that the contents of their translation are a true translation and representation of the contents of the original document.

Q3) What is an Attestation?

Attest is a legal term that refers to the act of a person swearing to or affirming the truth of something. Attestation may be made by bearing witness to the execution of a document by signing one's signature to the document.

Q10) What is the difference between certified and attested?

A10) To certify is to attest to as the truth or meeting a standard, generally writing ‘Certified to be true copy of the original seen by me’. Attest is to affirm to be correct, true, or genuine. Generally, attestation is a lengthy process and can be part of certifying process.

- If your Document is NOT in English or French, you must include accurate certified (notarized) translation + affidavit.

- Any document that need to be translated must be accompanied by:

a) the English or French translation; and

b) an affidavit from the person who completed the translation; and

c) a certified copy of the document.

- Translations by family members are not acceptable.

- Always treat your Pakistan's Nikahnama as a "foreign issued document". This will make things easier to understand.

- Most commonly, Nikahnamas are issued in Urdu, but they can also be issued in English upon request. However, IRCC always prefer Urdu issued Nikahnama with certified (notarized) translation + affidavit

- If your Nikahnama is totally in English or French, you can:

A) Get a certified copy notarized by notary public.

Or

B) Get the documents certified as a true copy by the embassy, consulate or high commission of the originating country accredited to Canada.

- If your Nikahnama is totally in foreign language, you can:

A) have your document, translated by certified translator and then notarize it by notary public or commissioner of oath, OR

B) Get the documents certified as a true copy by the embassy, consulate or high commission of the originating country accredited to Canada.

- Provincial Marriage / Union Council Marriage Certificate (with NADRA details) should be included but is not sufficient evidence on its own

- If you are planning to attest your document from MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Nikahnama must be translated in English.

NOTE: A notary Public can also certify the translation to be true if they speak both languages. Should that be the case, please ensure they write on the document that they attest to speaking both languages and certify the translation to be true accompanied by their signature and stamp. This also applies to documents that have dual languages on the same page.