Syed Javed Hussain is a Notary Public and a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits in Ontario. Documents can be sworn, affirmed, witnessed or certified at the Scarborough office.
Appointments and walk-ins are welcome. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
This service is separate from legal representation. Commissioning a document is not advice about it, and having a document notarized does not make its contents true or make it acceptable to whoever asked for it.
Commissioning and notarizing are not the same thing
People use the words interchangeably, and organizations asking for a document often do too. In Ontario they are distinct.
A commissioner for taking affidavits
Administers oaths and takes affidavits, declarations and affirmations. In practice that means watching you swear or affirm that what is in the document is true, and then signing and stamping it. A commissioner cannot certify a true copy of a document unless another statute gives that power.
A notary public
Has the powers of a commissioner and more. Under the Notaries Act a notary may witness or certify and attest the execution of a document, and certify and attest a true copy of a document. That is why organizations abroad usually ask for a notarized copy rather than a commissioned one.
Source: Government of Ontario, information for notaries public in Ontario. Both appointments are Ontario appointments and are exercised in Ontario.
Which documents can be dealt with here
Notary and commissioning services include:
- Affidavits and sworn declarations
- Statutory declarations
- Commissioning of documents as a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits in Ontario
- Certified true copies of original documents
- Certification of copies of passports, identification documents, educational documents and other originals, where that is permitted
- Invitation letters
- Consent-to-travel letters for children
- Declarations of identity, and name and identity declarations
- Proof-of-loss declarations
- Immigration-related declarations and affidavits
- Sponsorship and relationship declarations
- Common-law declarations
- Letters of authorization
- Witnessing the execution of documents where notarization or commissioning is appropriate
Under the Notaries Act a notary public in Ontario may witness or certify and attest the execution of a document, certify and attest a true copy of a document, and exercise the powers of a commissioner for taking affidavits. The services above fall within those powers. What is being confirmed is that the person signing attended, was identified, and swore, affirmed or signed the document. It is not confirmation that the contents are true, and it does not by itself make a document legally effective.
Whether a particular document can be dealt with here depends on what it is and on what the organization receiving it requires. Some documents have to be signed in front of a specific official, a particular institution, or an official of the country the document is going to. If you are not sure, ask the organization that requested it what form of certification they will accept before you come in.
What to bring
- The document itself, unsigned. An affidavit or declaration is signed in front of the commissioner or notary, not beforehand.
- Current government-issued photo identification for every person who has to sign.
- Every signatory in person. Someone who cannot attend cannot have their signature commissioned in their absence.
- For a certified true copy, the original document. A copy of a copy cannot be certified.
You should also understand what you are signing. An affidavit and a statutory declaration are sworn statements, and there are consequences for making a false one.
Documents going outside Canada
A document intended for use in another country usually needs two separate steps, and they are carried out by different people.
- Notarization or commissioning is carried out here. The document is sworn, affirmed, signed or certified before a notary public or commissioner.
- An apostille or certificate of authentication is issued by Official Documents Services, the Ontario government authority responsible for it. This practice does not issue apostilles or certificates of authentication.
Since Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024, a document going to a country that is party to the Convention receives an apostille, and a document going elsewhere receives a certificate of authentication. Which applies depends on the destination.
One practical point is worth knowing before you choose. Ontario lists documents commissioned by a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits among those that cannot be authenticated, so a document intended for use abroad generally needs to be notarized rather than commissioned. Tell us the destination country when you attend and the document can be dealt with accordingly.
The practice can explain in general terms what the process involves and where the document has to be taken. What form of certification is actually required is set by the body receiving it, so confirm that with them, or with the relevant consulate or embassy, before the document is prepared. The Government of Ontario sets out the process on its page about authenticating a document for use outside Canada.
What this service does not include
Commissioning or notarizing a document is not a review of whether the document is a good idea, whether its contents are accurate, or whether it will achieve what you want. It is also not advice on the law of another country. Where you need the document drafted or the underlying matter assessed, that is separate work and is charged separately.
Common questions
Do I need a notary or a commissioner?
Whoever is asking for the document decides. If they want a certified true copy, or the document is going abroad, it will usually need a notary. If it is an affidavit or a statutory declaration for use in Ontario, a commissioner is generally enough.
Does a super visa invitation letter have to be notarized?
IRCC asks for a letter written and signed by the host and does not require notarization. Some families still prefer to have a supporting statement sworn. The super visa page sets out what IRCC actually asks the letter to contain.
Can you certify a copy of my passport?
A notary may certify and attest a true copy of a document, with the original produced. Whether the organization receiving it will accept a notarized copy is a question for them, and some require the original or their own form of certification.
What does it cost?
Contact our office for current notary and commissioning fees. The fees page explains how professional fees are set for other work.
Contact our office
695 Markham Road, Unit 19, Scarborough, Ontario M1H 2A5. Telephone (647) 871-2444, or write to info@javedlegal.ca describing the document you need dealt with.
Related pages: super visa · spousal and partner sponsorship · paralegal services · fees and retainers
Last reviewed: 19 September 2026 against Government of Ontario guidance on notaries public and commissioners for taking affidavits. This page is general information, not legal advice.