Memorandum to Chamber Members (June 22, 2010)
Please note that the content of this page has been revised.
Documents certified by the Chamber
Certify your certificates of origin online
Documents not certified by the Chamber
Cost and Payment Instructions
Forms
Contact us
For many years, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) has been asked by Canadian companies to certify a wide variety of documents. The most common are Certificates of Origin, while others relate to such diverse documents as visa request letters, partnership agreements, and so on.
As a matter of policy and for reasons of liability, all documents presented to us must be notarized before the Chamber certifies them. Notarization is a process by which a lawyer, notary public or commissioner of oaths (i.e., someone who can take sworn statements) certifies, from a person’s sworn statement, that the facts described in her/his signed documents are true.
Exporters that frequently use our service often find the notarization process costly and time consuming; an alternative to notarization of these documents is through a letter of waiver. In addition to notarization, the CCC also requires a copy of your organization’s business registration (describing your operations) with the Federal or Provincial Government, along with confirmation of annual business license renewal.
Because of the high volume of requests received on a daily basis, we ask for your cooperation in allowing sufficient time for the review of documents presented to the CCC. If submitting requests requiring more than 15 minutes to process, please send the documents by courier or drop these off in person. Once reviewed and actioned by CCC staff, you will be advised of the time these can be picked up at reception. Multi-page/high volume requests will be processed the same day providing they are received in our offices no later than 3:00 p.m. All other requests will be actioned until 4 :30 p.m.
We strongly recommend that you scan and e-mail non-routine documents or background documents if you are unsure these would be acceptable to the CCC, to certification@chamber.ca for review prior to being presented in person to one of our regional offices. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In the end, this process will save you valuable time.
Once approved by the Chamber, documents and payments can be submitted in person at or mailed to any of our 3 offices. If the documents are to be mailed/couriered back to you, please include a prepaid return envelope or waybill.
Certify your certificates of origin online
The CCC also offers an ONLINE CERTIFICATION SERVICE for Certificates of Origin. This service offers quick turnaround, instant creation and submission of repetitive applications, the ability to accept invoices and other documents in all major formats and immediate authentication by foreign authorities of documents validated.
For more information, please visit www.tradecert.com/canada or contact us at certification@chamber.ca or call 1-800-661-2930.
Documents certified by the Chamber
Documents certified by the Chamber must fall within our scope of work and meet the following requirements:
- issued by a Canadian company in English or French
- the proper background documentation is provided
- proof of business registration is submitted (if not already on file)
- original document is presented and has been duly signed by an authorized representative and notarized (if no Letter of Waiver on file)
- issued using our template (available below - please ensure instructions thereon are followed), or in a format approved by the Chamber
- the fees have been paid
Please note the additional requirements before the following documents can be processed by our representatives.
CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN (CO) (& related invoice, packing list, bill of lading or waybill)
- A copy of your organization’s business registration with the federal or provincial government, along with confirmation of annual business license renewal..
- CO must be duly signed by an authorized representative and notarized (if no Letter of Waiver on file).
- Requests will need to be accompanied by proof of origin for all items listed on the CO.
Proof may be in the form of :
When goods are manufactured in Canada by the applicant:
- A duly signed and dated invoice by an authorized representative of the manufacturer confirming the origin of the goods;
- A duly signed and notarized manufacturer’s declaration on the company’s letterhead detailing the processes performed. (CCC template can be provided and used as a blanket - valid for two years);
- Valid factory/ official license issued by government entity.
When goods are manufactured in Canada by a company other than the applicant:
- A duly signed and dated invoice by an authorized representative of the manufacturer confirming the origin of the goods;
- A duly signed and notarized manufacturer’s declaration from your supplier on the company’s letterhead detailing the processes performed. (CCC template can be provided and used as a blanket - valid for two years);
- A duly signed and dated invoice by an authorized representative of the supplier confirming the origin of the goods.
When goods were manufactured in a foreign country:
- A duly signed and dated invoice by an authorized representative of the manufacturer, or the supplier, confirming the origin of the goods;
- A duly signed and notarized manufacturer’s declaration from your supplier on the company’s letterhead (in English or in French);
- A foreign Certificate of Origin duly certified by a recognized Chamber of Commerce.
When goods were bought from a third party:
- A duly signed and dated statement from that party, on their company’s letterhead, declaring the origin of the goods.
When goods refer to cars: Proof of ownership/VIN confirmation must be available for review.
When attachments are to be certified, the company name and description of the goods on the invoice, packing lists, export declaration, etc. must match the information on the CO.
To assist recognized Canadian organizations manufacturing their own goods, proof of origin may be presented at the onset to be periodically reviewed, on the same basis as the letters of waiver on file with the CCC.
INVOICES (submitted without a CO)
(actioned on behalf of Canadian organizations only)
- a copy of your organization’s business registration with the federal or provincial government, along with confirmatin of annual business license renewal.
- documents must be notarized. Consult with your CCC representative for the appropriate wording prior to notarization.
Note : The CCC will only certify as to ‘the issuer’ of the documents; not its contents.
CONFIRMATION OF BUSINESS REGISTRATION
- a copy of your organization’s business registration with the federal or provincial government, along with confirmation of annual business license renewal.
- a copy of your organization’s business registration with the federal or provincial government, along with confirmation of annual business license renewal.
AGENCY/REPRESENTATIONAL AGREEMENTS
- a copy of your organization’s business registration with the federal or provincial government, along with confirmation of annual business license renewal.
- A copy of the agreement/contract in question for viewing by CCC staff.
All other documents (except those listed below) will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Documents not certified by the Chamber
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce cannot certify the following: (not an all-inclusive list)
- Certificates of Origin relating to international trade agreements, such as NAFTA;
- Certificates of Value (can be obtained from freight forwarders);
- Certificates of Composition or Analysis (weights/materials, etc.);
- Certificates of Insurance;
- Certificates of Fumigation;
- Certificates of Free Sale;
- Confirmation of Price Lists;
- Documents issued by the federal or provincial governments;
- Documents issued by foreign entities (government, company, etc);
- Documents with references to quality or human consumption;
- Letters of invitation (entry into Canada);
- Personal documents (marriage/death certificates, divorce papers, etc.);
- Documents with boycott clauses or inferring boycotting;
- Documents issued in a foreign language;
Cost and Payment Instructions (for manual certification)
As of July 1st 2010
Canadian Chamber members (for all documents)
1 set* $20.00 (Taxes included)
Non-Members (for documents listed below)
1 set* $35.00 (Taxes included)
Non-Members (for all other documents)
1 set* $50.00 (Taxes included)
* For fee purposes, a “set” constitutes putting up to 8 stamps on documents. This can be any combination of documents such as certificates of origin, invoices, packing lists, way bills, etc…, as long as they are related to the same shipment (same consignee address must be on all documents), same list of goods and are going to the same destination; OR 8 originals of the same document.
Payment instructions
• Full payment required prior to certification of documents
• Payment methods accepted are credit cards, cash, certified or corporate cheque, money order, electronic fund transfer, or bank draft.
• Customer is responsible for all shipping costs. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce requests that customers provide a courier account number in order to cover shipping costs; if a courier account number is unavailable, a credit card number is requested to cover shipping costs or a prepaid return envelope should be included.
Available in Microsoft® Word format. Please refer to instructions above.
- Letter of waiver template
- Certificate of origin template
- Manufacturer’s declaration template
- Visa application letter
- Credit Card Payment Request
