The Canadian Consulate

If you don't want to drive to the Consular Offices in Cabo, Monica Valenzuela of www.casa-baja.com offers a very good alternative for anyone needing US, Canadian or European Notary Services. She says:

"In my experience, for a government to recognize a foreign document it has to have an "Apostille" and you can get it at the "Palacio de Gobierno" in front of Chedraui on Catolica street. (Entering into the building there is a corridor on your right, first door on your left. Take your original document and two copies, fee is around $180 pesos per document. They will deliver the same day or a day after.)

The Apostille is a governmental certification of authentication that most countries provide (those who signed the Hague Convention). Canada didn't sign the agreement, but they do provide what is called an International Certificate of Identity which works as the Apostille.

Optionally, Canadians can make the long 3 hour drive to the Canadian Cosular office in Cabo San Lucas, although they are only open until 12:30 so you'll have to get an early start from La Paz. Also, the cost of their notary services is much higher than the Apostille /International Certificate of Identity, and according to the email I received from them, it's a drop-in service (no appointments).

In her message to me, Consular Assistant Miliza Perez said: "We do notarize documents here for Canadian Citizens, especially documents to be used in Canada. Please let us know what kind of document you need notarized; and if possible send us a copy of the document before you come"

Consular Agency of Canada
Plaza San Lucas
Carretera Transpeninsular Km. 0.5, Local 82
Col. El Tezal
23454 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur - Mexico
Telephone: (624) 142-4333
Fax: (624) 142-4262
E-mail: lcabo@international.gc.ca
Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm

The Consular Agency of Canada in Los Cabos is moving.

Please note that, as of Monday, May 16, 2011, the Consular Agency of Canada in Los Cabos will be located at the following address:

Plaza San Lucas
Carretera Transpeninsular Km. 0.5, local 82
Colonia El Tezal
23454 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tel: (624) 142-4333
Fax: (624) 142-4262
E-mail: lcabo@international.gc.ca
Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm

The Canadian Consulate is located in San José del Cabo on Boulevard Mijares in Plaza José Green, behind Banamex on the second floor of a small, two-storey shopping mall. You will see the Canadian flag and the trilingual sign. Hours are 9:30 to 12:30, Monday to Friday. Telephone 624-142-4333. Fax: 624-142-4262. Website: www.canada.org.mx Email: loscabos@canada.org.mx.

The jurisdiction is the entire state of Baja California Sur. There is another Consulate in TIjuana that serves Baja California Norte:
Consulate of Canada in Tijuana. Jurisdiction: States of Baja California Norte and Sonora
Consulate of Canada
Germán Gedovius 10411-101
Condominio del Parque, Zona Río
22320 Tijuana, Baja California Norte - Mexico
Telephone: (664) 684-0461
Fax: (664) 684-0301
Email: tijuana@canada.org.mx

My replacement, who I believe is called Consular Agent and not Honorary Consul as I was, is Marie-Eve Pomerleau. The Consular Assistant, whom I hired and trained, is Miliza Pérez, a wonderful woman. You should check with her (142-4333) for an update on functions, but basically we provide these services:

- notarization of documents with some Canadian content;
- passport applications and renewal;
- citizenship applications for babies born here of at least one Canadian parent;
- assistance in cases of:
- arrest or detention,
- theft, especially of ID documents,
- illness (provide a list of doctors),
- death (handle all paperwork and referral to professional funeral director),
- legal problems (provide a list of lawyer and notaries public),
- consumer complaints (assist with application to PROFECO (consumer protection), CONAMED (complaints against medical personnel) and other government agencies),
- help 'distressed Canadians' in BCS in any way possible.

This is not new. I was appointed in August 1998 and Roberto Encinas, Honorary Consul of Baja California Norte, and his father before him, have been there forever. Before the Consulate opened here, they handled all of Baja and often came here to deal with cases.

There is also a very IMPORTANT toll-free number that Canadians anywhere in Mexico can call 24/7. Depending on the time of day, the call is immediately answered by someone at the Embassy in Mexico City or by someone in Ottawa. The person in MC will be trilingual, the one in Ottawa bilingual. They will immediately track down the Consul if it's an emergency or put a note in COSMOS, for the consular representative to read and act upon as soon as possible. I'm not being coy about the number -- I just can't remember it -- needless to say, I never had to call it! Also, it changes from time to time, so please get it from Miliza.
Paggy Dillman