A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal instrument giving one person (the agent) the power to act on behalf of another person (the principal) in private affairs, business or other legal matters (for example: sell or purchase, administer, make donations, accept donations, create or dissolve companies, request the publication of marriage banns, etc.)
There are two types of Power of Attorney:
- General POA: the principal entrusts to the agent the management of all his/her/their affairs, both present and future. A general POA is granted for an indefinite period of time.
- Special POA: the principal entrusts the agent with the management of a specific part of his/her/their affairs. The Special POA ceases in effect upon the conclusion of the task for which the POA was issued.
Both types of POAs may be revoked.
For Italian citizens only
If you need to draft a POA with validity in Italy, please send an email to consolare.ottawa@esteri.it with the following information: name and surname of the principal, date and place of birth, current address, and type of POA required. Please attach a draft of the POA (in Microsoft Word format) containing the necessary information.
The Consular Office will reply with an appointment date and time for the in-person signature of the POA. Please bring a valid identification document with you.
The fee for the service is listed here.
(art. 17A for a general POA; art. 18A for a special POA, art.24 signature certification for a holograph POA).
For citizens of other countries (including Italy)
If you need to draft a POA with validity in Italy, you must do so with a Canadian lawyer/notary and subsequently have the signature of the said lawyer/notary certified by the Consular Office.
In order to be certified, a specimen of the said signature must on file at the Consular Office. See attached list.
If there is no signature specimen on file, the signature must be certified by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the signature of the certifying officer at GAC must in turn be certified by the Consular Office.
POAs in English or French must be translated into Italian.
For translation services you may contact:
- ATIO (Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario). For information about ATIO, visit the website www.atio.on.ca, call the 1-800-234-5030 or e-mail info@atio.on.ca.
The Consular Office will certify the translator’s signature.
You may make an appointment for a certification via the new online reservation system Prenot@mi.
The fee for the service is listed here.
(art. 69 certification of legal instruments and signatures)
Payment in cash only, at the time of the service.