Reclaiming IEPF Shares and Indian Assets from Canada
Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention in January 2024, which made Indian share claims from Canada markedly simpler: documents are notarised and apostilled locally, with no Indian consular legalisation on top.
We handle the rest — registrar correspondence, IEPF filing, transmission documentation — from our Gurugram office. The first assessment is free and there is no advance professional fee.
Claims from Canada, handled from our Gurugram office · Reviewed 21 September 2026
One of the largest Indian diasporas, and a lot of dormant folios
Canada’s Indian population is among the largest and fastest-growing anywhere, concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area and the Lower Mainland. Recent arrivals often still hold Indian shares in their own names, with folios that carry an Indian address and incomplete KYC. Long-settled families are further along: they are settling estates.
Both situations end at the same place if left alone. Dividends that cannot be delivered go unclaimed, and after seven years the company transfers the money and the shares to the Investor Education and Protection Fund, after which recovery is a claim rather than an update.
The apostille route, new since January 2024
Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 11 January 2024, and that changed the paperwork for Indian claims. Documents signed in Canada are now notarised and apostilled, and the Indian missions have confirmed that an apostille needs no further attestation or legalisation from them.
Apostilles come from Global Affairs Canada, and for documents originating in several provinces — Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Saskatchewan among them — from that province’s own competent authority. Check which route applies to your document before booking anything.
What you will need
- Affidavit-cum-NOC and indemnity bond, notarised in Canada and apostilled
- Passport, OCI card if you hold one, and PAN
- Proof of your Canadian address for KYC
- An Indian demat account, usually NRO-linked, opened before the claim goes in
Where the shares land, and moving money out
Shares are credited to an Indian demat account, in most inheritance cases an NRO-linked one. NRIs may remit up to USD 1 million per financial year from NRO balances, with Form 15CA and a chartered accountant’s certificate in Form 15CB.
On the Canadian side, holding Indian securities can bring the T1135 foreign income verification form into play once your foreign property crosses CAD 100,000. That is a question for a cross-border tax adviser, not for us, but it is better raised before a sale than after.
What we handle
Questions from Canada
Does an apostille from Canada still need Indian consulate attestation?
No. The Indian missions in Canada have confirmed that an apostille, including an e-apostille, issued by a competent Canadian authority needs no further attestation or legalisation from them.
Which Indian consulate covers my province?
India has a High Commission in Ottawa and Consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver. The Vancouver consulate’s jurisdiction covers British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon and the Northwest Territories — so Calgary is served from Vancouver, not Toronto.
Can I give a power of attorney to a relative in India?
Yes. A power of attorney signed in Canada, notarised and apostilled, is generally accepted. Confirm with the registrar beforehand which specific steps it will accept under a power of attorney.
What about unclaimed Indian mutual funds?
Those run through the asset management company and its registrar rather than the IEPF. The tracing work is similar; tell us what you have and we will identify the route.
What do you charge?
No advance professional fee. An agreed percentage of the value is charged once the shares are credited, and statutory costs such as apostille fees, stamp duty and notarisation are paid by you at actuals.