Certificate and copy of an act
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Certificate and Copy of an Act
The Certificate and Copy of an Act are documents issued by the Directeur de l'état civil to certify events that generally occurred in Québec.
Certificates and copies of an act are comprised of the information and spelling used in the original act-not the information supplied on the application form. The language in which certificates and copies of an act are issued is the language in which the event was registered.
You can obtain a certificate or copy of an act for each of the following events: birth, marriage, civil union or death.
The certificate or the copy of an act of birth is necessary if you are planning to:
- Apply for a passport, travel abroad or cross the border (As of January 31, 2008, Canadian citizens wishing to enter the United States by land or sea will be required to produce their birth certificate and a government-issued identity document bearing their photo. For more information...)
- Claim pension benefits from Québec or retirement allowances from the Government of Canada
- Obtain a health insurance card, social insurance card or a first driver's licence
- Enroll your child in primary or secondary school
- Apply for admission to CEGEP or university
- Apply for a scholarship
- Apply for admission to a private or government-subsidized day care centre
The certificate or the copy of an act of marriage serves mainly to:
- Provide legal proof of the marriage, thus facilitating the exercise of their civil rights
The certificate or the copy of an act of civil union serves mainly to:
- Provide legal proof of the civil union, thus facilitating the exercise of civil rights of the spouses
The certificate or the copy of an act of death serves mainly to:
- Provide legal proof of a person's death
- Facilitate settlement of the estate
- Terminate programs such as health insurance, automobile insurance, social insurance, pensions, social assistance, etc.
- Determine the payment date for death benefits to the surviving spouse, in particular Québec pensions
Who can request a certificate or a copy of an act?
A certificate or a copy of act can only be issued to the individuals whose names appear on the act used to record the event in the register.
If your name does not appear on the act for which an application is made, you must justify why you want to obtain a certificate or a copy of an act for another person.
How to obtain a certificate or a copy of an act
1. Complete the Request for a Certificate or Copy of an Act form that meets your need
A form exists for each of these events:
- Birth
- Marriage or civil union
- Death
You can file a request online, download the electronic version of the request form or obtain a print version.
Distribution outlets for pre-printed forms:
| Birth | Marriage or Civil union |
Death | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directeur de l'état civil (Montréal or Québec) | X | X | X |
| Québec Courthouses | X | X | X |
| Services Québec | X | X | X |
| Most branches of the Caisse Desjardins | X | X | X |
| CLSC | X | X | X |
2. Choose the type of document
Important
Before submitting a request, it is the applicant's responsability to contact any agency requiring a civil status document in order to ascertain the type and size of document needed.
Minor child
When the application concerns the birth of a minor child, the Directeur de l'état civil recommends the use of the full-size birth certificate as it cites the names of the parents.
| Document type and format | Information contained in the document |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate Abridged 8.7 cm x 5.5 cm |
Surname, given name(s), sex, date and place of birth, registration number, date of issue, and document number |
| Birth certificate Full-size 21.5 cm x 18.5 cm |
Surname, given name(s), sex, date and place of birth, father's and mother's surnames and given names, registration number, date of issue, and document number |
| Marriage certificate 21.5 cm x 18.5 cm |
Surnames and given name(s) of spouses, sex of spouses, date and place of marriage, registration number, date of issue, and document number |
| Civil union certificate 21.5 cm x 18.5 cm |
Surnames and given name(s) of spouses, sex of spouses, date and place of civil union, registration number, date of issue, and document number |
| Death certificate 21.5 cm x 18.5 cm |
Surname, given name(s), sex, date and place of death, registration number, date of issue, and document number |
| Copy of an act of birth, marriage, civil union or death 21.5 cm x 26.7 cm |
Integral reproduction of the information contained in the act (Information may be missing if the event took place before 1994.) |
3. Choose the type of processing
The Directeur de l'état civil can process your request in normal or accelerated mode. The cost, processing time and delivery method varies depending on the type of service you choose.
Costs include processing, printed document and shipping fees.
| Normal processing | Delivery by regular mail | $15 per certificate $20 per copy of an act |
|---|---|---|
| Accelerated processing | Delivery by Xpresspost in Canada Delivery by regular mail outside Canada |
$35 per certificate $35 per copy of an act |
Which two compulsory documents must be included with your application?
The Directeur de l'état civil applies security measures to ensure that the person requesting a civil status document is authorized to obtain it. The applicant must attach a photocopies of two different documents* :
- A valid photo ID document
- A proof of residence
The document's validity is determined according to the date it is received by the Directeur de l'état civil.
* Requirements relating to identification procedures are different when filing an application online.
A valid photo ID document accepted:
- Québec or Ontario health insurance card bearing a photograph
- Driver's licence issued by Québec, another Canadian province or a US state
(if not presented as a proof of residence) - Canadian or foreign passport
- Canadian citizenship card (issued since 2002)
- Canadian Permanent Resident Card
- Us Permanent Resident Card ("green card")
- Federal immigration documents (IMM 1442, for one of the situations covered by this document)
- Official ID for members of the military, police officers or diplomats posted in Canada
- Certificate of Indian Status
- ID card issued by a Canadian province
A proof of residence accepted:
- Driver's licence issued by Québec, another Canadian province or a US state
(if not presented as a valid photo ID) - Municipal or school tax bill (one year or less)
- Government postal correspondence (one year or less)
- Recent invoice from energy, telephone service or cable supplier (three months or less)
- Construction competency certificate (apprentice or journeyperson)
- Hospital card accompanied by health insurance card bearing a photograph
- Record of employment or pay stub (three months or less)
- Home or car insurance certificate or statement (one year or less)
- School transcript (one year or less)
- Bank statement (three months or less)
- Canada Post change of address receipt (three months or less)
Important
The applicant must enclose photocopies of one valid identity document with photograph and one proof of residence. Please contact us if you are unable to provide the required documents.
Further information on documents to present
Document validity
All documents submitted must be IN EFFECT or comply with the validity period specified.
Original documents
Do not send an original photo ID document or proof of residence.
Document front and back
Remember to include the back of a document when required, particularly if it shows a change of address.
Language of documents
If the documents submitted are in a language other than French or English, you must attach a translation provided by a member of the Ordre professionnel des traducteurs, des terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec.
Quality of photocopies
All photocopied documents must be legible.
Separate photocopies
To speed processing, it is preferable to attach separate photocopies for each application filed.
How do I submit my request and photocopies of my ID?
Do not forget to:
- Fill out all sections of the form used
- Sign and date your application
- Include your payment
- Include photocopies of two documents to confirm your identity
Make sure that each of the photocopied documents that you send is legible.
| Ways to submit a request | Payment mode |
|---|---|
| In person, at one of our service outlet: Québec Directeur de l'état civil 2535, boulevard Laurier, RC Québec Montréal Directeur de l'état civil 2050, rue De Bleury, RC Montréal You can also apply for a certificate or copy of an act at a regional Services Québec offices offering Directeur de l'état civil services. To consult the list |
Credit card* Cheque Postal money order Bank money order Debit card Cash |
| By mail: Directeur de l'état civil 2535, boulevard Laurier Québec (Québec) G1V 5C5 |
Credit card* Cheque Postal money order Bank money order |
* Visa et MasterCard only.
If payment is made by credit card, the card holder's signature is mandatory and must appear in the space provided within the Payment section of the request form.
Processing time
To find out how long it takes to process an application, consult the section Processing time.
Reviewed: 2009-08-13
