Frequently Asked Questions - Vital Statistics

• Fill out the Registration of Birth Form.
  
  
• Once the document has been submitted to Vital Statistics, you can apply for a birth certificate through a Registry Agent.
  
  
• There is a $20.00 government fee for obtaining a birth certificate. Service fees apply and will vary by Registry Agent location.

If you did not complete a Registration of Birth form after your child’s birth, contact the Vital Statistics office.

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Legislation outlines the individuals that are eligible to order a birth document. Please see the eligibility chart to view a summary of this information. Eligibility chart (pdf)

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Yes, it is possible to expedite the process in certain circumstances. A registry agent can place the order for you as a rush. Additional fees and proof of emergency may apply.

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There are two ways to amend the original registration:

• through a registry agent or;
  
  
• directly through the Vital Statistics office.

When you order your certificate through the registry agent, you may request an amendment/correction to the registration at the same time. This will allow Vital Statistics to assist you with amending the registration before the certificate you requested is printed.

If you are requesting the amendment directly through Vital Statistics, complete the Amendment Request Form and send it in either by e-mail, fax or mail to Vital Statistics.

Vital Statistics will issue correspondence to the individual requesting the amendment/correction with further instructions about supporting documentation or additional fees that may be required.

If more than 90 days have elapsed since the date of the event, a $20.00 fee is required to process an amendment to a registration.

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• The father/co-parent’s information will not be included on the birth record unless the father/co-parent signs the registration of birth.

• Should you wish to add this information at a later date, the mother and the father/co-parent must jointly complete an affidavit to amend the original registration.

• Please see question 4) for details on how to proceed with an amendment request.

If a joint request by the mother and the father/co-parent is not possible, the father/co-parent can be added pursuant to a Declaration of Parentage order from the Court of Queen’s Bench or a similar court order made in a jurisdiction outside of Alberta.

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After your child has been born, please email or mail Vital Statistics advising that you have had a child and provide the following information:

• last name of child

• given name(s) of child

• child’s gender

• child’s date of birth

• child’s place of birth (complete physical address and city)

• mother’s maiden name

• mother’s currently used last name

• mother's given name(s)

• mother’s place of birth

• father/co-parent's last name

• father/co-parent's given name

• father/co-parent's place of birth

• name of the person who delivered the child.

• mother’s return mailing address (including street address, city and postal code)

• mother’s daytime phone number

• mother’s signature

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The Newborn Registration Service is a partnership between Service Alberta and Service Canada that allows new parents to apply for a social insurance number for their child at the same time that they register the birth of the child.

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A SIN is a nine-digit number used in the administration of various Canadian government programs. SIN is required to work in Canada or to receive benefits and services from government programs.

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Requesting a SIN at the same time as registering your child’s birth is more convenient and reduces paperwork. It saves you from having to go to Service Canada at a later date to fill out another application form to apply for the SIN.

Although applying for your child’s SIN is optional, a SIN is required to access Government of Canada and Government of Alberta programs and benefits including:

• opening a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)
  
  
• accessing the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG)
  
  
• accessing the Canada Learning Bond
  
  
• accessing the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant
  
  
• for more information on the above programs please visit: CanLearn (external site)
  
  
• in the future, your child will need a SIN when applying for a job and paying income tax

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Only the parents of the child being registered can use this service to apply for a SIN.

If you are not the parent of this child, you may still be eligible to apply for the child’s SIN, but will need to apply directly to Service Canada (external site).

You must also be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. If you are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may still be eligible to apply for your child’s SIN, but will need to apply directly to Service Canada (external site).

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No. You cannot apply for a SIN using this service if the child’s birth has already been registered. Visit Service Canada (external site) for information about how to apply.

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No. You cannot apply for a SIN using this service if the child’s birth has already been registered. Visit Service Canada (external site) for information about how to apply.

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• Fill out the Registration of Birth Form.
  
  
• After completing the birth registration section, simply include your signature in the “Request for a Social Insurance Number for my Child” box at the bottom of the Registration of Birth form (section 31 on the application form).
  
  
• Where do I get the form? You would have obtained a Registration of Birth form from the hospital where your child was born or from the midwife who attended the birth.
  
  
• If you did not receive a Registration of Birth form, you can contact Alberta Vital Statistics at 780-427-7013.

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There is no fee to apply for your child’s first SIN card.

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It usually takes approximately three to four weeks.

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The application will be sent electronically to Service Canada once the birth has been fully registered with Alberta Vital Statistics.

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Protecting the privacy of personal information is a key priority. Both the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada adhere to provincial and federal privacy acts.

The information is sent electronically using security measures that protect your personal information.

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By signing the “Request for a Social Insurance Number for my Child” section, you consent to have the following information sent to Service Canada after the birth is registered:

• birth Registration Number
  
  
• child's date of birth and place of birth
  
  
• child's full name
  
  
• child's sex
  
  
• mother's full maiden name including maiden name
  
  
• mother's mailing address
  
  
• father's/co-parent’s full name
  
  
• whether the birth was single, twins, triplets, etc.

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You should contact Service Canada at:

• Phone: 1-800-206-7218 (English) or 1-800-808-6352 (French), and select option "3" for information about the SIN.
  
  
• Website: Service Canada (external site)
  
  
• Visit: See your nearest Service Canada Centre. For locations, see our website, or call 1-800 O Canada (1-800-622-6232); TTY 1-800-926-9105.
  
  
• Mail:
  

  Social Insurance Registration
  P.O. Box 7000
  Bathurst, New Brunswick
  E2A 4T1

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The Automated Benefits Application (ABA) service is a joint partnership between the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Service Alberta. It provides a quick, easy, and secure way to apply for all child benefit programs for newborn children.

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Canada child benefits include federal and provincial child tax benefit programs for your newborn.

Specifically, this includes the Canada child tax benefit (CCTB), the universal child care benefit (UCCB), the GST/HST credit and the Alberta family employment tax credit (AFETC) are part of CCB.

For specific information on the ABA and each tax credit, visit the Canada Revenue Agency (external site).

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Requesting CCB at the same time as registering your child’s birth is more convenient and reduces paperwork. It saves you from having to apply directly to the CRA at a later date.

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Only the birth mother of the child registered can use this program to apply for CCB.

If you are not the birth mother of this child, you may still be eligible to apply for CCB, but you will need to apply directly to the CRA using the Apply for child benefits online (external site) service or using the Canada Child Benefits Application form (RC66) (external site). You may also call 1-800-387-1193 for more information.

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No. You cannot apply for CCB using this service if the child’s birth has already been registered.

You will need to apply directly to the CRA using the Apply for child benefits online  (external site) service or using the Canada Child Benefits Application form (RC66) (external site). You may also call 1-800-387-1193 for more information.

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No. If the child is over one year of age, you cannot use this service to apply for CCB.

You will need to apply directly to the CRA using the Apply for child benefits online (external site) service or using the Canada Child Benefits Application form (RC66) (external site). You may also call 1-800-387-1193 for more information.

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• Fill out the Registration of Birth form. If you did not receive this form click here Vital Statistics

• After completing the birth registration section, simply include your social insurance number and signature in the “Request for Canada Child Benefits for My Child” box at the bottom of the Registration of Birth form (section 34 of the form).

• When completed, this section is considered the Canada child benefits application for your newborn.

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The information on your Registration of Birth will not be sent to the CRA using the ABA service if the mother does not provide a signature in the “Request for Canada Child Benefits for My Child” box.

You will have to apply for Canada child benefits directly to the CRA using the Apply for child benefits online (external site) service or using the Canada Child Benefits Application form (RC66) (external site). You may also call 1-800-387-1193 for more information.

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There is no fee to apply for CCB for your child.

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Once the CRA receives your application, you may expect your first notice/payment within 80 calendar days.

To receive your payments, you and your spouse or common-law partner must each file an income tax and benefit return every year, even if you have no income to report.

Please call 1-800-387-1193 (English) or 1-800-387-1194 (French) if you have not received your first notice/payment within 80 calendar days.

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Yes. You will have to apply using Arrange my Direct Deposit (external site) service online or complete the Direct Deposit Request - Individuals (T1DD) (external site) form.

If you already receive your CCB payments for your other children by direct deposit, you do not have to apply again. You will receive the payments for your newborn in the same bank account.

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The application will be transmitted electronically to the CRA once the birth has been fully registered with Alberta Vital Statistics providing the mother added her signature in the “Request for Canada Child Benefits for My Child” box (section 34 of the Registration of Birth form).

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Protecting the privacy of personal information is a key priority. Both the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada adhere to provincial and federal privacy acts. The information is sent electronically using security measures that protect your personal information.

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By signing the “Request for Canada Child Benefits for My Child” section, you consent to have the following information sent to the CRA after the birth is registered:

• birth Registration number

• child’s full name

• child’s date and place of birth

• child’s sex

• mother’s full name

• mother’s date and place of birth

• mother’s social insurance number

• mother’s mailing address

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You should contact the Canada Revenue Agency.

• Phone: 1-800-387-1193 (English) or 1-800-387-1194 (French)

• For more information on the ABA service, visit the Canada Revenue Agency (external site).

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The first step in the process is to contact a funeral home of your choice. The funeral home will assist you in registering the death, obtaining a burial permit and facilitating the funeral arrangements for you.

The funeral home will arrange to obtain the Medical Certificate of Death from the Physician or Medical Examiner.

Once these two documents have been submitted to Vital Statistics, you may order a Death Certificate, a certified copy of the Registration of Death or the Medical Certificate of Death through a Registry Agent if you are eligible.

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It is possible to prepare a body and arrange for a private burial without the services of a funeral home. However, this is not an easy task.

If you wish to make arrangements yourself the following steps are required:

• A Medical Certificate of Death must be obtained from the attending physician.  If the death was investigated by the Medical Examiner’s Office, a Medical Certificate of Death would have to be obtained from the attending Medical Examiner instead of the attending physician.

• A Registration of Death must be completed.  Registrations can be obtained at any hospital or you can contact Vital Statistics directly for one.  This form asks for the personal history of the deceased and typically is completed by a family member or someone that was in a close relationship to the deceased.

• Decide upon burial, cremation or donation to medical science.

• Once the Medical Certificate of Death and the Registration of Death have been completed and obtained they can both be provided to the hospital or Vital Statistics who will provide you with a Burial Permit.

• When a person dies of a specified communicable disease, the deceased must be placed in a sealed container.

• Arrange transportation of the deceased.  If the deceased is to be transported within Alberta, there are no regulations about the kind of vehicle that must be used. No permits are needed.If the deceased is to be transported outside Alberta, a Medical Examiner’s Office provides a Form 4 to authorize transport out of province.You will also require a Burial Permit if the deceased is transported out of the province.

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• The Death Certificate is a legal document produced from information on the Registration of Death.

• The Registration of Death is a document that becomes a permanent legal record of the death event. It is important that the information is completed fully and accurately. The Registration of Death document is used to produce the Death Certificate.

• The Medical Certificate of Death is completed by a Physician or Medical Examiner. It is a document that determines the manner and cause of death. It forms part of the death record.

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• A Registration of Death is completed by family/other informant, usually at a funeral home. Once the Registration of Death has been completed, the registration is sent to Vital Statistics for processing.

• A Death Certificate can be ordered by completing an application form through a registry agent. There is a $20.00 government fee for obtaining a Death Certificate. Service fees apply and will vary by Registry Agent location.

• All records on the registry of Vital Statistics are confidential. Legislation outlines who is eligible to order death documents. Please reference the eligibility chart for more information.
  

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Adult next-of-kin is defined in the Fatality Inquiries Act as mother, father, brother, sister, children, spouse or adult interdependent partner. A minor is also included if the minor is a parent, spouse or adult interdependent partner.

This does not include in-laws, grand children, step relatives, aunts, uncles, nieces or nephews, or a biological parent or child when the child has been adopted.  If there are no next-of-kin eligible to apply for a certificate or other document, refer to the eligibility chart for other options.

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There are two ways to amend the original registration:

• through a registry agent or;
  
  
• directly through the Vital Statistics office.

When ordering your certificate through the registry agent, you may request an amendment/correction to the registration at the same time. This will allow Vital Statistics to assist you with amending the registration before the certificate you have ordered is printed.

If you are requesting the amendment directly through Vital Statistics, complete the Amendment Request Form and send it in either by e-mail, fax or mail to Vital Statistics.

Vital Statistics will issue correspondence to the individual requesting the correction/amendment with further instructions about supporting documentation or additional fees that are required.

If more than 90 days have passed since the date of the event, a $20.00 fee is required to process an amendment to a registration.

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In order to get married in Alberta, you require a Marriage License. You can obtain a marriage license at a registry agent office.

There are specific requirements that must be met in order to apply for a marriage license. These requirements are set out in the Marriage License Sections of our website.

There is a $40.00 fee for obtaining a Marriage License. Service fees also apply and will vary by Registry Agent location.

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• Complete the marriage registration.
  
  
• Once the document is submitted to Vital Statistics, you can apply for your Marriage Certificate through a registry agent.
  
  
• There is a $20.00 fee for obtaining a Marriage Certificate. Service fees also apply and will vary by Registry Agent location.

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Statements/certificates are required by the Marriage Act to be issued by the marriage officiate. These documents are to confirm that a marriage has taken place; however, they are not a legal document.

When a legal confirmation is required a Certificate of Marriage issued from the records of Vital Statistics must be obtained.

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An assumed last name is a name of one spouse that is taken on by the other spouse after their marriage. You do not have to assume a new last name; it is personal preference.

In some cases, one spouse will choose to assume the last name of the other spouse. In other instances they will combine their current legal last name with their new spouse's last name with a hyphen.

If you assume your spouse's last name, no changes are made to your original birth record and you may return to your legal last name at any time.

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No. You can assume your spouse's last name; however, you will be required to change your identification (driver license, passport etc.) by contacting the agency that issued the identification (Registry Agent, Passport Canada, Canada Revenue Agency, Alberta Health, etc.).

In most cases, an official government-issued Marriage Certificate will suffice as evidence to assume your spouse's last name; however, you may be required to provide additional proof.

Your Registration of Birth will always reflect your name at birth unless you apply to legally change your name.

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Yes. A marriage license will expire after 90 days from the date it was issued.

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Yes. There are several basic requirements for all marriage ceremonies in Alberta:

• the couple, a registered officiant and two adult witnesses must be present at the ceremony;
  
  
• the couple must present a valid Alberta marriage licence; and
  
  
• the Registration of Marriage must be signed by the parties to the marriage, the marriage officiant and the two adult witnesses.

Civil marriage ceremonies performed by a marriage commissioner require that during the ceremony, in the presence of the marriage commissioner, and the two adult witnesses, the couple must declare to each other:

• I do solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why I, (name) may not be joined in matrimony to (name).
  
  
• I call upon those persons present to witness that I, (name), do take thee, (name) to be my lawful wedded wife/husband/spouse.

Other than the basic requirements, religious ceremonies do not have any government regulations with respect to solemnization of the marriage by a member of the clergy.

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If you are getting married outside of Alberta, it is advisable to contact the jurisdiction or country in which you are getting married to ensure you meet their specific legislative requirements.

You may still assume your spouse's last name providing you can produce the required evidence satisfactory to the agency that issues the identification.

If you assume your spouse's last name, no changes are made to your original birth record and you may return to your legal last name at any time.

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You can apply for a marriage certificate through a registry agent. Vital Statistics does not keep a register of divorces. Contact the court house in the town or city where the divorce was granted.

You may also contact:

Central Divorce Registry
P.O. Box 2730, Station D
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1W7
Phone: 613-957-4519

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Marriage Commissioners are appointed by Ministerial Order to perform civil (non-religious) marriage ceremonies. There are two types of Marriage Commissioner Appointments: full term (5-year term) and temporary appointment.

• If you would like to apply to become a full term marriage commissioner, you must contact Vital Statistics for an application.
  
  
• A completed application must be submitted to Vital Statistics along with a cover letter a personal resume and a letter outlining the facilities the applicant has available to perform weddings and conduct interviews.
  
  
• Temporary appointments are only available to Alberta residents who are judges, members of the Senate of Canada, Alberta Members of Parliament (MPs) or Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs). A special application form is available here.

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Religious organizations seeking authority to perform marriages must apply for recognition from Vital Statistics. The religious organization applying for recognition must meet the following criteria:

• be incorporated in Alberta for at least three years under either:
  
  
  • the Societies Act
    
    
  • the Religious Societies Lands Act
    
    
  • the Companies Act
    
    
• have a suitable location established for the members of the organization to meet regularly;
  
  
• have an established membership of at least 100 members; and
  
  
• provide documentation, such as:
  
  
  • constitution and bylaws of the organization
    
    
  • annual financial statements for the previous three years
    
    
  • religious sacraments, including a marriage ceremony
    
    
  • names and addresses of members and clergy in Alberta

Organizations that have been recognized by Vital Statistics to perform marriages appoint a representative called a governing authority. The governing authorities identify the clergy residing in Alberta, who are licensed to perform marriages.

Vital Statistics issues certification to those clergy that represent the governing authority. For more information concerning applications and registration criteria, contact the Vital Statistics office.

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Currently, there are over 200 marriage commissioners throughout Alberta. There are several factors that partially determine the need to appoint a full-term marriage commissioner:

• population growth in an area,
  
  
• an increase in civil marriages within a specific area,
  
  
• a request from a particular district,
  
  
• retirement of an existing marriage commissioner

All applications to become a marriage commissioner are kept on file and reviewed should the need for a marriage commissioner become available. For more information, visit the Marriage Commissioner section of the website.

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In writing, outline the details of your complaint. Please be sure to include the marriage commissioner's name and mail your complaint to Vital Statistics at the following address:

Service Alberta, Registries
Vital Statistics
Box 2023
Edmonton, AB T5J 4W7

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You must be an Alberta resident to apply to change your name in Alberta.

• You must complete an application form, meet the designated requirements and apply through a registry agent.
• As each applicant's circumstances can be different, you may wish to consult with a registry agent or Vital Statistics prior to completing a Change of Name application.
• Once the Change of Name application has been successfully completed, the registry agent will send it to Vital Statistics to be reviewed and processed. A Legal Change of Name Certificate will be issued to you.

There is a $120.00 government fee per application as well as a $25.00 RCMP fingerprint processing fee per person requiring fingerprints associated with completing a legal Change of Name application.

All legal change of name forms may be obtained from the registry agent network. Registry Agent service fees will apply and vary by location. There may also be a service fee for fingerprints charged by the fingerprinting agency.

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No. You must be an Alberta resident who is 18 years of age or older to legally change your name. You are eligible if you are under 18 years of age and are one or more of the following:

• legally married;
  
  
• living in an adult interdependent relationship;
  
  
• the parent of a child;
  
  
• the guardian of a child.

An applicant can apply for a legal change of name for themselves, their spouse or adult interdependent partner, their child or guardian. Consents are required, dependent on the scenario and form part of the Change of Name application.

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Yes. A name:

• must have a first and a last name
  
  
• must use the English alphabet
  
  
• cannot contain numbers, non-letter characters and/or profanity
  
  
• may only contain the following punctuation marks:
  
  
  • period (.)
    
    
  • hyphen (-)
    
    
  • apostrophe (')
    
    
• can only contain limited types of accents (ask the registry agent for the complete list)

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Providing fingerprints with your LCN application is a requirement of the RCMP. Fingerprints are used to search for a criminal record, and if one exists, cross-reference it to the new legal name. Fingerprints are not kept on file with Vital Statistics or the RCMP.

Fingerprints are required for every person in the Change of Name application that is 12 years of age or older.

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Both methods are accepted as part of the legal Change of Name application process.

• If your fingerprints were taken with ink and the fingerprint form containing the original ink fingerprints (not a photocopy) were given to you to submit with the application, you must submit this with your Change of Name application to the Registry Agent to submit to Vital Statistics. Vital Statistics will then send your fingerprints to the Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Service (CCRTIS) in Ottawa.
• If your fingerprints were taken on a device such as a LiveScan machine and electronically transmitted to the Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Service (CCRTIS) in Ottawa, a confirmation letter from CCRTIS, indicating that the fingerprints were processed will be mailed to you.
• A confirmation letter from CCRTIS, indicating that the fingerprints were processed, will be mailed to you. This letter must be submitted with the Change of Name application to the Registry Agent to submit to Vital Statistics. A photocopy or printed copy of the scanned fingerprints will not be accepted when the electronic fingerprinting method has been used.

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Yes. You must surrender all Canadian birth and marriage certificates as part of the Change of Name application process.

If you were born or married in Alberta, the Alberta certificates will be cancelled and replaced free of charge as part of the legal Change of Name process.

If you were born or married in another province or country, you will have to consult with the Vital Statistics office in that jurisdiction to obtain birth and marriage certificates reflecting your new legal name.

Alberta will notify other Canadian provinces automatically of the Change of Name.

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No. You must change your name in the province or country you currently reside. Each jurisdiction may have different legislative requirements to complete the legal change of name application.

It is advisable to contact the Vital Statistics department of the jurisdiction where you reside and complete their legal Change of Name application.

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In some cases, Alberta Vital Statistics is notified by other jurisdictions that you have changed your name and will automatically amend your birth record.

In other instances, you must contact Alberta Vital Statistics and produce satisfactory evidence (a government-issued change of name certificate) to amend your birth record.

Once your original birth record is amended with Alberta Vital Statistics, you will be able to order a birth certificate reflecting your new name.

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Yes. Once Vital Statistics processes the Change of Name application, all legal changes of name in the application will be published in the Alberta Gazette which is the official newspaper of the Government of Alberta.

The only way to avoid publication is to obtain a Court of Queen's Bench order dispensing with the publication of the legal change of name in the Alberta Gazette.

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A registry agent is contracted with the Government of Alberta to provide registries services to Albertans.

You can locate a registry agent near you by clicking this link or looking in the Yellow Pages under Licensing Services.

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Clients who reside outside of Alberta may contact Registry Connect for services. Registry Connect is an authorized agent of the government, providing Vital Statistics document services for individuals living outside of Alberta who have experienced vital events in Alberta.

Registry Connect has a specific application that must be completed, which includes a Statutory Declaration for Proof of Identity.

• Website: www.e-registry.ca
  
  
• Mailing Address:
  
  Registry Connect
  Suite 202, 1003 Ellwood Road SW
  Ellwood Office Park South
  Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6X 0B3
  
  
• Phone: 780-415-2225
  
  
• Email: registry.connect@aara.ca

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Yes. For each product Vital Statistics produces, there is a government fee, which is outlined in regulations. Registry Agents charge an uncapped service charge. Service charges may vary by location.

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In writing, outline the details of the error and identify how it should be corrected. Send your letter and the certificate with the error on it to:

Vital Statistics
Box 2023
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 4W7

When a certificate with an error on it is returned to Vital Statistics, we will cancel the incorrect certificate and issue you a new, correct certificate free of charge.

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When ordering Vital Statistics documents/certificates, the applicant must present an acceptable proof of identity document. This document must be issued by a provincial or federal government. It must contain a recognizable photograph, full name and a distinctive identification number.

If the document has an expiry date, the document must currently be valid. If the document has no expiry date, then it must have been issued within the last five years.

If the document is in a language other than English, then the application must provide a notarized English translation and an affidavit from the translator stating that the translation is accurate.

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Certificates and Photocopies of Registrations look different and the information they contain is different:

• Certificate - specific and limited information taken from a registration document and transcribed to a certified certificate made of bank note paper.
  
  
• Birth certificates are available in one size, but two different formats: personal information only, and personal information with parentage.
  
  
• Marriage certificates come in two sizes, small and large.
  
  
• Death certificates are available in the large size only.
  
  
• Stillbirth events are not available in certificate form.
  
  
• Certified Photocopy of Registration - photocopies are rarely needed by citizens and are, by law, for restricted use only. They are generally only required for court or consulate purposes. They are not used as identification. This is an actual copy of a registration completed at the time of the event. The photocopy will be stamped with a certification statement and the Registrar's signature. Available in this format are births, stillbirths, marriage, and deaths.

To know which style is needed it is suggested that contact be made with the organization the document will be shown to, for confirmation of style.

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Yes, Canadian Citizenship Cards are considered acceptable identification, as long as they have been issued within the last five years.

Note: Effective February 1, 2012, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has stopped producing plastic wallet-sized citizenship certificate cards (with photographs). CIC has designed a new citizenship certificate on 8.5” x 11' paper. These new certificates are not acceptable identification.

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If you do not have any identification, you may provide your consent to a Designated Agent to apply on your behalf.

The Designated Agent must be 18 years of age or older, have known you for at least one year, sign the Designated Agent's Statutory Declaration on the application form and provide acceptable proof of identification.

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When an application for a registered vital event is received with no discrepancies, it is processed within two to three business days and delivered within five business days as per Canada Post's delivery times.

If the documentation requested is required within a specific time frame, please make the registry agent or Registry Connect aware and provisions can be made to accommodate the situation.

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If you have not received your requested document you may request a replacement document as long as it is within 90 days of the original application.

You should follow up with the Registry Agent where you ordered the certificate to ensure that the address was correct. If it was, the Registry Agent will contact Vital Statistics and an affidavit will be sent to the client to be completed before another certificate can be issued.

Once the completed Affidavit is received by Vital Statistics, a new certificate will be issued free of charge.

After the 90 day period, a new certificate must be re-ordered from a Registry Agent. Fees will apply.

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A search letter is a product that can be ordered through a Registry Agent. A search letter does not provide actual detailed Vital Event information.

The letter will identify whether or not a record is registered with Vital Statistics using the search criteria provided by the applicant.

The government fee for a Search Letter is $20 for each 3 year period searched. Service fees apply and will vary by location.

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Vital Statistics records are confidential and can only be accessed by eligible individuals. Please reference the eligibility chart to see if you are eligible to apply for certain records.

Legislated exceptions are:

• When a birth record is 120 years old or older, anyone may apply for the birth documents;
  
  
• When 50 years has passed since the date of death of a person, anyone may apply for the birth documents of the deceased;
  
  
• When stillbirth record is 75 years or older, anyone may apply for the stillbirth documents;
  
  
• When a marriage record is 75 years old or older, anyone may apply for the marriage documents;
  
  
• When a death record is 50 years old or older, anyone may apply for the death records.

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You can obtain a copy of the Vital Statistics Act and associated Regulations (the Vital Statistics Ministerial Regulation, the Vital Statistics Information Regulation and the Vital Statistics Transitional Regulation) by accessing the Alberta Queen's Printer website.

The most recent Vital Statistics Act RSA 2012 cV-4.1 came into force on May 14, 2012. It repeals the Vital Statistics Act, RSA 2000 cV-4 and the Change of Name Act, RSA 2000 cC-7.

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