Chapter CP 3 - Establishing Applicant's Identity

Section 4 - Date of birth; changing date of birth

Related Topics

See sections on Acceptance of identity documents and Clearances

4.1 This section is about

• the date of birth an applicant can use on a certificate of citizenship
• the documents accepted as proof of date and place of birth
• changing the date of birth
• the date of birth on an Immigration Record of Landing (IMM 1000)

The new policy was formulated in light of policy changes adopted by the Query Response Centre (QRC) for the Amendment to Record of Landing (IMM-1000).

4.2 Authorities

4.3 Background

QRC is the service delivery point within CIC that is responsible for Immigration archives. QRC will do a DOB change only if an administrative error (CIC’s mistake) has occurred. Also, QRC will only amend the Record of Landing for a Permanent Resident; no changes to the DOB will be made for Canadian Citizens.

Previously, DOB changes to citizenship records relied on changes to the Immigration Archives in order to effect a change to the citizenship records. The Record of Landing was regarded as the primary document establishing a client’s identity, and the certificate of citizenship was issued with the DOB appearing on the Record of Landing. If the client was a Permanent Resident or a Canadian Citizen, and claimed an error on the Record of Landing or Certificate of Canadian Citizenship, the client was referred to QRC to correct the error by submitting a Request to Amend the Immigration Record of Landing (Form 1436). If Immigration records were amended, the citizenship records were also amended.

4.4 Policy

The objective of the policy on changes to a person’s date of birth is to ensure that citizenship records contain accurate information, while ensuring that any amendments to existing client information do not create a new identity for that client.

This amended policy allows a date of birth change, if certain documents are presented in support of the application. The following guidelines must be used in reviewing requests for changes to citizenship records. Please note that the onus is on the applicant to provide the required documents to change a date of birth.

4.5 Grants - 5(1), 5(2)(a) and 11(1)

The DOB on the citizenship certificate issued in the case of grant applications will be based on the Immigration document. Corrections to the DOB which are mentioned in the remarks portion of the Immigration document which indicate that "...the DOB indicated should read...." or "...the clients correct DOB is..." will be used on the certificate. We expect that the latter situation will be a rare occurrence.

Except in special and unusual circumstances, clients must be advised that the information that they initially provided in that application will be the information reflected on documents issued by the department. If a Permanent Resident claims an error on his/her Record of Landing in regards to DOB, the applicant will be asked to provide additional documentation in order to support the correct DOB (see: Amendments to DOB section in this policy).

4.6 Grants - 5(2)(b) and applications involving 2(2)(b)

The DOB on the certificate issued in the case of a 5(2)(b) grant application will be the DOB on the Record of Landing. If no Record of Landing is available the DOB will be taken from the birth certificate. For applications involving 2(2)(b), the DOB will be taken from the birth certificate, unless the applicant provides acceptable documentation to amend the DOB on the birth certificate.

4.7 Proofs - First Proof

The DOB on the citizenship certificate will be the DOB on the applicant’s birth certificate, unless the applicant provides acceptable documentation to amend the DOB.

4.8 Proofs - Replacement

Except in special and unusual circumstances, client must be advised that the information they initially provided to the department will be the information reflected on documents issued by the department. A replacement certificate must show the same DOB as the previous certificate, unless the applicant provides acceptable documentation to amend the DOB.

4.9 Amendments to DOB

A request to amend the DOB (use the form "Application for a Citizenship Certificate" or "Application for Canadian Citizenship") must be filed with the following documentation:

• a personal statement from the client containing the details of discrepancies in date of birth; why the client accepted a citizenship certificate indicating the incorrect date of birth; and why the client has waited until this time to correct the mistake. If the client is illiterate or requires special arrangements, an oral statement, sound recording, or video recording will be accepted. This should be noted on file.
• a document from Appendix A (must be an original or certified copy) or five documents (must be originals or certified copies) from Appendix B.
• If a birth certificate or baptismal certificate is unavailable, a "no record" letter from the issuing authority must accompany the five documents from Appendix B.

4.10 Appendix A - Primary Documents

4.10.1 Birth Certificate - a birth certificate with the following characteristics:

• must be signed by an authority in the issuing county;
• must show parents’ surname, or applicant’s surname and given name;
• must show applicant’s full date of birth;
• must show date of registration of birth;
• date of registration must be less than 5 years from the date of birth;
• must be able to verify details on certificate by direct request to issuing authority or embassy.

4.10.2 Birth Certificates must be certified by the individual embassy

Birth certificates from the following countries must be certified by the individual embassy in order to be acceptable. This is because documents from these countries are not usually issued based on original records:

Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, People’s Republic of China, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.

Birth certificates from Eastern European countries where the date of birth is before 1945 also require certification by the corresponding embassy:

Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Ethiopia, Hungary, Karelian, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Ukraine, and the USSR.

4.10.3 Baptismal Certificate:

A baptismal certificate is acceptable with the following characteristics:

• must bear seal of the church and be signed by an official of the church. Applicant must provide an additional letter from the church certifying the authenticity of the baptismal certificate;
• must show parents’ surname or applicant surname and given name;
• must show age or date of birth on date of baptism;
• date of baptism must be less than 2 years from the date of birth.

4.10.4 Baptismal Certificates must be certified by individual embassies

Baptismal certificates from the following countries must be certified by the individual embassy in order to be acceptable. This is because documents from these countries are not usually issued based on original records:

Egypt, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, People’s Republic of China, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.

4.10.5 Decision of the Court:

A copy of the judgement where the applicant has had the date of birth amended through a motion to a court within a province of Canada.

4.10.6 Other Primary Documents:

Confirmation from the following federal agencies of the amended date of birth: HRD (Income Security Programs) or the Canadian Passport Office. This confirmation must be accompanied by a letter from the agency verifying the applicant’s date of birth.

4.11 Appendix B - Secondary Documents

4.11.1 Birth Certificate:

A birth certificate that does not meet the requirements of a birth certificate outlined in Appendix A of this policy.

4.11.2 Baptismal Certificate:

A baptismal certificate that does not meet the requirements of a baptismal certificate outlined in Appendix A of this policy.

4.11.3 Other Secondary Documents:

The following list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure as to whether or not a particular document is acceptable, guidance should be sought from Integration Branch.

• affidavit and declarations made by the applicant more than 10 years prior to pension eligibility;
• children’s registration birth records;
• citizenship and naturalization records;
• communion, confirmation, or other church records on official church forms;
• educational records such as school records, diplomas, certificates, medals, etc;
• employment records on company letterhead;
• family bibles and other privately kept records (only if complete document submitted);
• homestead and land patent records;
• I.D. certificates;
• insurance records;
• International Refugee Organization documents;
• marriage records;
• medical and hospital records signed by physicians or officers of the institution;
• membership records in lodges, unions, etc;
• newspaper clippings, letters, photos, and other family records if these indicate the applicant’s age directly or by inference;
• passports and border crossing cards;
• voter list records, driver’s license records, jury lists, etc;
• SIN application forms or unemployment insurance application forms;
• vaccination records;
• income tax forms;
• census forms (Government of Canada);
• medical records;
• statutory declaration by a person or persons aware of the date and place of birth;
• certification by an embassy of the birth country stating that the applicant’s records have been consulted and confirming the correct DOB.