# Travel >> Destinations >> Canada

How to Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate From Montreal

There are many times in life when a birth certificate is necessary in order to establish identity. For travel outside the country and when crossing borders there is no document more useful than a passport. In order to apply for a passport, a birth certificate is required. In Montreal, this document is issued by the Directeur de l'etat civil.

Applicants for a birth certificate must provide TWO identification documents bearing at least one photograph and their home address. Examples of acceptable identification documents include:
Quebec health insurance card
Drivers license recognized in Quebec
Canadian passport
Certificate of Canadian citizenship
ID card issue by a Quebec school board, CEGEP or university or a private educational institution
Bill from a power supply, telephone or cable company
Tax bill from a municiple or educational body

Instructions

- 1
  
  Decide which version to apply for, the full-sized or abridged version. Full sized birth certificates are recommended for minors. They contain the name, gender, date and time of birth, as well as the parent's names. (Only persons born after January 1, 1994 will have time of birth recorded.) The abridged version does not contain the names of the parents.
- 2
  Obtain the proper form to request a birth certificate in Montreal:Le Directeur de l'etat civil2050, rue De Bleury, ground floorMontreal (Quebec) H3A 2J5(metro Place-des-Arts)Telephone - 514 864-3900Fax - 514 864-4563
- 3
  Make sure to avoid errors and delays in delivery by providing accurate information and spelling. Of paramount importance is to correctly spell the information without abbreviations. For example: provide the municipality where the birth took place, don't just list "St Joseph parish," because there are a number of St. Joseph parishes in Quebec.
- 4
  Mail or fax the form to the address above, or hand it in at one of the counters of the Directeur de l'etat civil either in the city of Quebec or in Montreal, along with the required identification and supporting documents.
- 5
  Enclose payment with the application. As of June 2008 the cost of a birth certificate is $15 and will take five or more weeks to process, excluding mailing time. For *accelerated processing, the fee is $35 and the document is processed in six business days or more, not including Xpressport delivery time. (Note that Canada Post ordinary mail will be used to send the document outside of Canada)