Changing Your Name in Canada

1 An Introduction to Changing Your Name in Canada 1 2 Alberta 3 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 3 1.1 Marriage 3 1.2 Divorce 4 1.3 Change of parent 4 1.4 Amendment of a name 4 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 5 3. Name Restrictions 6 4. Application Process 6 4.1 Necessary documents 6 4.2 Fingerprint requirements 8 4.3 Publication of name change 8 4.4 Affidavit 9 5. Cost and Payment Methods 9 6. Contact 9 vi Changing Your Name in Canada 3 British Columbia 11 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 11 1.1 Marriage 11 1.2 Divorce 12 1.3 Amendment of a name 12 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 12 3. Name Restrictions 13 4. Application Process 13 4.1 Necessary documents 14 4.2 Fingerprint requirements 15 4.3 Publication of name change 15 4.4 Statutory declaration 15 5. Cost and Payment Methods 16 6. Contact 16 4 Manitoba 17 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 17 1.1 Marriage 17 1.2 Divorce 18 1.3 Amendment of a name 18 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 18 3. Name Restrictions 19 4. Application Process 19 4.1 Necessary documents 19 4.2 Fingerprint requirements 21 4.3 Publication of name change 21 4.4 Affidavit 22 5. Cost and Payment Methods 22 6. Contact 22 5 New Brunswick 25 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 25 1.1 Marriage 25 Contents vii 1.2 Divorce 26 1.3 Amendment of a name 26 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 26 3. Name Restrictions 26 4. Application Process 27 4.1 Necessary documents 27 4.2 Publication of name change 29 4.3 Statements 29 5. Cost and Payment Methods 29 6. Contact 30 6 Newfoundland and Labrador 31 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 31 1.1 Marriage 31 1.2 Divorce 32 1.3 Amendment of a name 32 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 32 3. Name Restrictions 33 4. Application Process 33 4.1 Necessary documents 33 4.3 Publication of name change 35 4.4 Affidavit 35 5. Cost and Payment Methods 36 6. Contact 36 7 Northwest Territories 37 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 37 1.1 Marriage 37 1.2 Divorce or separation from common-law spouse 38 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 38 3. Name Restrictions 39 4. Change of Name of a Child 39 viii Changing Your Name in Canada 5. Application Process 40 5.1 Necessary documents 40 5.2 Declaration 40 5.3 Publication of name change 41 6. Cost and Payment Methods 41 7. Contact 42 8 Nova Scotia 43 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 43 1.1 Marriage 43 1.2 Divorce 44 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 44 3. Name Restrictions 45 4. Change of Name of a Child 45 5. Application Process 46 5.1 Necessary documents 46 5.2 Statutory declaration 46 5.3 Publication of name change 47 6. Cost and Payment Methods 47 7. Contact 48 9 Nunavut 49 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 49 1.1 Marriage 49 1.2 Divorce 50 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 50 3. Name Restrictions 50 4. Change of Name of a Child 51 5. Application Process 52 5.1 Necessary documents 52 5.2 Affidavit 53 5.3 Publication of name change 53 6. Cost and Payment Methods 53 7. Contact 53 Contents ix 10 Ontario 55 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 55 1.1 Marriage 55 1.2 Divorce 56 1.3 Name change election 56 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 56 3. Name Restrictions 57 4. Change of Name of a Child 57 5. Application Process 58 5.1 Necessary documents 58 5.2 Guarantor's statement 59 5.3 Statutory declaration 60 5.4 Publication of name change 60 6. Cost and Payment Methods 61 7. Contact 61 11 Prince Edward Island 63 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 63 1.1 Marriage 63 1.2 Divorce 64 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 64 3. Name Restrictions 64 4. Change of Name of a Child 65 5. Application Process 65 5.1 Necessary documents 65 5.2 Publication of name change 66 6. Cost and Payment Methods 67 7. Contact 67 12 Quebec 69 1. Marriage and Divorce in Quebec 69 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 70 3. Name Restrictions 71 x Changing Your Name in Canada 4. Application Process 71 4.1 Necessary documents 72 4.2 Publication of name change 72 5. Cost 73 6. Contact 74 13 Saskatchewan 75 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 75 1.1 Marriage 75 1.2 Divorce, annulment, or widowed 76 1.3 Amendment of a name 76 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 76 3. Name Restrictions 77 4. Application Process 77 4.1 Necessary documents 77 4.2 Publication of name change 79 4.3 Affidavit 79 5. Cost and Payment Methods 79 6. Contact 80 14 Yukon 81 1. Who Doesn't Require a Legal Name Change? 81 1.1 Marriage 81 1.2 Divorce 82 1.3 Amendment of a name 82 2. Who Is Eligible to Apply? 82 3. Name Restrictions 83 4. Application Process 83 4.1 Necessary documents 83 4.2 Publication of name change 85 4.3 Affidavit 85 5. Cost and Payment Methods 85 6. Contact 86 Contents xi Appendix I - Resources 87 Vital Statistics Offices 87 Offices Outside of Canada 91 Name Change Acts 92 Appendix II - Identification Update List 95 Download Kit 97