Translating a birth certificate in Quebec

Short answer

For IRCC, certified translation of the civil record is enough; for the Quebec register of civil status, a French translation made or certified by an OTTIAQ member is required.

We translate the whole record: names, dates, place, issuing authority, registration numbers, seals and notes on the back.

What to send

• Every page of the record, front and back
• Readable stamps and margin notes
• The spelling of names as in the passport

What institutions check

• The civil record, not only a religious or hospital certificate.
• Dates carried over without ambiguity.
• The same name across every document in the file.

Insertion into the Quebec register

To insert a birth that took place outside Quebec into the register of civil status, the Directeur de l’état civil requires the original of a French translation made or certified true by an OTTIAQ member. An English translation does not fit.

The Directeur de l’état civil keeps the original record and the original French translation.

Common mistake

Sending a photo of one side only. The notes on the back are part of the document.

Best next step

Choose “Birth certificate” in the order form and name the receiving institution.