Name change documents
Marriage, divorce, administrative decision: when a name changes, the documents must tell the same story.
Short answer
The purpose of the translation is to link the old and the new name without ambiguity.
We keep the exact spelling of each document and carry over both forms of the name when the document contains them.
Documents often requested together
- Marriage record or certificate
- Divorce judgment or certificate
- Name change decision or certificate
- Old and new passport
What is checked
- Both forms of the name, in full.
- The date of the decision.
- The authority that issued it.
In Quebec
The Directeur de l’état civil states which documents are required after the preliminary review of your application. Ask for its list, then translate exactly those documents.
If a foreign act has to be inserted into the Quebec register, the French translation must be made or certified by an OTTIAQ member.
Common mistake
Translating only one document in the chain: the institution then cannot link the two names.
Best next step
Upload every document connected with the name change: we handle them as one file.