Citizenship certificate Name Change – in 3 easy steps

Changing your name on your citizenship certificate is needed for the following reasons;

• When you’re applying for your first citizenship certificate
• Your name has been legally changed from that on your birth certificate
• When you’re replacing your citizenship certificate and your legal name is now different from that on your original certificate.

In other words, you either have to be applying for a replacement certificate (to update any changed personal information, including a name change) or applying for your first certificate.

Step 1: Where was your name changed?

Step 2: What documents do I need to submit with my application for a replacement certificate?

Step 3: Where do I send the application and supporting documents?

Let’s go through some of the details.

Note: Legal name change is first done on the provincial level not the federal level. For example in Ontario you need to fist contact Service Ontario Change of Name.

How to change your name on your citizenship certificate (card).

Was your legal name changed in Canada or outside Canada?

• If you legally changed your name in Canada, submit one of the following documents with your application to replace your certificate (or for your first certificate):
  • A legal change of name document
  • A court order specifying a name change
  • An adoption order

You can use the following documents only for a change of last name (surname):

• A marriage certificate or divorce decree
• Registration or Declaration of Union by civil authorities
• Revocation or annulment of Union by civil authorities
• Registration of common-law relationship (in some provinces)
• If you legally changed your name outside Canada but are living in Canada, submit the following documents along with your application to replace your citizenship certificate:
  • A foreign passport or other national documents with your new name
  • A document that links your old name to your new name, like a foreign marriage certificate, if necessary, with a certified translation into English or French – remember this is in the case of you changing your name overseas.
  • A document in your new name from a province/territory in Canada, such as a driver’s licence; a health card; a senior citizen’s card, an age of majority card etc.
• If you legally changed your name outside of Canada and are living outside of Canada, submit the following documentation with your application to replace your citizenship certificate:
  • A foreign passport or other national documents with your new name
  • A document that links your old name to your new name, like a foreign marriage certificate – remember this is in the case of you changing your name overseas.
  • A document in your new name from a provincial or state government abroad, such as a foreign passport; a foreign travel document; a state or provincial ID document, etc.

Important: If you obtained an amendment to your Record of Landing or COPR due to administrative errors when your Record of Landing or COPR was first issued, and this is the reason for your name change, you need to include a copy of the amendment or an official letter confirming the change of name.

Tip: Go here if you need to learn about making an amendment to your document (fixing a mistake).

Changing it because you got married – and the documents you will need

Remember, there is a difference between documents you need for a complete name change and those accepted for the last name (surname) change. In most cases, if you only change your last name, a marriage certificate is good. However, if your name change is more complicated – like changing your middle name as well as your last name – you may need a legal change of name document.

• Step one: Where did you get married? In Canada or abroad?
• Step two: If you got married in Canada – submit your marriage certificate. If you got married abroad submit your foreign marriage certificate.

If you got married overseas but live in Canada, submit your foreign marriage certificate and a provincial or territorial ID in your new name, like a driver’s license or health card.

If you got married overseas and lived abroad, submit your foreign marriage certificate and a foreign official ID or foreign passport in your new name.

• Step three: Go here to see where to submit your application and documentation.

Changing it because of a name change – and the documents you will need

• Step one: Where did you legally change your name? In Canada or overseas?
• Step two: If you changed your name in Canada, you will need a legal change of name document and a provincial/territorial ID in your new name.
• Step three: Submit your application for a replacement certificate and your supporting documents. Go here to see where to submit them.

Tip: Click here to find out the time it takes to get your citizenship certificates.

FAQs

Changing Your Name When You Marry on your proof of citizenship

In order to change your name on your citizenship card or citizenship certificate if you changed your name due to marriage, you will need to complete the replacement citizenship certificate application and submit all the required supporting documentation plus you will need to submit a copy of your marriage certificate. Depending on where you were married, you may have to supply additional information:

• If you were married in Canada or the United States, you only need a copy of your marriage certificate;
• If you were married outside of Canada and the US, you may need to have your marriage certificate authenticated by the country in which you married;
• If you were married in a country which does not issue marriage certificates in either English or French, then you will have to get the certificate translated and that translation notarized.

A citizenship card is no longer available. If your name change is approved, you will receive a citizenship certificate instead.

Changing Your Name When You Divorce

If you changed your name due to marriage, and you are going back to your maiden name (or other earlier name) as part of the divorce, you need to complete the replacement citizenship certificate application and provide all necessary supporting documentation (your current citizenship card or certificate, photo IDs, new photos, etc) plus a copy of your divorce certificate. If your divorce occurred in Canada or the United States, you do not need any more documentation. If you divorced elsewhere, you may need:

• to have your divorce certificate authenticated by the government of the country you divorced in;
• to have your divorce certificate translated, if it is in a language other than English or French, and that translation notarized.

If your name change application is approved, you will receive a new citizenship certificate with you old name on it. You can no longer get a citizenship card.

Other Name Change

If you change your name for a reason other than marriage or divorce, you have to provide a copy of your legal name change in addition to completing the replacement citizenship application and providing the correct supporting documentation. And just as with changing your name on your citizenship card or certificate due to marriage or divorce, you will need to provide additional documentation if you changed your name in a country other than Canada:

• If your legal name change is from another country, it may have to be authenticated by the officials of the country you legally changed your name in;
• If the legal name change document is not in English or French, you will have to get it translated into either language and have that translation notarized.

If your name change application is accepted, you will get a new citizenship certificate with your new legal name on it. You will not receive a card, as the citizenship card has been discontinued.

What is the fee for a citizenship certificate name change?

The cost of replacing a certificate is $75.

What is the Canadian citizenship certificate name change processing time?

Go here to our page on processing times to see how long it takes to replace a citizenship certificate.

Note: It’s much harder to put a request of expiation on this type of application request.

For a change of name, is it better to do it online or paper application?

Click on the link to our page that explains when you can apply online and when you have to apply on paper. You can always choose to apply on paper, but only apply online in certain situations.

How do I change my name on my Citizenship Card?

IRCC no longer issued citizenship cards. To update your information on your citizenship card, you have to apply for a certificate. Go here to our page for more information.

Citizenship Certificate Name Change

If you have legally changed your name, due to marriage, divorce or for some other reason, you will need to update your citizenship card or certificate in order to:

• change your name on your Canadian Passport;
• prove your citizenship in Canada under your new name to municipal, provincial and federal government departments, agencies and crown corporations;
• prove your citizenship under your new name to an employer;
• prove your citizenship under your new name to an educational institution.

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Allard Keeley

Writer | Website | + posts

Allard Keeley has been a published writer on immigration policy since 2013. Has written for publications like The Federalist. Fluent in Spanish and English. BA Honors Economics Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

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