Register your child’s birth

On this page

• Register a birth
• Get a birth certificate or copy of a birth record
• Health insurance cards
• Social Insurance Number for your child
• Apply for a child passport
• Children born outside of Canada

Register a birth

Parents must register their child's birth with their province or territory.

Some provinces offer a newborn registration service. It allows parents to register their child's birth and apply for other services at the same time, such as a Social Insurance Number and other child benefits.

Click on your province or territory.

• Alberta - Register a birth
• British Columbia - Register a birth
• Manitoba - Register a birth
• New Brunswick - Register a birth
• Newfoundland and Labrador - Register a birth
• Northwest Territories - Register a birth
• Nova Scotia - Register a birth
• Nunavut - Register a birth
• Ontario - Register a birth
• Prince Edward Island - Register a birth
• Quebec - Register a birth
• Saskatchewan - Register a birth
• Yukon - Register a birth

If the birth occurred in a province different from your place of residence, contact the vital statistics office in the province where the birth took place.

For more information, refer to Members of the Vital Statistics Council for Canada

Get a birth certificate or copy of a birth record

Learn about the steps to apply for a birth certificate based on the requirements of each province and territory in Canada.

• Alberta - Get a birth certificate
• British Columbia - Get a birth certificate
• Manitoba - Get a birth certificate
• New Brunswick - Get a birth certificate
• Newfoundland and Labrador - Get a birth certificate
• Northwest Territories - Get a birth certificate
• Nova Scotia - Get a birth certificate
• Nunavut - Get a birth certificate
• Ontario - Get a birth certificate
• Prince Edward Island - Get a birth certificate
• Quebec - Get a birth certificate
• Saskatchewan - Get a birth certificate
• Yukon - Get a birth certificate

Health insurance cards

Health insurance cards (also called Care Cards), are a provincial responsibility. For information on how to apply for a health card, click on your province or territory of residence below:

• Alberta - Health insurance cards
• British Columbia - Health insurance cards
• Manitoba - Health insurance cards
• New Brunswick - Health insurance cards
• Newfoundland and Labrador - Health insurance cards
• Northwest Territories - Health insurance cards
• Nova Scotia - Health insurance cards
• Nunavut - Health insurance cards
• Ontario - Health insurance cards
• Prince Edward Island - Health insurance cards
• Quebec - Health insurance cards
• Saskatchewan - Health insurance cards
• Yukon - Health insurance cards

Social Insurance Number for your child

In all provinces, you can apply for your child's Social Insurance Number (SIN) when you register your child's birth.

If you live in the territories, you must apply for your child’s SIN directly through Service Canada.

Children 12 years of age or older may apply for their SIN. Parents, legal guardians or legal representatives can apply for a SIN for children under the age of majority in their province, and for adults in their care.

To apply for a SIN, consult Social Insurance Number – Apply, update or obtain a SIN confirmation

Apply for a child passport

A Canadian passport is a travel document that Canadian citizens can apply for.

A child passport is valid for a maximum of 5 years. It’s valid until it reaches its expiry date, even after the child turns 16.

For more information, refer to How to apply for a child passport in Canada

Children born outside of Canada

Canadians who have a child born outside of Canada do not need to register the birth in Canada. Not all children born outside of Canada to Canadian citizens are entitled to Canadian citizenship. Apply for a certificate of Canadian citizenship to confirm whether your child is a Canadian citizen.

For more information, refer to Children born outside of Canada