Quebec - Change Name

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Procedure

1. Request for a preliminary analysis.
   You must complete the Application for preliminary analysis for a change of surname or given name available in the Forms and publications section or by contacting the Directeur de l'tat civil. The preliminary analysis determines whether the application for a name change is appropriate to your situation. This analysis can save you time and money. In some cases, the Directeur de ltat civil can correct simple clerical errors on your act of birth without charge.
   Change of Name Application for a Certificate: http://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/publications/DC-Change_of_name_2013-2014.pdf
2. Form and guide for an Application for a change of name.
   After the preliminary analysis is completed, if you must fill out an application for a name change, the Directeur de l'tat civil will mail you the form and guide for the Application for a change of name.
   On the Application for a change of name form, you must:
   1. State your reasons
   2. Swear under oath - before a person authorized by law to hear oaths - that the reasons and information given are accurate
   3. Enclose all the required documents with your application

In addition, certain actions are required before your application is studied, such as:

• Giving public notice of the application in the Gazette officielle du Qubec and in a newspaper published or circulated in the judicial district where the applicant resides, unless a special exemption from publication is granted by the minister responsible for the office of the Directeur de l'tat civil for reasons of public interest
• Notifying persons affected by an application concerning a child of minor age

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Required Documents

two different documents issued by two separate entities:

• a valid photo ID
• a valid proof of home address

Office Locations & Contacts

By phone
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Note that you can use our interactive voice response system at any time to obtain general information.

• Qubec: 418 644-4545
• Montral: 514 644-4545
• Elsewhere in Qubec: 1 877 644-4545 (toll free)
• Teletype (TTY): 1 800 361-9596

In person, at a Directeur de l'tat civil service counter
Each of these offices has qualified staff that are able to assist you.

• Qubec

Service counter, ground floor
2535, boulevard Laurier
Qubec (Qubec) G1V 5C5 Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday : 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Montral

Service counter, ground floor
2050, rue De Bleury, RC
Montral (Qubec) H3A 2J5
(mtro Place-des-Arts) Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In person, at a Services Qubec regional office
In addition, you may apply for a certificate or a copy of an act at the Services Qubec offices listed bellow. Forms and assistance are available on site.

• Drummondville

270, rue Lindsay, RC 16
Drummondville (Qubec) J2B 1G3
Business hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Gasp

Carrefour Gasp
39-5, monte de Sandy Beach
Gasp (Qubec) G4X 2A9
Business hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Gatineau

difice Jos-Montferrand
170, rue de l'Htel-de-ville, RC 120
Gatineau (Qubec) J8X 4C2
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 16:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• les-de-la-Madeleine

224, chemin Principal, bureau 100
les-de-la-Madeleine (Qubec) G4T 1C7
Business hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Joliette

difice Louis-Cyr
450, rue Saint-Louis, RC 20
Joliette (Qubec) J6E 2Y8
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 16:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Laval

1796, boulevard des Laurentides - Secteur de Vimont
Laval (Qubec) H7M 2P6
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 16:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 16:30 p.m.

• Lvis

Les promenades de Lvis
44, route du Prsident-Kennedy
Lvis (Qubec) G6V 6C5
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Longueuil

174, boulevard Sainte-Foy, bureau 105
Longueuil (Qubec) J4J 1W9
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 16:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 16:30 p.m.

• Rimouski

195 B, avenue Lonidas Sud
Rimouski (Qubec) G5L 2T5
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Rouyn-Noranda

255, avenue Principale, RC 01
Rouyn-Noranda (Qubec) J9X 7G9
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Saguenay

Faubourg Sagamie
2655, boulevard du Royaume
Saguenay (Qubec) G7S 4S9
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Saint-Jrme

Galeries des Laurentides
500, boulevard des Laurentides, bureau 1497
Saint-Jrme (Qubec) J7Z 4M2
Business hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 16:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Sept-les

280, avenue Arnaud
Sept-les (Qubec) G4R 3A7<br

Eligibility

Anyone who applies to the Directeur de l'tat civil for a name change must meet the following conditions:

• 18 years of age or over
• A Canadian citizen
• Domiciled in Qubec for at least one year

The father, mother or guardian may apply for a name change for a child of minor age on condition that the child is a Canadian citizen domiciled in Qubec for at least one year.

Fees

• There is no charge for studying the Request for preliminary analysis for a modification of surname or first name. However, the fees charged for a change of name application along with the fees relating to publication of the notices amount to more than $300.
• Fees: Cost and processing time for a name change application:

Change of family name or given name of one person (adult or child) - $133.00
Change of family name of a child (for the same family name as a parent who is changing his or her name) - $26.75
Additional change of name certificate - $10.70

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

The processing time is 4 months if your name change application is complete.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 

Instructions

• There are two ways on how you could apply for a change of name in Quebec. These are:
  • through legal court of action: the court, or
  • through administrative course of action: the Directeur de l'tat civil
• The court has sole jurisdiction to authorize a change of name for a child in the event of abandonment by the father or mother, loss of parental authority, or change in filiation following an adoption, for example. In these situations, it is advisable to seek legal counsel for guidance in choosing the appropriate procedure.
• The Directeur de ltat civil handles all name change applications that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the court. However, there must be a serious reason for making an application. Serious reasons include:
  • You have been using for at least five years a name other than the one that appears on your birth certificate
  • Your name is of foreign origin or is too difficult to pronounce or write in its original form
  • Your name invites ridicule or has become infamous
• The Directeur de ltat civil can also study an application for a name change for any other reason that you present.
• It is possible to request a change of name to add a part of your surname to your minor childs surname if you are the father or mother declared in the childs act of birth.
• Each name change application is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. However, the reasons presented and the documents submitted to support your application are very important as they are what allow the Directeur de ltat civil to evaluate your request.
• Because an application for a name change is public, individuals may react and send comments to the Directeur de ltat civil. Anyone may comment an application. However, opposition can be presented only by the childs father, mother, guardian (where applicable), and the child itself if it is 14 years of age or older.

Required Information

Information on the applicant:

• applicant's surname and given name
• home address
• city, town, village or municipality
• province, postal code
• phone number

Information on the birth of the person concerned:

• surname before the change of name
• usual given name before the change of name
• other given names before the change of name
• surname after the change of name
• usual given name after the change of name
• other given names after the change of name
• sex
• date of birth
• place of birth

Need for the Document

Changing your given name or surname is somewhat like adopting a new identity. It is a significant act. This is why there must be a serious reason for seeking a name change. An application for a name change can be presented to the court or the Directeur de ltat civil.

Information which might help

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

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Others

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