Civil Records for Canada citizens in the United States — 2026

Civil records registration means registering births, marriages and deaths that occurred in the United States with the Canada authorities. Essential for citizens of Canada living abroad whose family events happen in the U.S.

Canada consulates processing civil records

What can be registered?

• Birth registration: children of Canada parents born in the U.S. can be registered as Canada nationals
• Marriage registration: marriages of Canada citizens (or mixed marriages) celebrated in the U.S.
• Death registration: death of Canada nationals in the U.S.
• Divorce registration: U.S. divorce decrees for those married in Canada

Required documents

• Original U.S. vital record (birth/marriage/death certificate)
• Apostille from the Secretary of State of the issuing state
• Certified translation to the official language of Canada
• Passport and ID of the Canada citizens involved
• Application form completed

How to register

Most Canada consulates require an appointment to file civil records. The consulate then forwards the registration to the Canada civil registry office.

Some consulates accept mail-in applications for civil records. Check the official site of your consulate.

Costs and processing times

Registration fees: typically free or $10-$50 per record. Processing time at the consulate: 2-4 weeks; final registration in Canada can take additional months.