Indigenous name reclamation – Change of name applications

Last revised June 03, 2026

All instructions are for applying for a personal name change, not the names of dependent children.

How to apply

You can apply for a name change online or by submitting paper forms.

Completed applications can be delivered in person to any ServiceBC location, or sent by mail to the department of Vital Statistics at:

Vital Statistics Agency, 
ATTN: CONFIDENTIAL SERVICES 
PO Box 9657 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, 
B.C. V8W 9P3

How to waive the fees

Per recommendation 17 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, survivors of residential schools, their families or any individual impacted by the Sixties Scoop can apply for a change of name through the department of Vital Statistics and have their fees waived. This requires a written declaration, a sample of which is linked in the references

The fee for fingerprinting cannot be waived by Vital Statistics since the service is handled by outside agencies, though those services may be willing to waive their fees separately.

Applicants should also request a new birth certificate and/or marriage c -2021ertificate when their application is filed, which will be provided free of charge once the name change application is completed.

Additional Costs (applicable if not waived)

Some additional costs may apply to an application for a change of name if they are not waived using the declaration linked above.

• Fingerprinting
• Criminal record check
• Witnessing your signature on a statutory declaration
• Certifying documents
• New identification following the name change

Other documents

If you were born in Canada you will also need an original birth certificate. If you were born outside of Canada you will need a certified copy of both sides of your most recently issued Permanent Resident Card of Canadian Citizenship Card/Certificate. Other circumstances may apply, see the full list of required documents here (BC Government website).

Federal Documents

In 2021 in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #17, Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship (IRCC) introduced a program to help Indigenous people reclaim their traditional names on passports, citizenship certificates and permanent resident cards. When the program was introduced, it included a five-year fee waiver for updating these documents. The fee waiver expired on May 30, 2026, and to date an extension has not been implemented.

Assistance

The Indigenous Community Legal Clinic can provide assistance with forms and the filing process. Please contact them by phone at 604 822 1311 or 1 888 684 7874 or email at iclc@allard.ubc.ca

Content Reviewed June 3, 2026