Preparing BC Vital Statistics Documents for Authentication
These include documents issued by the BC Vital Statistics Agency:
- Certificates of Birth, Death, Marriage, Change of Name, Marriage Search, and others
- Certified True Copy of a Registration Document
Note: you can order these documents from the BC Vital Statistics Agency. Submission instructions:
- Submit original BC Vital Statistics documents directly to the OIC Administration Office for authentication
- BC Vital Statistics documents issued prior to 1985 (including laminated or wallet-sized versions) cannot be authenticated as originals unless they are notarized
There is a standard $30 fee for each document authentication. The fee includes return mail service delivery by regular Canada Post mail (no tracking). Receipt of payment will be included.
Accepted payment types: cash, money order, bank draft or personal or business cheque (made payable to the Minister of Finance).
Note: if you live outside of Canada, payments in USD are accepted. If you wish to pay with a US Postal Service money order, only US Postal Service USD International Money Orders are accepted. Payments made by US Postal Service USD Money Order are not accepted, as they are only negotiable in the US.
Mailing options:
file:///C:/Users/Owner/Desktop/BC%20authentication/Return%20Mail%20Instructions%202020- 10-09.pdf
Some provinces in Canada like British Columbia only provincially authenticate original birth documents, not notarized copies. Therefore, the provincially authenticated birth certificates require further authentication federally to achieve official authentication.
Below is the link to the Federal Authentication in Canada page:
https://www.sovereignbydesign.com/courses/federal-authentication-in-canada/
Cover Letter to send with certificates for authentication below:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Done by the light of day this:
Second day of the twelve month
Two-thousand and Twenty this common era.
To: Ministry of Attorney General Order in Council Administration Office
Attention: Authentication Program
1001 Douglas Street Victoria, BC
V8W 2C5
RE: Authentication Request for Registration Document
I am requesting authentication of the below document(s) that are enclosed:
- Registration of Live Birth
- Birth Certificate
I have enclosed $XX Money Order ($XX.00 per document) payable to; (ask Official Documents whom to write Money Order out to)
I affirm that I require this process "for business and private matters" and these document(s) will NOT be used for “fraudulent purposes.”
Please return to the address below in the pre-paid envelope provided:
LAST, FIRST MIDDLE
#123 123 Ave.
Vancouver, BC V3A 3V2
By: Authorized Representative: ___________________________________
John
Registered mailing Instructions For ROLB to Official Documents
- Copy the Cover letter template for yourself to use and edit the information that is correct at your time of mailing including amounts enclosed.
- Sign document with Blue Pen
- Attach one of the registered mail tracking stamps at the top right as shown in above example on your cover letter. You will get these registered mail stickers from the post office. Attach the other one to the receipt you get at the post office when sending. Put this in your binder for your records. Take a picture of your document or photocopy it and keep a record in your binder with a picture of the envelope.
- Send Registered Mail.
- When your documents come back, keep them in your binder (in plastic sleeves to keep them in good shape).
In this Process You Will Want to keep Copies of Everything for your records!