This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has specific naming procedures for change of name requests. Should a client have an existing IRCC record under a different name or name spelling, the name on the primary document submitted with the most recent IRCC application may take precedence over the previous name, subject to the procedures and document requirements outlined in this page.
The officer processing the request may only change a client’s name based on documentary evidence, as outlined below. Additional documents may be requested to support the evidence presented.
A new client record should not be created in the system of record; however, a new name record under the existing client record must be created and marked as the primary name. Do not delete the previous name record. It must be recorded as the former name, AKA (alias) or other name in IRCC’s system of record.
Supporting documents are issued based on a primary document that is normally issued by the provincial or territorial body responsible for vital statistics, or by IRCC. A supporting document may show a person’s use of a name, which is not always the same as the name shown on the primary document. Therefore, supporting documents alone shall not be used as evidence of a change of name.
There are two types of name changes:
Note: Historical records, such as an immigration record of landing, IMM 1000 or Confirmation of Permanent Residence document will not be amended unless a clerical or administrative error was made by IRCC. In such instances, please follow the instructions in Change of name due to clerical/administrative error.
As per subsection 6(2) of the Privacy Act, if a IRCC officer discovers a clerical/administrative error made by IRCC, they must make a change to match the name printed on the primary document without a request from the client. In the event that the error is detected after document issuance, the client’s record will be amended indicating the correct spelling that will be printed on a replacement document. The original document number will be cancelled and the replacement document will be sent to the client (free of charge). A note will be recorded in IRCC’s system of record and the client will be notified of the action, in line with the Privacy Act. The correct name will be recorded as the primary name and the erroneous name will be marked as entered in error, in IRCC’s system of record.
If a client submits an official request to Amend Immigration Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688), and it is determined that IRCC made a clerical/administrative error, the name record will be amended indicating the correct spelling that will be printed on the replacement document. A note will be recorded in IRCC’s system of record. The correct name will be recorded as the primary name and the erroneous name will be marked as entered in error, in IRCC’s system of record.
IRCC relies on a legal or administrative decision made by the appropriate provincial and territorial authority as evidence of a change of name. Therefore, the following linking documents issued by a Canadian province or territory will be accepted for a change of name on a client’s permanent resident card, temporary resident document (visitor’s permit, work permit, or study permit) or Certificate of Canadian citizenship:
Note: Documents d) to h) permit the person to change their surname only.
Note that an amended birth certificate can be submitted as a supporting document in addition to the legal change of name document. An amended birth certificate alone does not show the link between the old name and the new name, thus cannot qualify as a linking document. In the event that the old and the new name are noted on the amended birth certificate, it can be used as a standalone linking document.
In some instances, adoption orders only show the link between the parent and the child and do not specify the new name of the child. Some provinces issue an amended birth certificate displaying the new name of the adopted child; therefore, the amended birth certificate will be used to establish child’s name in IRCC records.
In addition to the linking documents, the client must still provide any provincial documents requested as part of the application instruction guide to establish the person’s identity, not only the name. On occasion, additional documentation may be requested.
IRCC will no longer issue documents with assumed names that appear on provincial documents without an authoritative document issued by the province or territory, such as the ones mentioned above. For example, if a province/territory has issued a health card, student card or driver’s licence to a minor with their step-father’s family name and there has been no adoption or legal change of name, IRCC will not issue a document to that person in the assumed name. The assumed name must be recorded as an alias in IRCC’s system.
Note: A woman residing in Quebec may not use her husband’s last name in Quebec if she was married after April 2, 1981. Please note that only Canadian citizens may apply for a legal change when residing in Quebec. In light of this, PRs residing in Quebec are unable to comply with the requirements to change their name set out in the Naming Procedures.
In some instances, permanent residents, foreign nationals or Canadian citizens might go through a process of name change abroad. In situations like that, please follow procedures below based on person’s status in Canada:
In instances where Canadian citizens have changed their name abroad and are residing in Canada, IRCC will rely on a document that links the previous name to the new name, such as a foreign marriage certificate (with official translation) or a legal change of name document issued by a province or territory of Canada, and a document issued by a province or territory of Canada that displays the new name, such as:
In instances where Canadian citizens have changed their name abroad and are residing abroad, IRCC will rely on a document that links the previous name to the new name, such as a foreign marriage certificate (with official translation) or other foreign legal change of name document, and an authoritative national or state/province (or equivalent) issued photo identification document issued in the country or state/province in which the client resides that displays the new name, such as:
In instances where Canadian citizenship proof applicants have changed their name abroad and are residing abroad, IRCC will rely on a document that links the name assigned at birth to the new name, such as a foreign marriage certificate (with official translation) or other foreign legal change of name document, and an authoritative national or state/province (or equivalent) issued photo identification document issued in the country or state/province in which the client resides that displays the new name, such as:
IRCC will not recognize changes of name by permanent residents or foreign nationals that occur abroad, unless the client's foreign passport or other national authoritative documentation is amended to reflect that name. The client must provide a linking document used as evidence of a change of name that will be copied or scanned and kept in the client’s file, to create an audit trail.
Please refer to How to read travel documents (MRZ, MRC, VIZ) on how to use the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ), the Machine Readable Chip (MRC), and the Visual Inspection Zone (VIZ) of a passport or travel document to determine the name that will be recorded in IRCC’s system of record.
In the instance where permanent resident or foreign national changed their name abroad, yet resides in Canada after obtaining legal name change abroad, IRCC will require:
This is not intended to change any of the other requirements or information IRCC collects for the application.
Note: Names where spousal relationship is indicated section applies to changes of name due to marriage.
In instances where Permanent Resident and Foreign National change their name abroad and continues to reside outside of Canada after obtaining legal name change abroad, IRCC will require:
Note: Names where spousal relationship is indicated section applies to changes of name due to marriage.
In all cases, a note must be recorded to the client’s name record in IRCC’s system of record, and the client must be notified of the decision to amend, grant, or deny the change.
If a change of name is approved, the new name as indicated on the legal change of name document will be recorded as the primary name in IRCC’s system of record and will be the name that appears on any new document(s) issued by IRCC. Once a new name is recorded as the primary name, ensure that the previous primary name is indicated as the former name in GCMS.
If a change of name request is denied, the name requested by the applicant must be recorded as name type “AKA” (alias) or “other” in GCMS.