For the adopted person: Copy of the original act of birth
What is a copy of the original act of birth?
A copy of the original act of birth is a civil status document concerning the birth of an adopted person. This document contains the information found on an adopted person's act of birth, prior to adoption. The copy of the original act of birth also has a document number and a date of issue.
Certain information cannot be disclosed if the birth parents have barred their disclosure in an identity disclosure veto or a contact veto, as the case may be. In the latter case, passages containing contact information for the birth parent, such as an address, will not appear on the original act of birth.
Important
Do not confuse the copy of the original act of birth and the copy of the act of birth, which are two different civil status documents that do not meet the same need. In the case of an adopted person, a new act of birth has replaced the original act of birth, following the adoption judgment. As a result, some of the information from the original act of birth has changed.
Who can request for a copy of the original act of birth?
You must be an adopted person born in Québec or the first-degree descendant (child) of an adopted person born in Québec. You must also have previously obtained the attestation issued by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux under Article 583 of the Civil Code of Québec to submit an application to the Directeur de l'état civil for a copy of the original act of birth.
This attestation confirms, as the case may be, the applicant’s status as an adopted person or as a first-degree descendant of the deceased adopted person, and specifies whether the applicant can obtain their original name, the name of the birth parents or information enabling them to contact the birth parents, including, in the latter case, the conditions authorizing that.
For more information, consult the page Searching for Origins: the new provisions of Bill 2 | Gouvernement du Québec (Québec.ca).
How to request for a copy of the original act of birth?
To request a copy of the original act of birth, you must complete the Application for a copy of the original act of birth (PDF, 84 Ko) 
form and return it by mail to the address indicated, along with a photocopy of the attestation issued by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux under Article 583 of the Civil Code of Québec.
Fees
The fee for a copy of the original act of birth is $61.25.
Reviewed: 2024-09-12
