Question: Difference between birth certificate and copy of an act of birth in QC?

[MeMew]

I am now reading the website of The Directeur de l'etat de civil de QC for information related to a birth and get confused with their offer of issuance of the 2 following documents:
- Birth certificate (long form): I am sure that this is what everyone needs.
- A copy of an act of birth: I do not understand what this document is, what is its purpose of use, what are contained in this document. Do we need to register for this document in addition to the birth certificate long form as well? Why does the fee for issuing this document is higher than that for a long form birth certificate?

Could anyone having the experience of giving birth and registering for birth certificate in QC (particularly in Montreal) help me with some insights please? TIA

Oops, by the way, do we need to have the name of the newborn ready on the day of birth to fill in all kinds of forms or can we have 1-month duration to think about the name and make our final decision (e.g. change the initial planned name, etc.). If we finally decide to change the initial name of the newborn that we put on the hospital's form within the first month upon birth, does it affect when we register for the official birth certificate then?

[MeMew]

Still looking for the answer to the question regarding the name of the newborn.

However, my first question seems to be answered here if anyone is interested: http://www.canadianbirthcertificate.com/quebec.html
What is the difference between a full sized Quebec birth certificate an abridged copy of a birth certificate? The abridged birth certificate is smaller 8.7 cm by 5.5 cm as opposed to 21.5 cm by 18.5 cm and does not contain as many details as the Quebec birth certificate, such as the the mother' and father's surnames and given names. The Act of Birth document is not a birth certificate but is used to obtain a birth certificate in Quebec.
Do I need an Act of Birth? In Quebec it is mandatory that any newborn is registered with the Quebec Register of Civil Status. Such registration allows the child to obtain a birth certificate, a health insurance card and a social insurance number. To obtain an Act of Birth the Registrar of Civil Status needs two documents. The first document that the Registrar needs is the Attestation of Birth. The Attestation of Birth is submitted to the Registrar of Civil Status by the person who was assisting with the birth be it a doctor or a nurse, it indicates the place of birth along with the time, gender, weight of the child, plus the mother's name and information about her, such as her place of birth, and her address. A copy is made of the Attestation of Birth and given to the parents, this copy is green to make it easily identifiable. The second document that the Registrar needs is the Declaration of Birth. This document is filled out by the parents and sent by them to Registrar office. The parents have 30 days after the birth of their child to fill out this document and send it, if they do not there are penalties.

Do language laws in Quebec affect our Quebec birth certificate? The Registrar of Civil Status may ask you to choose a different name form the one you have gavin your child only if they feel it will cause the child child damage by inviting ridicule. The Act of Birth will still be drawn up by the Registrar with the name you provided but the Registrar will contact the Attorney General of Quebec who in turn will ask the court to replace the given name with either the family name or with a more common name. It is recommended that when naming your child to give them no more than four names. If your child will be baptized later it is important to include the baptismal name as one of the given names since the Declaration of Birth constitutes the civil act. The spelling of given names entered in the register of civil status must match exactly how you spell them when you are filling out the Declaration of birth. Compound given names joined with a hyphen are acceptable.
How long does it take to get a birth certificate in Quebec? The length of time depends on a variety of circumstances. There are some situations which may make the length of time for getting a birth certificate longer. First, if you have not requested a civil status document since 1994, second if the information you provided differs from the information in the Registrar of Civil Status, and thirdly if the Registrar has not yet received the Attestation of Birth from the doctor or nurse present at the birth of your child because the event was recent. If a Quebec birth certificate is needed sooner one can appeal to the Registrar of Civil Status by claiming that there are circumstances which necessitate having your Quebec birth certificate sooner. Examples of such circumstances could be a new work opportunity which requires your birth certificate or an upcoming marriage to your partner which would require a birth certificate.

[EuropeanPenguin]

Hey Memew,

I think i may be able to help you regarding the name, you don't have to make a decision the minute the babe is born... when i gave birth to my kids at St Mary's hospital we had the option of filling in the paperwork there and have them send it in or to take it home with us and send it ourselves... i think you have one month to send it in or you have to pay a fee...

Hope this helps!
EP

[MeMew]

Hey Memew,

I think i may be able to help you regarding the name, you don't have to make a decision the minute the babe is born... when i gave birth to my kids at St Mary's hospital we had the option of filling in the paperwork there and have them send it in or to take it home with us and send it ourselves... i think you have one month to send it in or you have to pay a fee...

Hope this helps!
EP

Thanks a lot for clarifying me on this matter. We are still debating about the name and so many people in our family want to contribute their ideas