VITAL STATISTICS
Marriage Licences
Congratulations on your engagement!
Before you get married in Alberta you must purchase a marriage licence.
Below are some requirements:
- Both parties to the marriage must apply together for their marriage licence.
- Both parties must provide valid identification. (2 pieces)
- For licence to be valid you must be married within 90 days from the issuing of the marriage licence and must be married within the borders of Alberta.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. (Persons under the age of 18 must obtain consent to marry. Consent forms for minors are available here at Southland Registrations)
- If the marital status of either party to the marriage is divorced, copies of the final court documentation are required.
- The bride and groom cannot be related. Federal legislation prohibits people from marrying if they are related linearly or as brother and sister, whether by whole blood, half blood or by adoption. Specifically: a woman may not marry her grandfather, father, grandson, son or brother. A man may not marry his grandmother, mother, granddaughter, daughter or sister.
- If either party is not fluent in English, they must provide a certified translator/interpreter who is over the age of 18 and is fluent in English as well as the language he/she is translating. Some questions that will be asked when you visit our office:
- Full name, address, and place of birth of the bride and groom.
- Full name, address, and place of birth of the bride and grooms parents.
Please Note: To complete a marriage licence, you must come in 30 minutes before we close.
Marriage Certificates
If you wish to take your husband or wife’s last name or wish to have a combination of the two, you may be required to submit a marriage certificate from Vital Statistics. Driver’s licences, bank accounts, credit cards and taxation offices may require this certificate as proof that you and your spouse are married.
Who can order a marriage certificate
- A person whose marriage is registered.
- An individual with written authorization.
- Legal representative who requires it for official duties. (proof is required)
- An individual with an order from the court.
- A person with power of attorney, guardian or trustee.
- Any adult next of kin of the decease bride or groom.
- The executor of the estate.
Steps to obtain your Marriage Certificate
- Come to the Southland Registrations office with personal identification.
- Provide our staff with your contact information as well as your marriage information, such as date, place of marriage, full names of bride and groom.
- At Southland Registrations we have the ability to order your marriage certificate with Vital Statistics right on line. This can speed up the ordering process greatly.
Please allow up to two weeks for delivery of your certificate. If you opted for the courier service, barring any complications, we should have the document within three business days. Once your certificate has arrived we will contact you. Please pick up your certificate at our Southland Registrations office. Before doing so, you must provide identification so that we can verify your identity.
Birth Certificates
Here at Southland Registrations, we can order Birth Certificates directly from Vital Statistics.
We can order 2 types of certificates that are related to birth
- Birth Certificates – Information on this certificate includes the individual’s place of birth, full legal name, birth date, and the parent’s legal names (both framing and wallet sizes are available).
- Photocopy of a registration of birth – This document is a photocopy of the registration form that the parents filled out in the hospital. This information can contain information such as time of birth, etc.
Who can order a Birth Certificate
- Person who is on the birth registration.
- Parent(s) of the individual on the birth registration.
- A person with power of attorney, guardian or trustee.
- Order from the court.
- A person adopting a child (proof of pending adoption is required).
- Legal representative who requires it for official duties. (proof is required)
- Any person who requires it to comply with the child welfare act or the parentage maintenance act. (proof is required)
- Adult next of kin.
- Executor of the persons estate.
Identification is required for all certificates ordered.
Please allow 1 to 3 business days for delivery of your certificate.
Once your certificate has arrived we will contact you. Please pick up your certificate at our Southland Registrations office. Before doing so, you must provide identification so that we can verify your identity.
Death Certificates
Alberta Vital Statistics maintains a record of all deaths that occur in Alberta and can only issue certificates/documents for events that occurred in Alberta.
Who can apply for a Death Certificate
- Next of kin.
- A person who has power of attorney, guardian, or trustee.
- A person who has written authorization from next of kin.
- The legal representative who requires it for official duties.
- Executor of the deceased.
- Funeral home representative.
- Persons with an order from the court.
There are 3 Death Certificates available
- Certified Large Size Certificate of Death.
- Photocopy of Registration of Death.
- Photocopy of a medical certificate of death. This is a photocopy of the Medical Certificate of Death completed at the time of death, usually by the attending physician or medical examiners office as is appropriate.
Steps to obtain a Death Certificate
- Come to the Southland Registrations office with personal identification and any other legal documents than may be required as proof.
- Provide our staff with your contact information as well as the deceased information, such as birth date, full legal name and date and place of death.
- At Southland Registrations we have the ability to order your death certificate with Vital Statistics right on line. This can speed up the ordering process greatly.
Please allow one to two business days for delivery of your certificate.
Once your certificate has arrived, we will contact you. Please pick up your certificate at our Southland Registrations office. Before doing so, you must provide identification so that we can verify your identity.
Legal Name Changes
To legally change your name, you must submit an application to Vital Statistics. Come to Southland Registration after you have completed the online form found here. Fingerprints must also be submitted. If the person whose name is being changed is under 18, the fingerprint form does not have to be done.
The applicant must be
- 18 years of age or older.
- A resident of Alberta.
- Applying to change one or more of the following:
- Their own name.
- Current spouse’s/adult interdependent partner’s name.
- Their child’s/ward’s name.
- Not applying to change:
- A deceased person’s name.
- Their spouse’s/adult interdependent partner’s child’s name when the applicant is not the other parent, by birth or adoption, of the child or the applicant does not have custody/guardianship of the child.
Steps to obtain a Legal name change
- Come to the Southland Registrations office with personal identification and completed application form.
- Provide our staff with fingerprint form (if required) and any supporting documentation. Supporting documents may include:
- Proof of legal name/proof of birth.
- Proof of marriage.
- Proof of divorce.
- Proof of annulled marriage.
- Proof of death of a spouse/partner/parent.
- Proof of custody.
- Proof of guardianship.
- Court order dispensing with consent.
- Review sample name change certificate.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of your certificate.
Once your certificate has arrived we will contact you. Please pick up your certificate at our Southland Registrations office. Before doing so, you must provide identification so that we can verify your identity.