Every child born in Northwest Territories must be registered with Northwest Territories Vital Statistics before applying for a Birth Certificate.

You can apply for a Northwest Territories Birth Certificate if you are:

• The person whose name appears on the certificate (16 years of age or older);
• Parents of the person named on the certificate (if child is under 19 years of age or incapable);
• A legal guardian of the person named on the certificate if parents are incapable (must submit guardianship papers);
• A person with a court order;
• A person who required it to comply with a specific Act or regulation (proof required);
• Next of kin or an executor, trustee or administrator of the estate for a subject that is deceased (must submit proof of death).

Before applying, find out the type and format of the document required by contacting the organization to which you must submit it.

Documents:

Short Form Birth Certificate (wallet size):

The Short Form Birth Certificate is required when applying for an adult Canadian passport. It contains basic information: full name of individual, date of birth, place of birth, sex, registration date and registration number.

Long Form Birth Certificate (paper size 8.5 x 7”):

The Long Form Birth Certificate contains all the information as stated above, plus the names of parents and birthplaces of parents (province/country only).

When submitting an application concerning the birth of a minor, we recommend requesting the Long Form Birth Certificate, as it includes the parents’ names. Some organizations require this type of certificate in the case of minors.

Restricted Photocopy:

A Restricted Photocopy is a copy of the original Registration of Birth and is usually required for legal purposes. A Restricted Photocopy can only be issued if authorized by the Registrar General of Vital Statistics or on the order of a court.

Given that you have correctly filled out all sections on the application, you will receive your birth certificate(s) within approximately 10-20 business days (includes mailing time).

Please Note: Fees listed above are inclusive of taxes and shipping costs. If no record of the birth is found by Northwest Territories Vital Statistics, fees will be applied to the search cost and will not be refunded.

If you have not received your Birth Certificate within the expected timeframe, you may contact the Northwest Territories Vital Statistics Agency to check the status of your application.

Toll Free: 1-800-661-0830
Telephone: 867-777-7400