After Your Baby Is Born in Canada: Birth Registration, Birth Certificates, and Travel Documents

What do you need to do after your baby is born in Canada? In short, and in this order: register the birth with the province where your baby was born, apply for a birth certificate that lists the parents' details, and use that certificate to apply for a Canadian passport. If you are Taiwan nationals, you also need to have the birth certificate authenticated by a Taiwan office in Canada, then apply for a Taiwan passport and household registration in Taiwan. In British Columbia, for example, you have 30 days to register the birth, and the birth certificate takes several more weeks.

Expecting parents often ask two things: "Will the hospital take care of this for us?" and "Once we have the birth certificate, can we take the baby home to Taiwan?" What usually happens is that the hospital only reports the birth. The other documents are handled by the provincial government, the federal government, and Taiwan's agencies, and each document is often required to apply for the next one. Instead of asking "Which documents do we need?", start with a different question: "Which passport will our baby use to enter Taiwan?" The answer sets the order for everything else. This article is part of a series on giving birth in Canada from Jiaduobao (JDB). For the full process, start with Giving Birth in Canada: What to Confirm First About Entry, Medical Care, Costs, Baby Documents, and Postpartum Plans.

The Short Answer: What Documents Do You Need After Your Baby Is Born in Canada?

Read the table from top to bottom. That is roughly the order you will follow. Timelines come from each agency's website, and actual processing depends on your case.

Will the Hospital Register the Birth? What Do Parents Need to Do?

The hospital sends a notice of the birth to the provincial government, but the parents must complete the birth registration. Two provinces as examples:

• British Columbia: The provincial government says parents must register the birth within 30 days. When you register online, you can apply for a birth certificate at the same time. The province issues the birth certificate only after it has both the parents' registration and the Notice of Birth from the hospital or birth attendant.
• Ontario: Provincial rules require registration within 30 days of birth, and all parents must be present to confirm an online registration. The online newborn bundle lets you apply for a birth certificate and a Social Insurance Number (SIN) at the same time.

Neither province's website says whether non-resident families can use these combined online services. Check with that province's vital statistics office before the birth.

Before the birth, have this information ready so you can use it when you register:

1. Your baby's name in English, and how it should match the name in English on your baby's Taiwan passport later
2. Each parent's name, date of birth, and place of birth as shown on their passport
3. The parents' marriage certificate (for unmarried parents, see the FAQ)
4. A mailing address and phone number for the birth certificate

Once your baby's name is registered, every document that follows will use it. Checking the spelling before the birth is easier than applying for a correction later.

Which Version of the Birth Certificate Should You Apply For?

Provinces usually issue two types of birth certificate: one that shows only the baby's details, and one that also lists the parents. If you are traveling to Canada to give birth, apply for the version with the parents' details. You will need it in at least three places:

• Canadian passport: Under IRCC's documents required for a child passport, as of November 5, 2024, every child passport application must include proof of parentage. A detailed (long-form) birth certificate that lists the parents' names can be used. British Columbia's birth certificate page also notes that children under 16 usually need the version with parents' details for uses such as a passport application.
• Authentication by a Taiwan office: The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver requires the original of the current version that lists both parents' names and places of birth. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto requires the original large-format birth certificate (Certified Copy of Birth Registration).
• Household registration in Taiwan: The National Immigration Agency's requirements for settlement after birth abroad call for a foreign-language birth certificate that shows both parents' full names, authenticated by a Taiwan overseas mission.

Decide how many copies to order based on how you will use them. Before you submit anything, ask each office whether it keeps the original and how long it takes to return it, so two applications do not end up waiting on the same original. The birth certificate itself is proof of your baby's Canadian citizenship, so you generally do not need a separate citizenship certificate to apply for a passport. For how your baby's status relates to how long the parents can stay, see Is a Baby Born in Canada a Canadian Citizen? Why the Baby's Status and the Parents' Status Are Separate.

How Do You Apply for a Canadian Passport, and How Long Does It Take?

IRCC's child passport instructions cover three main points:

• Who applies: The child's parents or legal guardians. All parents or legal guardians must take part in the application, sign the form, and be available if contacted.
• What to include: The original birth certificate (proof of citizenship) and proof of parentage. If there are court documents related to custody, include them too.
• How long it takes: Standard service takes 10 to 20 business days, plus mailing. Express service takes 2 to 9 business days and requires a visit in person to a passport office that offers express pickup. With urgent service, you can pick up the passport as early as the end of the next business day. Both express and urgent service require proof of need and an extra fee.

Avoid booking a return flight for a date you can make only with urgent service. Your baby will also need this passport to fly back to Canada later. For details, see Is a Baby Born in Canada a Canadian Citizen? Why the Baby's Status and the Parents' Status Are Separate.

Which Passport Will Your Baby Use to Enter Taiwan?

This section involves Taiwan's nationality and household registration rules. Confirm the details with a Taiwan overseas mission or the responsible agency before you travel to Canada. Under Article 2 of the Nationality Act of the Republic of China (Taiwan), a person whose father or mother is a Republic of China national at the time of birth has Republic of China nationality. Whether this applies in your case is determined by the responsible agency.

If you and your partner have household registration in Taiwan, the National Immigration Agency's settlement requirements describe two common routes:

For Route A, the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on first passports for children born abroad lists what to prepare: the application form, your baby's foreign passport or residence document, the birth certificate authenticated by a Taiwan office, two color photos taken within the last 6 months, both parents' passports, and a marriage certificate or a household registration transcript issued within the last 3 months. Ask at the same time whether your baby needs a separate entry permit to enter Taiwan on a Taiwan passport. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver also suggests that families planning to register a child in Taiwan confirm the details with the National Immigration Agency and the household registration office first.

Different offices handle birth certificate authentication, depending on the province of birth:

The two offices' requirements also differ. The Vancouver office says a birth certificate issued by the provincial government does not need to be notarized first. The Toronto office requires the Chinese translation to be certified by the provincial association of translators and interpreters, such as ATIO in Ontario. Before you submit, follow the current notice from the office handling your application.

How Should You Plan Your Return So Documents Don't Hold You Up?

Add up the times each agency publishes to estimate the minimum time you should allow. For a baby born in British Columbia, taking Route A:

1. Birth registration to birth certificate: 4 to 6 weeks on average
2. Canadian passport, standard service: 10 to 20 business days, about 2 to 4 weeks, plus mailing
3. Birth certificate authentication: 9 business days after an in-person application is accepted, about 2 weeks
4. Taiwan passport: check with the office

Steps 2 and 3 both need a birth certificate. If you order enough copies at the start, you can submit both at the same time. Even so, based on published times alone, it can take 6 weeks or more from the birth to have most of the documents in hand, not counting mailing or the Taiwan passport.

Beyond the documents, consider two more things at the same time:

• Whether your baby is ready to fly is for a pediatrician to assess, and the airline's rules must also be met.
• How long you can stay depends on the status you received when you entered Canada, so confirm it separately. See Traveling to Canada While Pregnant: eTA, Visitor Visas, and Airline Pregnancy Limits. For the full timeline from prenatal care to the trip home, see Giving Birth in Canada Step by Step: Prenatal Care, Hospitals, Labor, and the Trip Home.

Choose a return ticket you can change, and set the date after the birth, based on how the documents are actually progressing.

Where Can JDB Help?

JDB plans to expand its services to Canada starting in 2027, focusing on postpartum accommodation, recovery for mothers, and newborn care. Cities, opening dates, and service details will be posted over time in our announcement.

Visas, entry, medical care, and your baby's identity documents are handled separately by the Government of Canada, hospitals, and Taiwan's overseas missions. Jiaduobao provides accommodation, daily living, and newborn care services and does not provide individual visa, immigration, legal, or medical advice.

To learn more about our plans for Canada, contact us on LINE (ID: jdbmom828), WeChat (ID: jdbmom), WhatsApp (+1 828-866-8886), or through our online form.

Common Questions About Your Baby's Documents After Birth

Q1: Can You Still Register the Birth After 30 Days?

Yes, but the rules vary by province. In Ontario, for example, the provincial government says you can still register online for free within 12 months of the birth. After 12 months, the process takes longer and there is a fee. For late registration in other provinces, check with the vital statistics office in the province of birth.

Q2: If Only One Parent Is in Canada, Can You Apply for the Baby's Canadian Passport?

Not necessarily. IRCC says a child passport application requires all parents or legal guardians to take part, sign the form, and be available if contacted. If one parent is not in Canada, confirm with IRCC before the birth how that parent can sign and take part, so it does not delay your return.

Q3: Do You Need a Notary Before a Taiwan Office Authenticates the Birth Certificate?

Not necessarily. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver says a birth certificate issued by a provincial vital statistics office does not need to be notarized first. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto requires the Chinese translation to be certified by the provincial association of translators and interpreters. Requirements differ by office, so follow the current notice from the office handling your application before you submit.

Q4: Do You Have to Apply for Authentication in Person?

Not necessarily. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver accepts applications in person or by Canada Post Xpresspost. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto accepts applications in person, and for a mail-in application you need to contact the office by email first. Mailing adds time in both directions, so include it when you plan your return.

Q5: Are the Documents Different If the Parents Are Not Married?

Not necessarily, but there are usually a few more things to check. The Bureau of Consular Affairs says that when the father is a foreign national and the mother is a Taiwan national, a marriage certificate is not required for the Taiwan passport application. When the father is a Taiwan national and the mother is a foreign national, an acknowledgment of the child must first be registered at a household registration office in Taiwan. For the Canadian passport, if the parents and the baby have different surnames, you may need to include a marriage certificate or a name change document. For your specific situation, check with a Taiwan overseas mission and a lawyer.

For Families Preparing Their Baby's Birth Documents

Your baby's documents come one after another. Birth registration leads to the birth certificate, the birth certificate leads to the passport and authentication, and household registration in Taiwan comes last. If you decide your baby's name, your route back to Taiwan, and how many birth certificates you need before the birth, you only have to submit things in order afterward, and you will have more time with your baby.

If you are planning to give birth in Canada and want to talk about postpartum care and timing, contact JDB through our contact form.

Sources

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Apply for a child passport: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/child-passport.html
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Documents to submit when applying for a child's passport: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/child-passport/documents-submit.html
• Government of British Columbia, Birth registration: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/birth-adoption/births/birth-registration
• Government of Ontario, Register the birth of a new baby: https://www.ontario.ca/page/register-birth-new-baby
• National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior (Taiwan), Requirements for nationals without household registration applying to settle in the Taiwan Area (in Chinese): https://www.immigration.gov.tw/5385/7244/7250/7281/%E5%AE%9A%E5%B1%85/36430/

This article is general information about Canadian birth documents and related Taiwan procedures. It is not legal, immigration, or case-specific advice. Rules and processing times may change at any time. Always rely on official announcements from the Government of Canada and provincial governments, Taiwan's overseas missions, the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, and other responsible agencies, and on advice from qualified professionals.