Changing my last name as a PR in Quebec

[Nadik]

Hi all!
I received my PR about 2 years ago and since then I have lived here with my Canadian husband.

I want to change my last name for personal reasons and am trying to understand the process in Quebec.
I know I need to fill in the "Application for Preliminary Analysis for a Change of Name",
but on that application, it says: "If you or the person concerned by the application for preliminary analysis were born outside Québec and the birth is not entered in the Québec register of civil status, you must apply to the Directeur de l’état civil to have the act of birth inserted in the register so the application for a change of name can be processed."

I was born outside of Canada and got my PR through my husband in Quebec. My question is, does me having PR means my birth is entered in the Quebec register of civil status? How can I check if it is?

And while I'm at it, I have a few more questions that are not related to the forum but you might be able to help me.
If I apply for a last name change, how long does the process take?
Would I be able to use my foreign passport to travel or would I not be able to travel until the entire process is done?
How long from the start of the process until I get my new PR card and health card?

Thank you so much for the help and for anything you can contribute!

 

[PowderedT0astMan]

Not sure if this is helpful, but I changed my last name when I got married in the US in 2013 (we're both American). When I came to Canada in 2019, I was only able to get my RAMQ card in the name on my birth certificate, it didn't matter that this was no longer my legal name, and that I have no other form of ID with this name. I tried to get my RAMQ in my legal name, but they absolutely refused to do it.

The only time it's been an issue is during Covid when I had to show proof of vaccination at the airport, the info on my medical record is under my old name, not the name on my passport. But I brought my marriage certificate, and that was enough to prove it was for the same person.

(n.b. my Quebec driver's license is under my legal name, not the name on my RAMQ card.)

 

[Zuzu1983]

Hi all!
I received my PR about 2 years ago and since then I have lived here with my Canadian husband.

I want to change my last name for personal reasons and am trying to understand the process in Quebec.
I know I need to fill in the "Application for Preliminary Analysis for a Change of Name",
but on that application, it says: "If you or the person concerned by the application for preliminary analysis were born outside Québec and the birth is not entered in the Québec register of civil status, you must apply to the Directeur de l’état civil to have the act of birth inserted in the register so the application for a change of name can be processed."

I was born outside of Canada and got my PR through my husband in Quebec. My question is, does me having PR means my birth is entered in the Quebec register of civil status? How can I check if it is?

And while I'm at it, I have a few more questions that are not related to the forum but you might be able to help me.
If I apply for a last name change, how long does the process take?
Would I be able to use my foreign passport to travel or would I not be able to travel until the entire process is done?
How long from the start of the process until I get my new PR card and health card?

Thank you so much for the help and for anything you can contribute!

Changing name in Quebec will not be allowed for something like getting married and wanting to change to your spouse's last name. Your request to change your name must have another justification for it to be approved.
Even if your name was changed outside of Quebec, like the person above mentioned, it might not be recogized here.
I knew a Japanese woman who married a Québécois man. Her family records and birth certificate in Japan were changed for her Québécois husband's last name as is the practice and law there. In Québec, she had to use her Japanese last name.

 

[Nadik]

Changing name in Quebec will not be allowed for something like getting married and wanting to change to your spouse's last name. Your request to change your name must have another justification for it to be approved.
Even if your name was changed outside of Quebec, like the person above mentioned, it might not be recogized here.
I knew a Japanese woman who married a Québécois man. Her family records and birth certificate in Japan were changed for her Québécois husband's last name as is the practice and law there. In Québec, she had to use her Japanese last name.

Thank you so much for your input!
Do you happen to know what might be a good justification for it to be approved? I want to change my last name to my mother's since I was never in contact with my father and I am the only one in my family carrying his last name... Would that be good enough of a reason in your opinion?

I am planning on changing my last name in my home country but if it will cause problems here I might reconsider it, although it really does not make sense to me why I have to carry on a family name I am not really a part of and have no connection to whatsoever.

Thank you again for the help!

 

[Nadik]

Not sure if this is helpful, but I changed my last name when I got married in the US in 2013 (we're both American). When I came to Canada in 2019, I was only able to get my RAMQ card in the name on my birth certificate, it didn't matter that this was no longer my legal name, and that I have no other form of ID with this name. I tried to get my RAMQ in my legal name, but they absolutely refused to do it.

The only time it's been an issue is during Covid when I had to show proof of vaccination at the airport, the info on my medical record is under my old name, not the name on my passport. But I brought my marriage certificate, and that was enough to prove it was for the same person.

(n.b. my Quebec driver's license is under my legal name, not the name on my RAMQ card.)

That is really helpful information, thank you!
I never imagined changing a surname would be such a problem here.

 

[Zuzu1983]

Thank you so much for your input!
Do you happen to know what might be a good justification for it to be approved? I want to change my last name to my mother's since I was never in contact with my father and I am the only one in my family carrying his last name... Would that be good enough of a reason in your opinion?

I am planning on changing my last name in my home country but if it will cause problems here I might reconsider it, although it really does not make sense to me why I have to carry on a family name I am not really a part of and have no connection to whatsoever.

Thank you again for the help!

I'm not familiar enough with this to have on opinion if this is a good enough justification. The website mentions it must be a serious reason and they give a few examples.
https://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/en/change-name.html

What's good is that it's free to submit a request for the preliminary analysis. Only then if they give you the go-ahead, you need to pay and proceed with the more cumbersome next steps.
Best of luck with your request!