New Brunswick Birth Certificate, 1888 and Later, for Citizenship by Descent

New Brunswick civil birth registration began in 1888. For births from 1888 onward, New Brunswick Vital Statistics issues the birth certificate. Courier delivery outside Canada and the US adds to the cost.

This is the Canadian-side record for one ancestor. Citizenship by descent needs a record for every generation in your line, from you back to that ancestor.

The short answer

Who has it
New Brunswick Vital Statistics
What to ask for
Birth certificate
What it costs
About CA$40 online or CA$45 by mail, plus about CA$80 courier outside Canada and the US.
How long
Up to 5 business days, plus delivery.

How to order it

A genealogy search is about CA$15 for the first 3-year period and CA$10 for each additional one.

What IRCC wants for every document

  • IRCC asks for authentic, verifiable documents for every generation, from you back to the Canadian-born ancestor. Repeat this lookup for each link in the chain.
  • If an official birth certificate does not exist, IRCC may accept a baptismal, hospital, census or boat-manifest record, with a written explanation of why the certificate is unavailable.
  • Records not in English or French need a translation with the translator’s sworn statement.
  • Family-tree website printouts are not accepted as proof.

What we have not confirmed yet

Whether older births (about 100+ years) are held by the Provincial Archives instead.

Check my records, free

More

Fees and times are approximate, checked against official pages on 2026-10-01. Confirm with each office before ordering. Legal questions go to a licensed Canadian lawyer or consultant.