What if my ancestor’s birth record does not exist or was never archived?
Ask the office that should hold it for a written answer that no record was found, and keep it. IRCC may accept a baptismal, hospital, census or boat-manifest record, with a written explanation of why the certificate is unavailable.
This comes up in the groups for Montréal births around 1909 and for the gap years in Nova Scotia. A missing record is a common result of a search and not a sign that you searched wrongly.
Which alternative record fits your case, and whether it is enough, is a question for IRCC or a licensed Canadian lawyer or consultant. Finding the record each generation needs is something we do.
The full guides
- Québec Baptism Record for Canadian Citizenship by Descent (BAnQ)
- Nova Scotia Birth Registrations from the Archives (1864 to 1877 and 1908 to 1923)
More questions
- BAnQ or DEC: which one has my ancestor’s birth record?
- Do I ask the DEC for a certificate or a copy of an act?
- Is my FamilySearch copy enough, or do I need a certified one?
- My ancestor was born before civil registration. Where is the birth record?
- Born in Ontario in 1919 or 1920: which office has the birth record?
- My order is taking months. Did I order the right thing?
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.