I need help filling out my Civil Marriage Questionnaire (SJ-217)?

[Hnhkrk]

My and my fiance have decided to have a court-house civil marriage ceremony in July/August in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. We are currently working on filling the paperwork out (I'm still in the US and he's in Canada), and I am slightly confused.

As a US citizen, we have different customs than Quebecers/Canadians and I'm afraid that I don't have the proper paperwork. For Example, I don't have a registration number of civil status, and I'm unsure if my birth was actually 'registered' at all. I also don't know what an 'Act of Birth' is, and do not have a Certificate of Birth that has been issued by the Directeur de l'etat civil. I do have a Birth certificate (original copy and certified copy), a Birth Number, and a social security number.... would that be good enough? If not, where can I get the proper paperwork? Do I have to register my birth in Quebec? I thought I couldn't get 'civil status' until I traveled there/applied for PR? Is there a special form I have to fill out as a US citizen? What is a 'civil number', is it just the house number (and if not, how can I obtain it?)

Also, if I give them these documents (Birth certificate) will they be returned back to me? I'd really like someone with experience to answer my questions, please. Worst case scenario I will call the court house.

Here is the form that I am filling out: justice.gouv.qc.ca/english/formulaires/mariage/sj217-a.pdf

*Please note, me and my fiance have been thinking about getting married for a very long time. Originally, I was going to come to canada on a student visa and wrestle to get a workers permit BEFORE we get hitched, but after some consideration we decided that me gaining PR through sponsorship would be best because I would be able to establish residency much faster. We have been together for 4 years and compliment each other very well. This is not a 'shot-gun' wedding, although it may seem that way.

 

[CharlieD10]

If you have a birth certificate, your birth was registered. It asks for place of registration of birth or registration number in the register of civil status, this information should be on your birth certificate: it's wherever your birth was recorded or the number of the birth certificate if it has one. Fill in the information requested as it appears on your US birth certificate.

You should get your supporting documents back, we had to submit our passports and birth certificates to get married in Jamaica, and we got them back once our license was approved (same day!).

 

[Hnhkrk]

If you have a birth certificate, your birth was registered. It asks for place of registration of birth or registration number in the register of civil status, this information should be on your birth certificate: it's wherever your birth was recorded or the number of the birth certificate if it has one. Fill in the information requested as it appears on your US birth certificate.

You should get your supporting documents back, we had to submit our passports and birth certificates to get married in Jamaica, and we got them back once our license was approved (same day!).

Ah! Thank you so very much!

 

[Deficient]

Man oh man, I remember having to go through this.

The thing about Quebec and civil marriages is that they appear to have all this pretty unambiguous guidance about what/who they need to see and when, but in reality it seems like the civic officers just make it up as they go along.

For example, they say a preliminary interview is necessary in the guidance but the officer my husband dealt with said it wasn't necessary. The guidance doesn't mention any timescales except the 20 days for the posting of the banns, but the office my husband dealt with said they wanted to see everything at least 60 days beforehand. The guidance also gives the impression that both spouses need to attend to set up the marriage, but they were happy for my husband to do so with the person who witnesses that part.

The incredible thing about it is that he basically just showed up with my birth certificate and a form with my signature and signed me up for a marriage, and I showed up for the wedding and my identity was never confirmed at any stage. I could have been anybody!

Anyway, my advice is to get everything set up as far as you can in advance and don't necessarily expect the process to go exactly as it is written.

 

[Deficient]

Also, Charlie answered your question already but I can add that my Scottish long form birth certificate was perfectly OK. It sounds like you're fine.