(SSSD)Gather your documents

Gather your documents

You'll need

  • your original marriage certificate,
  • money to pay a translator to translate your marriage certificate into English, if needed,
  • a copy of your separation agreement or court order(s), if you have any,
  • a recent photo of the other person, if needed, and
  • your change of name certificate, if needed.

Your marriage certificate

To get a divorce, you need your original marriage certificate or a certified true copy of your marriage registration. The court won't accept the certificate you received from the place where you got married.

If you were married and need to get a marriage certificate:

  • In BC, see Marriage Certificates to find out what BC marriage certificates look like and how to order one from the BC government's Vital Statistics Agency.
  • In another province or territory, contact the office equivalent to Vital Statistics in that province or territory. 
  • In another country, contact the office responsible for marriage records in the country where you were married.

There's usually a fee to have your original marriage certificate or a certified copy sent to you. In BC, it costs $27 to order your marriage certificate from the Vital Statistics Agency.

If you can't get your marriage certificate before your case begins, explain why on the court forms. The court registry might let you file your certificate later if they believe you have a good reason. If not, they might delay your case.

If your marriage certificate is from Quebec and in French, ask your Supreme Court registry if they accept marriage certificates in French or if you have to get it translated into English.

If your marriage certificate is from another country and isn't in English, you need to get it translated into English. This must be done by a certified translator. Ask the translator to give you an Affidavit of Translation. When you file your marriage certificate, attach the translation and the affidavit as exhibits.

Your separation agreement or court order

You need your separation agreement or court order to show what you've agreed to or what the court has already ordered about parenting, child support, spousal support, and other family law issues.

If you haven't already filed your agreement with the Supreme Court, do that now to open a family law case. For more information, see Step 2: File your agreement, if you have one.

To make a separation agreement, contact a family justice counsellor, mediator, or family lawyer for help. You can also use our step-by-step guide Write your own separation agreement.

For more help, see Making an agreement after you separate and Who can help you reach an agreement?

A photo of the other person, if needed

The person who serves documents on the other person (either a professional process server or another adult) must have a way to identify them. The process server can either:

  • use a photo that you've provided (and have sworn in an affidavit it's a true likeness of the person), or
  • copy or take a photo of the other person's driver's licence or other photo identification (ID).

Your change of name certificate, if needed

You don't need to apply for a legal name change to use the name you had before you were married. After you separate, you can use either your name from before you were married or the other person's name without legally changing it.

If you had a legal name change and want to change it back or change your name to something new, you can do that in your divorce application. To do this, you also need your change of name certificate from the Vital Statistics Agency.

You can also apply to change your name later (for a fee) through the Legal Change of Name Application page on the BC government website.
Updated on 28 February 2023
Wellness

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