Secondary Evidence

The determination of benefits may be delayed if the Public Service Pension Centre does not have the necessary documentation providing proof of age for yourself and your survivors. If a plan member is unable to provide a proper birth certificate or baptismal certificate, secondary evidence may be accepted as proof of age for pension purposes. You must provide all three of the following requirements:

REQUIREMENT 1 (either A or B):

1. A letter from an appropriate authority stating that a search for a birth certificate was unsuccessful.
2. A full statement from yourself explaining why a search for a birth certificate or baptismal certificate would be impractical or undesirable.

REQUIREMENT 2 (either A or B):

1. A document issued within five (5) years of the birth that shows the name and the date of birth.
2. Two documents which show the name and the date of birth. One document must be at least twenty (20) years old and the other document must be at least ten (10) years old at the time it is submitted to the Public Service Pension Centre.

REQUIREMENT 3:

A Statutory Declaration:

• signed by you stating that the secondary evidence is valid and
• signed by a Commissioner of Oaths (expiry date of the commission is required), a lawyer, or a notary public certifying the sworn statement.

NOTES REGARDING SECONDARY EVIDENCE:

1. Original documents, with the exception of the Statutory Declaration, do not have to be provided. A certified copy or a photocopy will be accepted.
2. All documents submitted as proof of age must include the name and show the date of birth and the date the document was issued.
3. A Statutory Declaration made by a close relative that knows the facts of the birth may be submitted in place of a ten (10) year old document (REQUIREMENT 2B).
4. Records of employment in the Federal Public Service or forms dealing with a public service pension plan matter will not be accepted as secondary evidence.
5. Examples of birth documentation that can be used as secondary evidence follows. If you are unable to obtain any of the documents required for secondary evidence please contact the Public Service Pension Centre for guidance.

EXAMPLES OF SECONDARY EVIDENCE:

• Record of physician or nurse attending birth;
• Hospital, Clinical, or Medical Record;
• Printed notice of birth or Christening;
• Record of a Child Welfare Organization;
• School Record;
• Family Bible entry; (ex. pages from the Family Bible)
• Baby Book or similar record;
• Church records, could include certificates of first communion, confirmation, Sunday School, etc.;
• Naturalization or citizenship papers;
• Insurance policy or Government annuity certificates;
• Passport, Immigration or Consular Record;
• Marriage Certificate;
• Military Record;
• Census or National Registration Record;
• Membership records, these could include records received from a fraternal, trade or commercial organization.

Note: Any document submitted as secondary evidence must show the name, the date of birth, and the date of (document) issue.