ID Opens Doors

Go legit, just like Raven! 

Your ID proves you are who you say you are.  It can be lost, found, replaced – and even changed.  Heck, it can also help you vote (if that’s your thing!)!

Your ID opens doors so you can do what you need to do, for yourself.

So let’s get into it:  

• Get an Alberta ID Card
• Earn an Alberta Driver’s Licence
• Order or Replace a Birth Certificate
• Score a Canadian Passport
• Apply for Indian Status 
• Lost or Stolen ID? 
• Change the Sex Indicator on your ID
• Reclaim your Traditional Name

Get an Alberta ID Card

Raven goes old school and only uses cash to buy weed.

In Alberta, if you are 12 years old or older, you can get an Alberta ID card. 

This is government photo ID that looks very similar to a driver’s licence.

There’s just one small difference…no driving!

How Much Does it Cost?

When you apply for an Alberta ID card you can choose how long you want it to be valid for – from 1 to 5 years.

The longer it’s valid, the more it costs.

Applying for Alberta ID (18+ years old)

If you are over 18, to get an Alberta ID Card all you need to do is go to the nearest Alberta Registry office.

When you go to the registry, you will need to prove two things:

• That you live in Alberta – So bring, or show on your phone, a utility bill (Telus, Rogers, Epcor) or bank statement that has your address on it. You can show electronic versions of these bills, just have them ready to present.
• That you are a Canadian citizen – So bring a birth certificate, Indian Status Card, or passport.

If you don’t have a birth certificate, status card, or passport, you will need to apply for one of them before you can get an Alberta ID.

Alberta ID if You Are Under 18 years old

If you are under 18, you need to bring a parent or guardian to the registry office when you apply. 

Earn an Alberta Driver's Licence

Driving opens doors and gives you options for school, work, cultural activities, appointments, and staying connected with friends and family.

In Alberta, you must be at least 16 years old in order to get a driver’s licence. A driver's licence proves you can legally drive and can also be used as a valid photo ID.

Step 1 – Get a Learner’s!

First driving lesson, wait let’s pump the brakes!

It will take at least 3 years for you to get a full driver’s licence (Class 5) in Alberta. A Class 5 allows you to drive most vehicles in Alberta.

The first step in this process is to get a learner’s licence (Class 7).

If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must consent to you getting the licence. A learner’s allows you to drive under supervision of an adult with a full Class 5 licence.

Learner’s licences have restrictions, including:

You see? It’s true. ID does open doors! Even car doors!

Something as simple as getting a driver’s licence is a big step in your own self-determination – and control over your future.

Order or Replace a Birth Certificate

Raven’s depression is also having a negative impact on his birth certificate.

If you don’t have a birth certificate, good news, you can get one!

If it’s lost, it can be replaced.

If it’s stuck in the cracks of your couch and covered in cheezie dust, then you may want to re-evaluate your life – and put it somewhere safe! C’mon Raven!

A birth certificate proves who you are, where you were born, and when.

It is also your basic proof of citizenship in Canada. If you want to, you can even change your sex indicator on your birth certificate.

A birth certificate is an important document and is often required when applying for:

• Alberta ID card
• Driver's licence
• Passport
• Government and medical services
• School or sports

When you order a birth certificate, you can choose to include parent information or not.

The fee for most birth documents in Alberta is about $20 each.

Not Born in Alberta? No problem!

Birth certificates are issued by the Province where you were born.

Here are the birth certificate links for all the other Canadian provinces and territories (You’re welcome!).

• British Columbia
• Saskatchewan
• Northwest Territories
• Yukon
• Nunavut
• Manitoba
• Ontario
• Quebec
• Nova Scotia
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• New Brunswick
• Prince Edward Island

Score a Canadian Passport

Raven getting ready to fly south, the easy way!

A Canadian passport is a document that allows Canadian citizens to travel to other countries.

To apply for an adult passport, you must be:

Applying for a passport takes time, so do it at least 2 or 3 months before your travel plans. You will need to fill out forms, chase down a few references, and get photos done.

Time is ticking!

Apply for Indian Status

No, Indian Affairs doesn't use police mug shots for ID, it just looks that way!

Indian Status is one of the legal definitions of an Indigenous person under the Indian Act. Even if you don’t have status now you can apply.

Indigenous people with Status may be eligible for:

• Health benefits
• Education funding
• Programs and services
• Band membership
• Treaty payments and more

To know if you qualify for Indian Status, start by asking yourself

If you are still not sure, here are some starting points:

• Talk to your family
• Reach out to your family’s home community and Elders
• Try to find out where your family lived and when, as well as any connections to churches or residential schools.
• If you were removed from your family you can request a genealogy from the Canadian government. Get help researching your First Nations ancestry

Learn more about how to Apply for Indian Status

Download now from BearPaw Media and Education: Reclaiming Indian Status (Booklet)

Lost or Stolen ID?

Stealing ID is a crime, just ask Roger!

If your Alberta ID Card or driver’s licence has been lost or stolen, they can be replaced for about $20 by going to any registry office in Alberta.

All you have to do is bring another form of ID like:

• Birth Certificate
• Indian Status Card
• Passport
• Current Utility Bill (with your address on it)

Stolen ID? Act Quickly!

If someone stole your ID they may try to apply for credit, get more ID, or access bank accounts.  Stealing ID is a crime!

Change the Sex Indicator on your ID

Alberta ID requires you to indicate your sex.

This is sometimes called an “indicator” or “marker.”

You can change your sex indicator to represent your gender identity and expression.

Hope You Like Filling out Forms!

Raven realizes that getting a PhD is astrophysics may require less paperwork than changing their sex indicator on ID.

Changing your sex indicator is a legal process that takes time. So, settle in, bring your patience, and get ready for some paperwork!

If you are under 18 years old, you can still change your indicator – but there are additional steps regarding consent from an adult.

The types of Alberta ID you can change include:

To apply to change the sex indicator on your driver’s licence or Alberta ID card visit an Alberta Registry office and request the change.

To begin the process of changing the sex on your Alberta birth certificate, start online by Applying to Amend your Birth Record.

Reclaim your Traditional Name

If you are a family member of a residential school survivor or were removed from your family and your name was changed , you can reclaim your Indigenous, or traditional name on your ID for FREE.

A traditional name includes names used before Residentials Schools, Day Schools, or the 60’s Scoop. It can also be a name you received in a cultural naming ceremony.

The name must contain only letters from the English alphabet and may contain symbols such as a period, hyphen, or apostrophe.

To reclaim your traditional name, contact Alberta Vital Statistics by email at sa.vitalstatisticslcn@gov.ab.ca. They will send you the forms you need to begin.

After you complete your name change with Vital Statistics, then you can begin to change things like your Alberta ID Card, driver’s licence, or passport.