This guide covers changing your name and/or gender marker (“gender designation”) on your existing Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN) record.

What You Can Change

You can change your name on your SIN record as soon as your legal name is changed. (If it has not yet changed, see the guide for Vital Statistics.)

You can change your gender marker to “M” (male), “F” (female) or “X”, or choose to not declare your gender.

What You’ll Need

In all cases, if you apply by mail or in person, only original documents may be submitted. If you apply online, clear, legible and complete digital copies may be submitted.²

• A primary identity document: a birth certificate from a Canadian province or territory, a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship, or a Certificate of Registration of Birth Abroad issued by CIC before 1997.
• If not applying by mail: A secondary identity document: a passport (from any country), a Canadian provincial or territorial driver’s license or ID card, or some other Canadian government-issued ID.
• If you are a status Indian and you wish to register your status on your SIN record, a Certificate of Indian Status.
• If your primary and secondary documents do not have matching names, a document that supports your current legal name.

Wait Times

Service Canada quotes a wait time of five business days from when your application is received.¹ However, as of summer 2023, these changes take much longer, with the author’s application having taken nine weeks to process. More up-to-date expected wait times may be given by Service Canada over the phone.

Instructions

You can apply to update your SIN record online, by mail, or in person at any Service Canada office.^{1 3}

Instructions differ depending on your individual situation. The Government of Canada’s website will guide you through the process.⁴ If applying online, follow the “apply online” link.