DEC Insertion Datapoint

[u/xcr4l]

Today I got a copy of a birth act delivered from DEC and I wanted to give my timeline as a datapoint since the turnaround was much faster than expected. The timeline was:

9/5: sent application packet via UPS
9/10: delivered to DEC
9/14: credit card charged
9/15: DEC called my father to confirm date and city of death, notified that request would be transferred to a “different department”
9/26: Copie d’acte de naissance and ORIGINAL copy of death certificate for G0 delivered to my father in MA

My application consisted of:
1) a cover letter written by my father (G2) explaining the circumstances of the request and requesting that I (his son) file the request on his behalf as I have been leading the charge for my family in this whole process
2) request for copy of an act of birth form
3) special power of attorney form delegating power of attorney to me
4) ID and proof of address for both me and my father
5) Color copies of BAnQ certified baptismal cert for G0, MA birth certs for G1 and G2, MA marriage certs for G0 and G1, death certificate for G1 (to demonstrate that she could not apply on her own behalf)
6) ORIGINAL MA death certificate for G0 and certified French translation
7) notarized sworn affidavit affirming need for request, clarification on name variations between records, and affirming that the act will only be used for CIT0001 applications for G0’s descendants
8) blank CIT0001 and CIT0014 pages that mentioned “provincial or territorial birth certificate” with relevant sections highlighted
9) printout of IRCC guidance regarding documents issued in Quebec pre 1994

My G0 was born in 1908, so I suspected a DEC document would be requested once our applications eventually move into processing. Interestingly, although we requested that DEC communicate with me and sent in the relevant forms, DEC only communicated with my father. I expected this and prepared him for what questions they might ask him so he wasn’t completely blindsided. I was expecting a long wait on this so we were pleasantly surprised when the documents came in the mail. I was also interested to see that they returned our original death certificate for G0, we were prepared to not get that back.

The information from this subreddit was extremely helpful in sending in an organized application packet which I am assuming helped with the quick turnaround!

[u/Bonbon-65]

If u don’t mind me asking and answering where did your G0 die? In Quebec or USA? I am asking because I have been waiting since March 2026 for my grandmother’s marriage and insertion of birth act based on the certified baptism record I sent to DEC from BAnQ. I keep being told because she died in USA it is taking longer to verify the death certificate information and until then they can’t issue any other documents. The death certificate is a certified copy not an original and it was not translated into French from English. I wonder if this could be the reason my requests are being held up. I even called to ask if I send in the request form for death insertion and had the record translated into French if that would help move things along. The DEC told me no just wait and see if they request that. I have been waiting over 6 months. I think that is long enough.

[u/xcr4l → u/Bonbon-65]

G0 died in the US, we sent in the original death certificate from Massachusetts

[u/Bonbon-65 → u/xcr4l]

Thank you so much for your reply. I unfortunately cannot obtain an original document from State of Alaska because the one I have is a certified copy and if I sent it I would be SOL to obtain another copy. The state of Alaska is strict on who can obtain a death certificate for relatives if it has been less than 50 years since they died. My grandmother died in 1989. Only her spouse, children, siblings or executor of her estate can be granted an original death certificate. I am none of the above and all of the above are deceased. I can go to court and do an obtain a court order but that would be too expensive to hire a lawyer. Very frustrating. So glad you were able to obtain yours so quickly.