Locating an Individual

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From time to time, the Commission receives requests from persons or organizations seeking the address of individuals registered in the Social Insurance Register for purposes other than those for which the Commission is authorized to disclose information from the register.

It is the policy of the Commission that, where the information is requested for humanitarian reason (for example, family reunification) or where the Commission is satisfied that it would be in public interest to do so (for example, medical research), it will act as an intermediary and contact the individual to inform him or her of the request. However, its policy is to inform the individual that there is no obligation to contact or to reply to the requestor. This service is provided by Social Insurance Registration. Because this service is not related in any way to the Social Insurance Registration program, its use must be limited so that it does not interfere with our regular program activities. There is no charge for forwarding letters.

We must read each letter we forward to ensure that it contains nothing that could prove embarrassing to the missing person if read by a third party. Since we do not open sealed letters addressed to the individual being sought, a letter sent to us for forwarding should be in a plain, unstamped, unsealed envelope showing only the missing person's name. Nothing of value should be enclosed.

To assist us in locating an address in our records, we need the following identifying information:

• person's full name

• any given name(s) or surname(s) previously used

• date of birth

• place of birth

• father's name

• mother's full name at birth

• Social Insurance Number (if known)