Registry entry

Canada Social Insurance Number (SIN) Application

Apply for, confirm, or amend a Social Insurance Number (SIN), Canada's tax/benefits/employment identifier, using the data model of Form GC-NAS2120 (Application for a Social Insurance Number). No fee. Fastest channel is online (10 business days); by mail using this form (20 business days); or in person at a Service Canada Centre, where this form is not required and the SIN is issued at the visit. Every applicant must provide original, valid identity documents (photocopies are not accepted); this document models the biographic/mailing-address data collected on the form itself, not the identity-document verification process. It does not submit the application; the live Employment and Social Development Canada / Service Canada source is always authoritative (see VERIFICATION.md).

Registry entry

ca/esdc/social-insurance-number-application

Jurisdiction
Canada · national
Version
1.1.0
Verification
draft
Authority
Employment and Social Development Canada, Service Canada

GovSchema spec v0.3

Authoritative source Form GC-NAS2120 (2023-06-004) E

Machine access

Schema document
registry/ca/esdc/social-insurance-number-application/1.1.0/schema.jsonapplication/schema+json
Registry catalog
registry/index.jsonone record per schema id

Field reference

34 fields across 5 steps, read from the published schema.json — names, types, requiredness, and validation as the document states them. The live government form remains the authoritative source.

Type of application

  • applicationType enum required

    Select one. legal_change_of_name and change_to_expiry_date_900_series refer to a name legally changed since the last SIN record, and to updating a temporary ("900 series") SIN's expiry date, respectively.

    enum: 7 values
  • otherApplicationTypeSpecify string optional

    Required when applicationType is other.

    length: 0–200

Applicant's identity and family details

  • firstGivenName string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 1–80
  • otherGivenNames string optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 0–160
  • familyName string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 1–80
  • dateOfBirth date required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    classification: sensitive-pii
  • gender enum optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Optional — the Information Guide states applicants "must fully complete items 1 to 13, except gender information (in item 3), which is optional." Item 3 has three radio-button options on the form itself: Male, Female, and X (the federal "X" sex designation available on Canadian ID/documents since 2019).

    enum: male | female | x
  • isMultipleBirth boolean optional

    Optional check box on the form.

  • parent1GivenNames string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 1–160
  • parent1FamilyNameAtBirth string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 1–80
  • parent2GivenNames string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Item 5 is one of items 1-13, which the Information Guide (Step 2) requires be "fully complete" except gender (item 3) — the sole named exception. The parent listed in item 4 must not be repeated here; parents can appear in either order. Some provinces recognize up to four parents on a birth registration — additional parents beyond items 4/5 are attached on a separate sheet per the form's own instruction, out of scope for this flat field set (see GSP-0009).

    length: 1–160
  • parent2FamilyNameAtBirth string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Item 5 is one of items 1-13, which the Information Guide (Step 2) requires be "fully complete" except gender (item 3) — the sole named exception.

    length: 1–80
  • placeOfBirthCity string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 1–80
  • placeOfBirthProvinceOrState string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 1–60
  • placeOfBirthCountry string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 1–60
  • familyNameAtBirth string required

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Distinct from familyName (item 1), which is the name to be shown on the SIN record and may differ (e.g. after marriage).

    length: 1–80
  • otherFamilyNamesPreviouslyUsed string optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 0–160

Previous SIN and status in Canada

  • hadPreviousSin enum required

    yes_with_number = provide previousSinNumber. no = never had one. unknown = don't recall.

    enum: yes_with_number | no | unknown
  • previousSinNumber string optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Required when hadPreviousSin is yes_with_number. 9 digits, no separators.

    patternclassification: sensitive-pii
  • statusInCanada enum required

    Select one. Determines which identity documents are required (see Step 1 of the Information Guide) — not modeled here as separate fields, since this document covers the application form's own biographic/mailing fields, not the identity-verification document set.

    enum: canadian_citizen | registered_indian | permanent_resident | temporary_resident | other
  • currentlyResidingInCanada boolean required

    Sub-question directly beneath the status-in-Canada checkboxes.

Contact information and mailing address

  • primaryPhoneNumber string optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. In international E.164 format, e.g. +18665551234.

    pattern
  • eveningPhoneNumber string optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. In international E.164 format.

    pattern
  • mailingAddressInCareOf string optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.

    length: 0–160
  • mailingAddressStreet string required

    The SIN confirmation letter is mailed to this address.

    length: 1–120
  • mailingAddressAptSuiteUnit string optional

    If applicable.

    length: 0–20
  • mailingAddressCity string required

    The SIN confirmation letter is mailed to this address.

    length: 1–80
  • mailingAddressProvinceOrState string required

    Two-letter Canadian province/territory abbreviation, or the foreign equivalent.

    length: 1–60
  • mailingAddressCountry string required

    May be outside Canada.

    length: 1–60
  • mailingAddressPostalCode string required

    5-digit ZIP or Canadian A1A 1A1 postal-code format, as applicable.

    length: 0–15

Signature

  • signatureDate date required

    The applicant signs, except: a parent/legal guardian signs for a child under 12; the child, parent, or legal guardian signs for a child 12 and under the age of majority; and a provincial/territorial employee, legal guardian, or court-appointed representative signs for a minor or adult they represent. If "X" is used as a signature, two witnesses must also sign and state their relationship to the applicant.

  • representativeRelationship enum optional

    Required when the form is signed by someone other than the applicant. If given, also provide representativePrintedName.

    enum: parent | legal_guardian | legal_representative
  • representativePrintedName string optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Required when representativeRelationship is given.

    length: 0–160
  • representativePhoneNumber string optional

    Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. In international E.164 format.

    pattern

Version history

Independent and non-affiliated

GovSchema is an independent, open-source project. This reference is not produced, reviewed, or endorsed by Employment and Social Development Canada, Service Canada or any government. The authoritative source is always the live government form and its official instructions.