Passports in general Canadian citizenship Photos Documents to support your identity Guarantor Keeping your passport up to date Children Features of the Canadian passport Printing on-line forms Canada Post and Service Canada Receiving Agents Program Passports in general This information is required if you are:
Applying for a passport on behalf of a child under the age of 16. Applying for a passport in your married name. A woman and you married a non-British Subject prior to January 1, 1947 . You should not begin your travel with a passport that will expire during your trip or shortly after your planned return. Many countries will not permit entry if the passport will expire several months beyond your date of arrival. We recommend that, in order to avoid experiencing difficulties while travelling, that you obtain a new passport before leaving if there is any possibility of your passport expiring while you travel. Canadian citizens residing outside Canada should apply to passport facilities at the Canadian Mission nearest their place of residence. Therefore, we suggest that you contact your nearest Canadian Government office .
Though passports are the document of choice for travel, Canadian citizens do not currently require a passport to travel to the United States. However, Canadians who are travelling outside Canada are encouraged to obtain a passport, as it is the most widely accepted proof of Canadian identity and citizenship.
In April 2005, the United States Government announced the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requiring visitors to and from the Americas, including Canadian citizens, to present a passport to enter or re-enter the United States.
The WHTI will be implemented in two phases, as follows:
January 8, 2007 - A passport will be required for all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.January 1, 2008 - The passport requirement will be extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.For further information on United States policy, you may consult the US State Department Web site.
As entry requirements to Canada are the responsibility of Citizenship and Immigration Canada , we suggest that you contact them.
All countries have special entry and visa requirements. Since requirements may change, you may wish to consult the nearest diplomatic or consular mission of the country you intend to visit.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canadaso has a Web site which provides general information on most countries as well as information on entry requirements.
It is no longer possible to add pages to Canadian passports. An applicant who has a valid passport in which the visa pages have become filled with visas or entry-exit stamps must apply for a new passport.
The maximum validity period for passports varies depending on the age of the passport holder including, but not limited to the following scenarios:
Adult (16 years of age or over): 5 years Children (3 to 15 years of age): 5 years Children (under 3 years of age): 3 years Canadian passports are valid for five years only and a new passport must be obtained upon expiry. This is in accordance with the Canadian Passport Order (SI/81-86) which governs passport issuance.
Adult 16 or over Children 3 to 15 Children under 3 24 pages 48 pages 24 pages 48 pages 24 pages 48 pages In Canada $87 $92 $37 $39 $22 $24 In the US $97 $102 $37 $39 $22 $24 Abroad $100 $105 $35 $37 $20 $22 * Payable in Canadian dollars only
Urgent or express services are available for emergency or compassionate reasons on a case-by-case basis. These services are available only for those applicants who can apply for a passport in person at a Passport Canada service location . A valid reason for travel along with a proof of travel may be required.
The fact that a person has a criminal record will not necessarily prevent that person from obtaining a passport. We examine all passport applications and establish eligibility on a case-by-case basis.
In Canada: passports are delivered by Canada Post courier service.
Canadian citizenship The requirement to submit your original birth certificate or citizenship certificate with every application for a passport is stipulated in the Canadian Passport Order which governs passport issuance.
We are currently rolling out a new processing system which will allow immediate verification of the previous record. This will enable us to examine and redefine our entitlement requirements and will lead to eliminating the need to present proof of citizenship a second time, and the need to obtain the signature of a guarantor, once the information has been electronically archived. Until this new system is fully functional, with assurances against fraud, current requirements must remain in place.
Yes, it is always returned.
Yes, if you are a Canadian citizen and you fulfil the passport application requirements
The following are the only documents acceptable as proof of Canadian citizenship:
Certificate of birth issued by the province or the territory of your birth Certificate of Canadian citizenship Certificate of naturalization Certificate of registration of birth abroad Certification of retention of Canadian citizenship Laminated birth certificates which indicate that the document is \"void\" if laminated will not be accepted.
No. Since November 26, 2001, a person born in Quebec applying for a passport must submit a birth certificate issued after January 1, 1994, by Quebec. Should you need to order a new birth certificate, contact Le Directeur de l’état civil .
Contact one of the Canadian Vital Statistics offices .
Contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada .
You may enter the year only in the date of issued field of the application form.
Photos Yes.
Yes.
Glasses, including tinted prescription glasses, may be worn as long as the eyes are clearly visible. Sunglasses are unacceptable.
A full front view of your child’s head and shoulders is required. Please note that the parent’s hands or arms may not be seen in the picture. Passport Canada is, however, lenient about the expression of a newborn (mouth open or smile).
Yes. Canadians residing in the USA may submit American-size photos providing all other requirements are met.
The information may be handwritten.
Documents to support your identity Yes. The document to support your identity must be valid and include your name and signature.
No. The document to support your identity must be valid and include your name and signature.
Yes. If your identification document does not have an issue date you may leave this field blank.
No. The document to support your identity must be valid.
Yes. A previous Canadian passport is accepted as supporting identification providing that all of the following conditions are met:
the passport is still valid or has expired within the past year; the passport is submitted with the application form. Photocopies will not be accepted; the name indicated on the passport is the same as the one on the application form. Guarantor The intent of the passport guarantor policy is to provide us with the opportunity to have passport information verified by a Canadian readily identifiable in the community, who has known the applicant personally for at least two years. Because of this personal knowledge of the applicant, the guarantor is able to attest to the authenticity of the statements contained in the application, and to certify that the photos are a true likeness of that person.
A relative (including an immediate family member) may act as a guarantor for passport purposes provided he or she is eligible.
The term \"signing officer\" is not clearly defined from one financial institution to the next. It is therefore very difficult to determine if each signing officer’s occupation meets Passport Canada’s criteria for becoming a guarantor.
Retired guarantors are not eligible unless the guarantor’s name still appears on the listing provided to Passport Canada by the relevant association.
An applicant who is unable to obtain the signature of an eligible guarantor is required to complete Form PPT 132, \"Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor \". This form must be completed and signed before a Commissioner for Oaths, Notary Public, Justice of the Peace or another official who is qualified to administer the oath. In this instance, it is not necessary for the official to know the applicant personally.
The form is available from any Passport Canada office or by contacting our call centre.
When a child’s passport application is submitted, the applicant is the parent and not the child. Therefore, the guarantor must know the parent personally for at least two years and have knowledge of the child.
Keeping your passport up to date A change of address does not invalidate a passport. Please cross out the old address on page 4 of the passport and write the new one in the space provided. Do not use correction fluid. If the space provided in the passport is insufficient, write the new information on a separate piece of paper and insert it in the passport.
In order to change your emergency contact information, please cross out the old contact on page 4 of the passport and write the new one in the space provided. Do not use correction fluid. If insufficient room remains on the page, write the new information on a separate piece of paper and insert it in the passport.
We do advise applicants whose appearance has changed prior to the expiry of their passport to obtain a new document, as the intent of the passport photograph is to accurately identify the person presenting their passport to border officials and prevent their experiencing difficulties when travelling outside of Canada.
Children Yes. All children who travel (alone or with an adult) need their own passport. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has recommended a policy requiring every individual who travels by air to have his or her own travel document. This policy has been put in place to combat the traffic of millions of children around the world who are often sold into slavery, child prostitution or worse. It increases the protection of children by ensuring that they have a valid travel document with a photo and other identifying information.
Only children 11 years of age or over are required to sign their own passports.
All documents pertaining to the custody of the child are required for examination. However, additional information may be required once the documentation is submitted if Passport Canada determines that clarification of the situation is necessary.
Children who have been issued a passport in their first year of life (between birth and 364 days) are entitled to a one-time gratis replacement passport. This is in recognition of the rapid changes in the features of children at this age. However, the applicant must submit:
a new application completed in full and signed by an eligible guarantor, a new photograph taken within one month of the date the request for the gratis replacement is submitted, original proof of Canadian citizenship, custody documents, if applicable, and the original passport. Please note that the replacement passport is valid for a maximum of three years from the date of issue of the original passport.
A long form birth certificate must be presented in the case of an application for a passport for a child whose parents are not married or were not married at the time of the child’s birth. This requirement allows Passport Canada to confirm the identity of both parents.
When a child’s passport application is submitted, the applicant is the parent and not the child. Therefore, the child is not required to be present when the parent submits the application.
Features of the Canadian passport Passport Canada has developed a new design for the Canadian passport with enhanced security features making it even more difficult to alter or forge.
The technology used in creating this book is much more advanced than our previous model. The key changes have been made to the personal information page that identifies the bearer. The bearer’s photo and signature will now be digitally printed and embedded in the page. Also, a thin security film now displays a complex pattern of images that are revealed as the passport book is tilted.
No. Border control and customs and immigration authorities around the world have been informed by Passport Canada that this new passport design is being phased into service as of May 2002. Passports in circulation are trusted and secure documents and will remain valid until they expire.
Generally, bearers of valid passports cannot apply for a new passport until the remaining validity on their current passport is six months or less.
The newly designed passport is one of many changes that are being implemented to ensure that the Canadian passport remains one of the most advanced and secure travel documents in the world.
Printing on-line forms No, Passport Canada will accept only white, bond quality, non-glossy paper. Coloured and 8.5 x 14 paper will be refused.
As your application form is scanned and processed electronically through the use of a form template, each entry on the form is viewed, verified, entered and stored through the automated processing system, requiring that information appear exactly in the locations specified by the form template and that the scanned information is clear. Any distortion may mean that your application will be rejected.
M02 is the template version that passport examiners will select when scanning an application form. This is to ensure that the appropriate template will be selected for the application form.
These forms interact best with Internet Explorer or Netscape.
To avoid using outdated versions of the forms, we recommend that you do not save to disk when downloading the form.
Please visit the Adobe® customer support service .
Passport Canada will accept application forms that are consistent with our policy for clarity and readability. Forms printed on high-quality devices, such as laser, bubble-jet or ink-jet printers, are acceptable provided they meet the conditions outlined above.
Canada Post and Service Canada Receiving Agents Program The Receiving Agents program provides in-person access to passport services at participating Canada Post and Service Canada centres across the country.
The Receiving Agent program facilitates the passport application process by broadening access to passport services for all Canadians. This alternative channel of service makes the passport application process more accessible for residents in urban, rural and northern communities.
Canada Post and Service Canada Receiving Agent employees have been trained to review passport applications to ensure accuracy, completeness and to collect appropriate fees. Applications are forwarded to Passport Canada for examination and processing. If approved, the passport is delivered to the applicant by courier services within 15 working days for applications submitted via Canada Post and 20 working days for applications submitted at a Service Canada centre. Processing time does not include mailing time. Final decisions on passport entitlement remain with Passport Canada.
Receiving Agents accept : standard adult passport applications and child passport applications signed by both parents.
Receiving Agents do not accept : applications where the following conditions apply:
Urgent applications where: Travel date is less than 15 working days not including mailing time (Canada Post). Travel date is less than 20 working days not including mailing time (Service Canada). A passport with a period of validity of more than one-year is submitted with the new passport application. There is an indication of a previous or currently lost/stolen/damaged or mutilated passport. Applicant does not have a guarantor and uses a Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor (PPT 132). The application is submitted on an outdated application form. In the case of a child’s application, where there is no participation of the other parent. Any request other than a standard passport application, including: requests for gratis replacement requests for extension of limited validity passport requests to add a spousal surname to a passport issued in the surname at birth. Yes. provided the signatures of both parents appear on the application form. If there is no participation of the other parent, no matter what the circumstance, the client must apply directly to Passport Canada.
Yes. POL clients may submit an application at a Service Canada or Canada Post Receiving Agents location.
Whether the application is being submitted by the applicant or by a third party :
The original documentary evidence of citizenship , such as a Canadian birth certificate or a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship, must be included with the application. It will be returned to you by Passport Canada once a decision on the application has been made. You must also submit documents to support your identity from the examples listed in the instructions. A photocopy of the same ID than the one listed on the form, signed and dated by either the guarantor or the receiving agent, is acceptable. The original ID may also be included. It will be returned to you by Passport Canada once a decision on the application has been made. Please note that signed photocopies are preferred, so that you may obtain the benefits derived from the originals while your application is being processed. 
