Canada Passport: Everything You Need to Know to Apply

Looking to get your first passport but don’t know where to start? A Canadian passport is a travel document issued by the official Government of Canada. It is one of the most sought-after travel documents due to its global mobility and business opportunities.

The Canada passport ranks 7th among global passports, offering visa-free access to 187 countries. This guide will show how to get a passport book, what documents to include, and other factors to consider.

Keep reading to learn about:

• Canada Passport Benefits
• Different Types of Canadian Passports and Travel Documents
• How to get a Canadian passport?
• Canada Passport Cost
• How long does it take to get a Canadian passport?

Canada Passport – Quick Overview

A Canadian passport is a small booklet that verifies the nationality and identity of Canadian citizens. The official Government of Canada issues a valid Canadian passport for international travel.

The passport or travel document includes personal information, such as name, date of birth, passport number, photo identification, etc. Only individuals with Canadian citizenship can get a passport. Permanent residents (PRs) cannot apply for a Canadian passport.

If permanent residents prefer to travel outside Canada, they must get a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) or a valid permanent resident card. Permanent residents rely on the passport of their country of citizenship to pass border control.

Canada Passport Benefits

The Canadian passport book offers many advantages, such as:

• Visa-fee-travel: The Canada passport ranks 7th among Global passports. It provides visa-free access to 187 countries. Our Canadian passport ranking system shows high mobility, investment, and quality of life index.
• Social benefits: This valid passport book has extensive healthcare coverage, welfare programs, child benefits, student aid, pensions, and other types of finances.
• Job prospects: A Canadian passport book provides easier access to government-funded programs. Canadian citizens can quickly obtain a work permit or resident status in many foreign countries, providing them with opportunities to work across international markets.
• Diplomatic ties: Canada has a stable political environment and international relations with many foreign countries. The Government of Canada has diplomatic and consular offices in more than 270 destinations.
• Voting rights: Canadian citizens with a passport book can vote in provincial, federal, and municipal elections.
• Generational benefits: Canadian citizenship can be passed down to your children. You can also use it to sponsor family members who live in a foreign country.
• Dual citizenship Canada: The government of Canada enables dual citizenship, which means you can keep your Canadian citizenship and that of a foreign country. Not all travel documents permit a dual nationality.

Canada Passport Visa-Free Countries

The Canada passport book offers visa-free access to 187 countries. These include destinations you can visit without a visa, with visa-on-arrival, and with electronic travel authorization (eTA). Citizens need a valid Canadian passport to board a flight to any destination country.

Canadian citizens can freely enter the Schengen area, many parts of Asia, and Africa for business and tourism purposes. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) demands that travelers from the U.S. and Canada show a passport or other travel documents that confirms their identity and citizenship when entering the United States. Our article on Canada passport visa-free countries provides a detailed guideline for all the destinations to which to travel.

Different Types of Canadian Passports and Travel Documents

Depending on your status and home country, you may need various types of passports and travel documents. Canadian citizens can apply for a Canadian passport, while permanent residents require different travel documents.

These types of passports include:

• Regular passport: This is a standard (blue) passport for Canadian citizens. You need a Canadian passport to board a flight to Canada, book vacations, or make business trips.
• Diplomatic passport: This is a high-ranking (red) passport for government of Canada officials. Diplomats use it for conferences and diplomatic travel.
• Special passport: This is a specific (green) passport for official purposes. It is reserved for citizens hired by the government of Canada, such as members of parliament or senators.
• Temporary passport: This is a limited-time (white) passport for Canadian citizens who need urgent travel documents. They can use this document to leave or enter Canada while they wait for the standard, diplomatic, or special passport book.

Other types of travel documents

People can obtain various travel documents in Canada. Most circumstances require visitor to provide birth abroad certificate and other documents for identification to carry out their travel plans.

These travel documents can include:

• Certificate of identity: The Government of Canada can provide a certificate of identity to individuals with a permanent resident card who are not Canadian citizens. This document ensures that a permanent resident can return to Canada.
• Refugee travel documents: Convention refugees or those with a protected person status may be eligible for refugee travel documents. The documents allow them to travel in and out of a host country without fear of deportation. They add a layer of safety and security.
• Emergency travel documents: Canadian citizens who appear to be outside the country, for whatever reason, cannot obtain a temporary passport book can apply for emergency travel documents. These documents allow them to return to Canada or travel to a Canadian government office in a foreign country.

How to get a Canadian passport?

To get a Canadian passport, applicants must have Canadian citizenship. The three main ways to citizenship are Canadian citizenship by birth, descent, and naturalization.

However, business immigration programs, through Canada citizenship by investment, can provide permanent residency (PR) to non-Canadians. A permanent resident card could eventually lead to citizenship. These programs attract foreign entrepreneurs eager to invest in Canada.

To start the process for a passport book:

• Find out if you are eligible. You must be a Canadian citizen to apply. Canadian citizenship by descent is available to people born in a foreign country to at least one Canadian parent.
• Collect the forms, photos, and documents. Fill out a passport application form and provide the necessary paperwork. The documents to include are identification documents, birth certificates, proof of citizenship, and other supporting documents.
• Submit your application. Lodge your application with the local passport office or at a Service Canada Center.
• Pay the passport fee. Pay a fee for the type of passport you apply for.
• Wait for processing. Your application will be processed, and you will receive a notification when the passport is ready.
• Pick up your passport book. You can visit the local passport office to receive the travel document or mail it to your home.

Document Requirements for Canadian Passport

You need original documents or photocopies when applying for passports and other travel documents. If your documents are not in English or French, you will need a certified translation.

The documents to include are:

• Application form: General application forms for passports collect detailed personal information from all applicants. They ensure that the information you fill in matches your other documents.
• Documents to verify your identity: This can be an original or photocopy of your identification documents (ID), driver’s license, military ID, employee identification card, etc.
• Proof of citizenship: This can be a Canadian citizenship certificate or a birth certificate.
• Two photos for passport: You must take a passport photo facing forward with a plain expression. The forms, photos, and documents provide a secure mechanism for official identification.

Canadian passport photo requirements

You must apply with the correct forms and photos that meet official requirements to get a passport book. Passport photos have strict rules. You must have a natural expression, face the camera, and use a simple, plain (or light-colored) background.

The photo must be:

• Taken in the last six months.
• Taken by a commercial photographer.
• Done in a way that depicts your facial features without any alterations.
• Sharp, clear, and in focus.
• In a full-frontal view of the head without coverings, tinted eyewear, or glare on glasses. Head covering is acceptable for medical and religious reasons.
• Measuring 2 inches wide X 23/4 inches (or 50 mm X 70 mm) in size.

Canada Passport Application Process: Step-by-Step Guide

The steps below can walk you through the application process.

• Step 1: Fill out the application forms for passport. Use the official Canada application form, type in your details, and print it.
• Step 2: Select a guarantor. This person can verify your identity and sign the application form.
• Step 3: Provide two references. Passports and other travel documents require references. It could be a romantic partner, family member, former spouse, or anyone related to you or your common-law partner.
• Step 4: Collect the following documents and send them to Passport Canada. The documents to include are proof of citizenship (e.g., Canadian citizenship certificate or birth certificate), identification documents, and two identical photos.
• Step 5: Submit your application to Passport Canada. You can submit the forms, photos, and documents in person or by mail. Use a trackable mail service like the Canada Post Xpresspost or a courier like FedEx and Purolator.
• Step 6: Pay the fees. When you submit the application for passports and other travel documents, you must pay a fee. The fees will vary depending on the service and type of passport you need.
• Step 7: Submit the receipt. Take the receipt with your documents and submit them at your local Embassy or Canadian consulate.
• Step 8: Wait for processing time. Depending on the service you selected, you usually wait 10 to 20 business days to get a passport.
• Step 9: Receive your passport book. You can retrieve your passport in person or mail it to your home.

How to renew a Canadian passport?

If your passport is expired or soon-to-expire, you need a new one. To renew your passport, fill out the Canadian renewal application form and provide proper identification, like your old passport, new photo, birth certificate, or Canadian citizenship.

You can renew your passport card in person or by mail. Include the entire photos and document list and schedule an appointment to renew the passport.

Passport renewal is a simpler process than getting a passport for the first time, especially if your old passport is still valid or recently expired. Make sure to provide the correct passport and travel information on your application form.

How Can Global Citizen Solutions Help You?

Global Citizen Solutions is a boutique migration consultancy firm with years of experience delivering bespoke residence and citizenship by investment solutions for international families. With offices worldwide and an experienced, hands-on team, we have helped hundreds of clients worldwide acquire citizenship, residence visas, or homes while diversifying their portfolios with robust investments. 

We guide you from start to finish, taking you beyond your citizenship or residency by investment application. 

How much does a Canadian passport cost?

The fees for a passport book vary based on the passport type and passport services. You can’t pay online for a passport book. You must apply in person or by mail. You can expect to pay additional fees if your passport is lost, stolen, or you get urgent or express service.

Standard processing is the cheapest option but it takes the longest time. Expedited passport services, like urgent pickup, can speed up the process but cost more. You can choose an express service or find a local office that processes passports faster.

Travel documents get urgent processing for different reasons, such as medical emergencies, last-minute business trips, and lost, stolen, or damaged passports.

Below are the costs for a passport book in Canadian dollars.

How long does it take to get a Canadian passport?

The processing time varies based on the passport services and travel documents you select. You can access various passport services at embassies, including renewals and emergency replacements. You must also take into account whether you submit the documents in person or by mail.

With Standard pickup, the passport is ready after 20 business days. Express pickup provides a faster service, usually between 2 to 9 business days. Urgent pickup offers the fastest turnaround, and the passport book is ready by the end of the next business day.

If you lose your passport while traveling, embassies and consulates abroad can help issue an emergency replacement. Passports and other travel documents are critical documents to renew. Make sure to provide the necessary identification documents to re-enter Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions About Canada Passports

What is the Passport Program?

The Passport Program is a key component of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. It’s there to issue, recover, renew, withhold, or revoke any passport. This program can also provide information on how to use your passport and boost its security.

Can permanent residents get a passport in Canada?

No. Canadian passports are issued to Canadian citizens. If a permanent resident (PR) wants to travel outside Canada, they need a valid passport or travel documents from their country of citizenship, a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD), or a PR card.

What is the processing time for a passport in Canada?

Standard passport processing takes 20 business days. But you can apply for urgent or express passport service for any last-minute business trips, emergencies, or other reasons you may have to travel outside Canada. Express and urgent services come at a higher cost.

How fast is urgent or express service for Canadian passport?

Urgent or express service provide the fastest processing times. A passport through urgent service is ready the following business day, while via express service it can take anywhere from two to nine business days.

What can I do if my Canadian passport is lost, stolen, or damaged?

If your valid Canadian passport is lost, stolen, or damaged, you must report the loss or theft and apply for a replacement passport or travel document. When a passport is lost, stolen, found, seized, the government of Canada follows specific procedures to ensure its security.

What is the difference between a Canadian passport and a visa?

A valid Canadian Passport is provided to a Canadian citizen by the Official Government of Canada. A Canadian visa is issued to a foreigner, a non-resident of Canada. Non-Canadians forms, photos, and travel documents are temporary and allow the person to enter Canada and stay for a specific time.

Do entrepreneurs on a Startup Visa get a Canadian passport?

No. The Start-up visa doesn’t automatically grant you Canadian citizenship. You must first become a permanent resident and collect the necessary documents. A Canada Startup Visa lawyer can streamline the process for you and boost your chances of getting a PR status.

What are the identification documents I need as a non-Canadian?

If you are non-Canadian planning to travel to Canada, you must provide the necessary identification and travel documents. The document for non-Canadians vary based on your residency status, travel purpose, or mode of transportation. In most cases, you will need a valid passport, visa, or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Electronic Travel Authorization is for foreign nationals traveling by air.

What is a Nexus card, and how can it help me travel?

A Nexus card can sometimes be used instead of a valid passport when traveling between Canada and the US by land or sea. Canadian citizens need a valid passport or proof of citizenship to get a Nexus card. Nexus memberships are available to pre-approved, low-risk foreign nationals.

Can I apply for a Canadian passport or secure certificate if I was convicted abroad?

A passport is just a document that can provide proof of citizenship. Having criminal convictions doesn’t prevent citizens from getting a passport or to secure a certificate. They must carry proof that the terms of sentencing don’t prohibit them from applying for a passport.

How does the government of Canada stop unauthorized passport applications?

The government of Canada has designed a system to stop unauthorized applications by implementing security features. They use various security measures and procedures to verify each step of the application process. Only eligible citizens can receive a valid passport or a visa for official government purposes.