Passport

Passport Canada is the federal government agency responsible for issuing Canadian passports.

Service Canada and Canada Post act as passport receiving agents on behalf of Passport Canada. Receiving agents accept applications, review them to make sure they are accurate and complete, collect the fee along with your original citizenship documents (birth certificate or citizenship certificate), and forward your application package to Passport Canada for processing.

Service Canada's Receiving Agent Program facilitates the passport application process by broadening access to passport services for all Canadians. Receiving agent services are free of charge and available in 141 Service Canada Centres. Certain Canada Post locations offer the service for a fee.

How to apply for a passport

You can mail your completed paper passport application to Passport Canada, or you can submit it in person at any Passport Canada office.

• You can also submit standard passport applications in person at the participating 141 Service Canada Centres and Canada Post offices that provide passport receiving agent services.
  
  Note
  
  Standard applications do not include urgent or express applications, requests for modifications, or applications without a guarantor's signature. You must submit these types of applications in person to a Passport Canada office.
  
  
  • When can I not take my passport application to a receiving agent?
    
    
• You can pay your application fees by:
  • certified cheque or money order (postal or bank);
  • credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express);
  • debit card; or
  • cash (We appreciate receiving exact change).
    
    
• Processing times vary depending on how you submit your application.
  
  
• Once Passport Canada has approved and issued your passport, it will be delivered to the address specified in your application.
  
  
• If you would like more information, or have any questions about the status of your passport application, please contact Passport Canada.

Forms

• Application forms

Related Information

• If you are a Canadian citizen and you meet certain eligibility criteria, you can renew your passport using the Simplified Passport Renewal Process. Please refer to Passport Canada's frequently asked questions for more information.
  
  
• As of January 23, 2007, everyone travelling to the United States by air, including Canadian and U.S. citizens, must carry a valid passport or another appropriate and secure identification document.
  
  
• Until May 31, 2009, everyone travelling to the United States by land or sea, including U.S. and Canadian citizens, must present:
  
  
  • both a government-issued identification document with a photo (such as a driver's licence) and a birth certificate or a citizenship card; or
  • for people 18 or younger, a birth certificate or a citizenship card only; or
  • a valid passport.
    
    
• As of June 1, 2009, everyone travelling to the United States by land, sea, or air, including U.S. and Canadian citizens, must present:
  
  
  • a valid passport or another secure document.

For a comprehensive list of acceptable documents please visit the Canada Border Services Agency's Web site.

Contact Information

• For Passport Canada general inquiries, call 1-800-567-6868.
  If you have a hearing or speech impairment and use a teletypewriter (TTY), please call 1–866–255–7655.