Passport Services Abroad

Most Canadian government offices abroad provide the full range of passport services. There are exceptions, including consulates headed by honorary consuls and others, where only limited-validity emergency passports are issued. The requirements for the issuance of passports overseas are the same as they are in Canada. Processing time varies, but in an emergency the service can be completed in a short time.

Transportation companies, such as airlines and rail and bus services, are required to ensure that all passengers that they bring to Canada have satisfactory evidence of their identity and status in Canada, if any. For international travel purposes, the Canadian Certificate of Citizenship (citizenship card) accompanied by a non-Canadian passport is not reliable evidence that the holder is a Canadian citizen. A passport is the only reliable and universally accepted identification document to establish identity and Canadian citizenship while travelling outside Canada. It proves that you have a right to return to Canada.

Due to increased scrutiny of international travellers by airlines and immigration authorities around the world, Canadian citizens attempting to travel to Canada without a valid Canadian passport will be subject to additional verifications that may delay or prevent travel. To avoid delays and other problems that will hinder their return to Canada, Canadian citizens are strongly advised to obtain a Canadian passport prior to initiating international travel and to use their Canadian passport at all times for international travel. Before attempting return travel to Canada, Canadian citizens who do not hold a valid Canadian passport should contact the nearest Canadian government office abroad to apply for one.

Consult Passport Canada for all the necessary information on passport services, as well as the related links in this section, and contact the nearest Canadian government office abroad for emergency passport assistance.

Application Requirements Checklist

You must supply the following documents when applying for a (regular) passport:

•	all THREE pages of the application form completed and signed;
•	TWO identical passport photos taken within the last 12 months;
•	application form and one of the photos certified by a guarantor;
•	original proof of Canadian citizenship (no copies or notarized copies);
•	documents to support identity;
•	any Canadian passport or travel document issued to you within the last FIVE years;
•	the appropriate fee.

Additional documents or information may be requested in support of the application. Failure to provide all information will delay issuance of the passport.

For further details refer to My Applications.

Note: As of October 26, 2004, the U.S. Visa Waiver Program requires visitors from various countries to have Machine Readable Passports to enter the U.S. This requirement does not apply to Canadian citizens even if the Canadian passport is issued abroad.

Please consult the update on the status of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative for information on the proposed requirement for passport or alternate secure document (still to be determined) for entry of all visitors, including Americans and Canadians, to the United States.

Related Links
	FAQs on Passports
	Loss of Belongings
	Passport Applications
	Visa Services

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