Everything You Need to Know About Applying For Canada Passports

A Canadian passport is a travel document issued to citizens of Canada. Canadians are increasingly more ready to travel as summer approaches. During the Covid period, there were some passport concerns. However, difficulties in obtaining or renewing a passport have been recorded and are unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. Understanding the procedure, on the other hand, is crucial.

After two years of the pandemic, Canadian passports are experiencing delays. The wait is longer than normal. One of the reasons for the delays is a surge in interest in travel following the Covid ban. This is something that a statistical concept would demonstrate. Service Canada issued 363,000 passports between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, but 1,273,000 passports between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022.

To obtain a new passport, you must first understand the requirements.

To apply for an adult passport, you must be a Canadian citizen above the age of 16 and a Canadian citizen. A child's passport is available to children under the age of sixteen. It should only be used for five years and cannot be renewed.

Always check to see whether you are eligible to renew your adult passport first, as it is a much easier process than getting a new one.

To apply for a passport in Canada, follow these steps:

Make an appointment to visit a passport facility:

First and foremost, if you are applying for your first passport, if your passport has been lost or stolen, or if you require a passport immediately. You will need to travel to a passport acceptance center. If you require a passport in 3 to 45 days or less, you must make an appointment or walk into a passport office. It is, however, acceptable to stroll in without an appointment if you need it quickly, such as within two working days or less

The Application Process for a Canadian Passport:  You have to fulfill an application form that is available online. Fill it very carefully.

What documents do you require?

To apply for a passport, you must prove that you are who you say you are and that you are a Canadian citizen. For a new passport, there are far more criteria than for a renewal. You have to provide the following documents.

Proof of Citizenship:

Notably, you must send actual documents rather than reproductions or photographs. They will be returned to you after they have been validated. If you were born in Canada, a birth certificate, a Canadian citizenship certificate, a certificate of naturalization, a certificate of registration of birth abroad, or a certificate of retention of Canadian citizenship are all acceptable forms of proof. There may also be documentation particular to a province or region that can be accepted as proof of citizenship. If you're applying for a passport under a new name, proof of citizenship can be in either your new or old name.

Proof of Identity:

 Proof of identification is a little less difficult and demanding than proof of citizenship. You must supply at least one legitimate document to prove your identity when applying for a new passport. If you're changing your name, you'll require more paperwork. Name, date of birth, photo, and signature are all required on your ID. It should be issued by the federal, provincial, territorial, or state governments or their equivalents in other countries. If you choose, you can submit photocopies of your ID. They must be signed and dated by your guarantor if you do.

If all of the essential information isn't on the same ID, you may show more than one. To link all of your IDs, there must be one common factor, such as your name. This is so they can be certain they're all yours. Driver's licenses, health cards, military IDs, and foreign passports are among the documents that count.

Two identical passport photos:

A passport application also requires two identical passport photos that were taken according to the specified photo requirements. Canada's passport photo requirements differ from those of other countries. They will reject your application if your photographs do not meet their requirements. Make sure your photo is the correct size and quality. It should be recent and have a neutral expression on the face. In addition, the photo should reflect a clear contrast between your face and the background, as well as your true skin tone.

References:

For your travel document application, you'll need two references. All of your references must be at least 18 years old. For passport applications, they should have known you for at least two years. They should give their permission for you to use their name and contact information in your application. Make sure your references are available if and when we need to contact them to avoid delays. It may take longer to contact them if they are in a different time zone, which could cause your application to be delayed. Furthermore, the Canadian agency has the authority to request more than two references. Your spouse or common-law partner, parents, in-law parents, children, in-law children, siblings, or anybody connected to you or your spouse by blood cannot be your reference.

Guarantor:

You'll also need a single guarantor in addition to the references. You must have known the guarantor for at least two years. He should be reachable at all times. He must be a Canadian citizen above the age of 18 with a valid Canadian passport valid for five or ten years. Also, he must be willing to supply his or her passport information. Your guarantor must sign your application, as well as one of your passport photos and all copies of any supporting identification documents.

Extra Documents:

There may be times when you require additional documents in addition to those listed above. It all depends on why you're applying for a new passport in the first place. If you want to exclude your birthplace, have changed your name, or are revising your gender marker, for example. Along with the basic standards, you may need to submit additional papers relevant to those difficulties. The Canadian government's website has more information on these additional documents.

With the possibility of a delay in mind, you should apply as soon as possible after your flight. As a result, you can reduce the risk of delays and disruptions to your plans.