ACanadian passport (French:passeport canadien) is apassport issued tocitizens ofCanada. It enables the bearer to enter or re-enter Canada freely; travel to and from other countries in accordance withvisa requirements; facilitates the process of securingassistance from Canadian consular officials abroad, if necessary; and requests protection for the bearer while abroad.[4][5]
All Canadian passports are issued through the Passport Program ofImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).[6] Prior to 1 July 2013, Canadian passports were issued throughPassport Canada, an independent operating agency ofForeign Affairs and International Trade Canada.[7] Passports are normally valid for five or ten years for persons 16 years of age and older, and five years for children under 16.[2] In 2022, 70% of Canadians had passports, with over 24.6 million passports in circulation.[1] Although held by individual citizens, all Canadian passports legally remain the property of theCrown and must be returned to the Passport Program upon request.[8][9]
Canada is a member of theFive Nations Passport Group, an international forum for cooperation between the passport issuing authorities of Canada,Australia,New Zealand, theUnited Kingdom, and theUnited States in order to "share best practices and discuss innovations related to the development of passport policies, products and practices".[10]
Canada began issuingbiometric passports to Canadian citizens on 1 July 2013.[4] Historically, the Canadian passport has been a target of counterfeiters and other misuse.
The newest passport became available on June 18, 2023. It received backlash over the removal of historic national symbols and imagery.
As of 2025[update], the Canadian passport ranks eighth in the world in terms of the number of destinations that their holders can access without a prior visa according to theHenley Passport Index.[11]
Under theCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, all Canadian citizens have the right to enter Canada. Since 10 November 2016, under the newvisa regulations all visa-free passport holders (except for U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and U.S. permanent residents) are required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before boarding a flight to Canada. This means there is now ade facto requirement for Canadian citizens to use a Canadian passport when travelling to or transiting through Canada by air, unless a special authorization is obtained within 10 days of travel.
As the eTA is used for the sole purpose of immigration screening for non-Canadian visitors entering Canada on a temporary basis, all Canadian citizens are automatically barred from applying for an eTA. Hence a passport requirement is effectively in place, because a Canadian citizen who travels on a visa-free, non-Canadian passport will be prevented from boarding the commercial flight to Canada unless the passenger can present a valid Canadian passport during check-in.[12]
The only exceptions to this rule are for a Canadian citizen who
as the holder of a visa-exempt passport, enters Canada by sea or throughone of the land ports of entry from the U.S., or possesses a special authorization[13] (which is free and available to anyone who has previously held a Canadian passport or Canadian citizenship certificate).
If a Canadian citizen arrives at the Canadian border, whether or not they possess a Canadian passport, they must be allowed to proceed. There is no penalty for Canadians who enter Canada without a Canadian passport, provided they report as required under theCustoms Act.
Canadians in Canada can submit their applications in person through a passport office, aService Canada location, or can submit their applications by mail. Canadians in the U.S. or Bermuda can apply only by mail. Canadians living in other countries or territories are required to apply through the nearestCanadian diplomatic posts abroad. Expedited services (urgent, express and standard pick-ups) are only available through a passport office in Canada.
The Canadian passport issuing system is modelled after the United Kingdom, where all first-time passport applications are required to be "countersigned" by a person who has known the applicant for a minimum of 2 years.[14] Australia and New Zealand have similar policies. The use of a guarantor is to serve "as a security measure in the entitlement process and as a point of departure for the future investigation of statements made on the application form".[15]
Rules regarding the eligibility of guarantors were last updated on 12 August 2013. For passport applicants in Canada, only a Canadian passport holder can be a guarantor. For Canadian citizens living abroad who do not have a Canadian guarantor, a non-Canadian guarantor who works in a licensed profession may be used for application, such as a dentist, medical doctor, judge, lawyer, notary public, pharmacist, police officer, veterinarian, or sitting officer for a financial institution.
The fee (since 1 July 2013) for a standard adult passport issued in Canada is $120 for a five-year passport or $160 for a ten-year passport, and outside of Canada is $190 and $260 respectively. The fee for a five-year passport for a child under 16 is $57 if issued in Canada, and $100 outside of Canada. Additional fees are levied for urgent service or replacement of a lost or stolen passport. All fees are payable inCanadian dollars.
IRCC may revoke a passport or refuse to issue or renew a passport on grounds set out in theCanadian Passport Order, including such grounds as failure to submit a complete application, misrepresentation in obtaining a passport, and criminality. However, whether a Canadian passport may be revoked or refused on the basis of national security concerns has been questioned.
The other types of Canadian passports and documents issued, excluding the regular passport.
Before 1947, there were two types of passports: those issued to people who were bornBritish subjects (navy blue cover) and those issued to people naturalized as British subjects.
Regular passport (navy blue cover). These documents are issued to citizens for occasional travel, such as vacations and business trips. They contain 38 pages (33 pages available for visa labels and stamps). They can be issued to adults (age 16 years and older) with a validity of 5 or 10 years or children under 16 with a validity of 5 years.
Diplomatic passport (maroon cover): These are issued pursuant to the Diplomatic and Special Passports Order[16] to Canadian diplomats, high-ranking government officials (includinglieutenant governors andcommissioners of territories),[17]diplomatic couriers, and private citizens nominated as official diplomatic delegates. Immediate family members of the aforementioned individuals (except diplomatic couriers) who reside with them may be also issued diplomatic passports. Since 2009, diplomatic passports have been issued as electronic passports, in preparation of the full implementation of the ePassport program.[18] Per the Diplomatic and Special Passports Order, only the Governor General and Prime Minister and their immediate family members may use their diplomatic passports for all types of travel (i.e. official or personal)
Special passport (green cover): These are issued pursuant to the Diplomatic and Special Passports Order[16] to people representing the Canadian government on official business, includingPrivy Councillors, Members of Parliament, provincial cabinet members,public servants, citizens nominated as official non-diplomatic delegates[19] andCanadian Forces members who are posted abroad.[20] Since January 2009 special passports have been issued as electronic passports, in preparation of the full implementation of the ePassport program.[18]
Temporary passport (white cover)
These are issued to Canadian citizens outside Canada who require passports but their regular passport application is being processed. This passport contains 8 pages and is valid between six months and one year.[21]
Emergency travel document (light blue and grey gradient cover)
Emergency travel documents are one-use documents issued to Canadians for direct return to their home country, or to the nearest Canadian diplomatic mission where full passport services are offered. The document (which bears similar resemblance to a normal passport) contains details of the person, photo, travel details and expiry date of the document.[21]
These documents are issued to refugees in Canada in accordance to the 1951Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Because many refugees are unable to acquire travel documents from their respective state of nationality (from which they have sought asylum) they are eligible to acquire this document so that international travel can be accessible
A machine-readable, non-biometric Canadian passport pictured with aCoke Zero bottle in December 2007. The 2013–2023 series biometric Canadian passport had a very similar cover design as the aforementioned previous series, with only the addition of the biometric symbol below.
Regular passports are deep navy blue in colour, with theRoyal Coat of Arms of Canada and a Canadianmaple leaf emblazoned on the bottom left. The words "PASSPORT•PASSEPORT" are inscribed above the coat of arms, with "CANADA" above. and the international e-passport symbol () is located on the bottom right corner. The bilingual cover is indicative of the textual portions of Canadian passports being printed in both English and French, Canada'stwo official languages. The new standard passport contains 38 pages, with 33 available for entry/exit stamps and visas, compared to 29 stampable pages in the 2013-2023 series passport.[22] The size dimensions of a closed Canadian passport are 8.89 cm (3.5") by 12.7 cm (5").
New security features, similar to those onbanknotes, have been added with increasing frequency since 2001.Microprinting,holographic images, UV-visible imaging,watermarks and other details have been implemented, particularly on the photo page. As well, the photo is now digitally printed directly on the paper (in both standard and UV-reactive ink); previously, the actual photo had been laminated inside the document.
From 2002 until May 2015, all Canadian passports contained two signature spaces: one is on the data page where a scanned signature is printed along with other personal details, the other is a blank signature block on page 3. After the applicants have received the passport, those over 16 must also sign in the signature block in ink.[23]
Since May 2015, the passport bearer's scanned signature has not been printed on the data page. Adult applicants, however, must still sign page 3 in the passport book when they receive it.[24]
On 24 August 2017 the Canadian government announced that it would implement procedures for Canadians who wish to have their sex given as X (unspecified) on Canadian passports, which is one of the three permitted sex designations formachine-readable passports along with M (male) and F (female) specified by theInternational Civil Aviation Organization.[25][26] As an interim measure until IRCC became able to print passports with X sex designations, effective 31 August 2017 IRCC offered passports with a note on the Observations page indicating that the passport holder should be identified as X rather than the printed sex designation on the data page.[27] Since 11 July 2019, the X designation has been printed on the data page, although travellers are warned that other countries may insist on a male or female designation.[28]
The passports contain a note from the issuing authority addressed to the authorities of all other states, identifying the bearer as a citizen of that state and requesting that they be allowed to pass and be treated according to international norms. The textual portions of Canadian passports are printed in English and French, the official languages of Canada. The note inside of Canadian passports states, in English:
TheMinister of Foreign Affairs of Canada requests, in the name ofHis Majesty the King, all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely, without delay or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.
And in French:
Le ministre des Affaires étrangères du Canada, au nom deSa Majesté le Roi, prie les autorités intéressées de bien vouloir laisser passer le titulaire librement, sans délai ou entrave, de même que lui prêter l'aide et la protection dont il aurait besoin.
Passports issued before May 2023 in the name ofQueen Elizabeth II will remain valid until they expire.
A passport applicant may request, in writing, that IRCC not list the place of birth (city and country)—or country of birth—on their data page, by filling out PPTC 077. The applicant must indicate his or her awareness that omitting this information could cause difficulties at international entry points or when applying for visas.[29]
In response to the Chinese government's modification of requirements for the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens born in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan, Canadian passports issued to Canadians born in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan are now issued only with the place of birth and not the three-letter country code. Chinese visas will no longer be issued to Canadian passport holders whose place of birth is inscribed asHong Kong HKG,Macau MAC, orTWN.[30]
Since April 1976, the policy has been that Canadian citizens born inJerusalem have their birthplace identified only by the city's name, with no national designation, due to the unresolved legalstatus of Jerusalem.[31] However, Canadian citizens born prior to 14 May 1948 may have their birthplace identified as Palestine if they were born in what was theBritish Mandate of Palestine (including Jerusalem).[32]
In September 2003,Le Devoir printed a letter calling on Passport Canada to give individual Canadians the choice of which official language appeared first in their passports,English orFrench.[33] The Passport Office claimed that this was not allowed under international norms, but it was shown that Belgian passport applications asked Belgian citizens which of their country's three official languages (Dutch, French or German) should appear first in their passports.[34][35]
In 2008, Passport Canada announced that it would be issuing electronic passports to Canadian travellers starting in 2012. The e-passport will have an electronic chip encoded with the bearer's name, gender, and date and place of birth and a digital portrait of their face.
On 7 April 2010, Passport Canada announced that in 2012, Canada will begin issuing electronic passports, orePassports, to all its citizens. Passport Canada states that "the use of ePassports will allow Canada to follow international standards in the field of passport security to protect the nation's borders and maintain the ease of international travel that Canadians currently enjoy. At the same time, Passport Canada will start offering the option of a 10-year validity period as well as the current 5-year validity period."[36]
In September 2011, Passport Canada announced that the electronic passport would be ready by the end of 2012; however, this was pushed back to 2013 when the organisation found significant delay because of an increase in passport applications for revised entry policies to the United States in the late 2000s and a lengthy consultation process was needed to survey public reactions to the new passport changes.[37]
All Canadian passports issued on or after 1 July 2013 have been ePassports.[4]
All ePassports are now issued with 38 pages. From 2013 to 2023 they had 36 pages, and there had previously been a choice of 24 or 48 pages with the machine-readable passports.
In 2015, IRCC (then known as CIC) planned to modify the passport renewal system by integrating the passport issuance platform with its Global Case Management System (GCMS), a consolidated IT system for citizenship and immigration applications.[38] Under the proposed system modelled after New Zealand, passport holders would no longer need to return their old passports to CIC for cancellation, but can instead apply for a new passport online while keeping the old documents before they receive the new ones. Instead of returning the old passports, applicants would be asked to cut the corners of these documents "through an honour system".[39] The new process was expected to be available in November 2015; however, the plan was cancelled in October when the use of GCMS for passport applications was temporarily suspended due to numerous security glitches in the system.[40] IRCC permanently suspended the use of GCMS for passport applications in February 2016 following an internal audit. GCMS will not be used for passport applications until all risks, which include "Passport Program business requirements", are identified and secured.[41][42]
On May 10, 2023, the government of Canada announced a new design for the Canadian passport. Printing of the new passport started in summer 2023 and it became available on June 18, 2023.[43] The new passport "features a host of advanced security features and a significant graphic rework that largely eliminates references to the country’s history."[44]
There has been criticism that the new passports are prone to bending, risking their acceptability or validity to border personnel. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) responded that the new passports are more sensitive to heat and humidity due to their manufacturing, but this doesn't affect their functionality.[45][46]
A Canadian passport serves as the proof of holder's identity and nationality status outside Canada. Contrary to popular belief, however, a Canadian passport itself, be it valid or invalid, is only aprima facie proof of Canadian citizenship. Conclusive proof of Canadian citizenship, as dictated by the IRCC, only includes the following documents:[47]
Canadian citizenship certificate;
Canadian citizenship card;
Birth certificate from a Canadian province or territory;
Naturalisation certificate as a British subject in Canada (issued before 1 January 1947);
Registration of birth abroad certificate (issued between 1 January 1947 and 14 February 1977); and,
Certificates of retention (issued between 1 January 1947 and 14 February 1977)
Although the provincial or territorial birth certificate is accepted by IRCC as valid proof of citizenship, Section 3(2) of theCitizenship Act declares that a child born in Canada to a diplomatic or consular officer or other representative of a foreign country, or an employee in the service of such person, is not a Canadian citizen if neither parent was a Canadian citizen or Canadian permanent resident at time of the child's birth. Such persons may be issued Canadian passports, as their provincial or territorial birth certificate are considered as proof of citizenship. Under theAct, however, they are legally not Canadian citizens even if they hold a valid Canadian passport.
The ambiguity on the enforcement of theAct can create hardship for Canadian passport holders who assumed they were Canadian citizens.Deepan Budlakoti, a stateless man born inOttawa to Indian parents who were employed by theIndian High Commission at the time of his birth, was twice issued a Canadian passport under the assumption that he was a Canadian citizen by virtue of being born in Canada.[48] His Canadian passport, however, was cancelled after his criminal convictions in 2010 brought the investigation byCitizenship and Immigration Canada, which concluded in 2011 that he was not a Canadian citizen, but apermanent resident. His request for judicial review in the Federal Court, and subsequent appeals up to theSupreme Court of Canada, to recognize him as a Canadian citizen were denied.[49] The Indian government claims that he had lost his Indian citizenship by obtaining a Canadian passport, as Rule 3 of Schedule III of theCitizenship Rules, 1956 of India states that "the fact that a citizen of India has obtained on any date a passport from the Government of any other country shall be conclusive proof of his/her having voluntarily acquired the citizenship of that country before that date".[49] Budlakoti, therefore, is stateless, regardless of the fact that he had held a Canadian passport.
Visa requirements forCanadian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Canada. According to the 2024Henley Passport Index as of February 2024, holders of a Canadian passport can visit 189 countries and territories without a visa or with a visa on arrival, ranking the Canadian passport 6th in the world (tied with theCzech Republic,Hungary,Poland and theUnited States).[50]
Prior to 2007, Canadians could enter the United States by presenting a birth certificate (or other proof of Canadian citizenship) along with a form of photo identification (such as a driver's licence). In many cases United States border agents would accept a verbal declaration of citizenship.
Under the United StatesWestern Hemisphere Travel Initiative, since 23 January 2007, all Canadians entering the United States via air have been required to present a valid passport orNEXUS card.[51] Since 1 June 2009, the United States has required all Canadian citizens (16 years or older) to present a passport, NEXUS card,enhanced driver's licence, orFree and Secure Trade (FAST) card to enter the U.S. via land or water.[51]
In most circumstances, Canadian citizens do not require visitor, business, transit or other visas to enter the United States, either from Canada or from other countries. Moreover, Canadian citizens are generally granted a stay in the U.S. for up to six months at the time of entry. Visa requirements only apply to Canadians who fall under visa categories, and they must apply for a visa before entry in the same manner as other nationalities:[52][53]
Canadians intending to settle permanently in the United States require Immigrant Visas
Canadian students are exempted from the visa requirements if they hold a valid formI-20 orDS-2019 and have paid their SEVIS registration fees, which enables them to travel to the U.S. underF-1 orJ-1 statuses.[54]
Under theUnited States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), Canadian citizens can legally work in the U.S. under simplified procedure, known as TN status, if their professions are under USMCA regulations and they have a prearranged full-time or part-time job with a U.S. employer. Obtaining TN status does not involve getting a physical visa, instead the applicant is required to apply and receive TN status withU.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at a U.S. port of entry. The TN status is good for three years once approved and can be renewed indefinitely if working for the same employer, however it may be reviewed and possibly revoked each time the applicant enters the U.S. TN status also does not facilitate the process of obtaininglawful U.S. permanent residency and cannot be used to live in the U.S. permanently.[55]
Canadians who want to work in the U.S. withintention to immigrate to the U.S., or who are ineligible for TN status, can also work under the H-1B status. Unlike other nationalities, they are exempted from obtaining the physical visa from aU.S. embassy or consulate. Apart from the visa exemption, other procedures are the same with all foreign nationals.[56]
Under theJay Treaty signed by the U.S. and Great Britain in 1794, allFirst Nations born in Canada are entitled to freely enter the U.S. for employment, education, retirement, investing, or immigration. In order to qualify, all eligible persons must provide documentation of their First Nations background at the port of entry. The documentation must be sufficient to show the bearer is "at least 50% of the American Indian race".[57][58]
The first Canadian passports were issued in 1862 following the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War, when the United States demanded more secure identification from Canadians wishing to cross the border. They took the form of a "Letter of Request" from theGovernor General of Canada. These documents remained in use until 1915, when Canadian passports were first issued in the British format, a ten-section single-sheet folder.[59]
The modern form of the Canadian passport came about in 1921. At that time, Canadians wereBritish subjects, and Canada shared a common nationality with the United Kingdom; thus, Canadian passports were issued to those British subjects resident in or connected to Canada. This arrangement ended in 1947, when theCanadian Citizenship Act was grantedRoyal Assent and the designation ofCanadian citizenship was created. Beginning in July the following year, Canadian passports were issued to Canadian citizens only.[60] However, the first page of Canadian Passports still declared that "A Canadian Citizen is a British Subject", as such was a main clause of theCitizenship Act 1946. This would remain until the Act was overhauled and replaced by theCitizenship Act 1976, after which the phrase on the first page of Canadian Passports was changed to read: "The bearer of this passport is a Canadian citizen."[61][62][63][64][65]
Between 1947 and 1970, Canadian citizens could only apply for passports by mail to Ottawa. Requirements were simple, and applicants claiming birth in Canada did not have to provide proof of birth. The relaxed security led to numerous cases of misuse of the passport, which made the need to tighten the application requirements evident. In 1970, the first three Passport Canada offices were opened inMontreal,Toronto, andVancouver.[4]
The size dimensions of a closed Canadian passport were originally much larger. This changed in the early 1980s in the lead up to the introduction of Machine-Readable Passports (MRP) when the smaller sized booklet was first introduced.[66]
In 1985, the first version of MRPs was issued, in accordance withInternational Civil Aviation Organization standards. An amended version came into circulation in 1991, with additional security features and more stringent processing requirements. By 1993, a newer version of MRP was introduced, which contained unique features to prevent replication or alteration.[4]
Since 11 December 2001, children have not been included in parents' passports, and passports have been issued for one person only.[21]
In 2002, Passport Canada began to issue an updated version within Canada, which includes the digitally printed photo of the bearer embedded into the identification page of the booklet, holographic images, bar-coded serial number, and a second hidden photo of the bearer that could only be viewed under ultraviolet light. Canadian diplomatic missions abroad adopted this version in 2006.[4] In March 2010, the passport was upgraded to include a new design of the identification page and more anti-counterfeit elements, such as the new colours ofOptically Variable Ink and addition of laser perforated number. The cover, watermark, personalisation technique and holographic laminate are same with the 2002 version. The 2010 version was also the last revision of MRP prior to the release of e-passports.[21]
In the2008 federal budget,Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, announced thatbiometric passports (or "e-passports") would be introduced by 2011.[67] A pilot project began in 2009, with e-passports being issued to special and diplomatic passport applicants.[68] The e-passport roll-out was pushed back to 1 July 2013. On the same day, the issuing authority of Canadian passports was shifted from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), now known as IRCC.[7]
A newly designed passport featuring a polycarbonate data page, new security features, and artwork was rolled out in summer 2023.[69]
Yugoslav communist revolutionaryJosip Broz Tito counterfeit Canadian passport under the name "Spiridon Mekas" used for returning to Yugoslavia fromMoscow, 1939
Historically, the Canadian passport has been a target of counterfeiters, criminals, fugitives, and agents of foreign governments. The reasons for such high number of misuses include the relative lax issuance process, the lack of anti-counterfeit security features in early non-MRP versions, the Canadian passport's high number of visa-free countries, the general unassuming nature of the country and its citizens, and access to the United States.[4][70][71][72][73][74]
As of 2015, a fake or altered Canadian passport could cost as much asUS$3,000 on theblack market, almost three times higher than fake or alteredEU passports at the time.[75] In 2014, CBC News wrote that "criminals are willing to spend $5,000 to $20,000" for a genuine Canadian passport "issued under an assumed name."[73]
In 1961,KGB officerKonon Molody used a fraudulently obtained passport of deceased Canadian Arnold Lonsdale. Using this identity he engaged in espionage activities in the United Kingdom.[76]
In 1962, three American fugitives who were convicted with narcotics-related charges obtained Canadian passports to escape to Spain. At the same time, Australian government officials also uncovered a Soviet spy ring that was using Canadian passports.[76]
In 1968,James Earl Ray, the man whoassassinated Martin Luther King, Jr., used a Canadian passport, which was obtained with a forged baptismal certificate in the name of "Ramon George Sneyd", to temporarily escape capture following his completed assassination.[76] He was in possession of two Canadian passports at the time of his arrest atLondon Heathrow Airport.[76] Before Ray's arrest, he was able to turn his passport in, which has incorrectly spelled his fake last name as "Sneya", to the Canadian Embassy in Portugal, for a replacement under his correct alias. The arrest of Ray triggered an investigation launched by the Royal Commission on Security in 1969, which recommended much more stringent application requirements and the establishment ofPassport Canada offices.[4]
In 1973,Mossad agents in Norwayaccidentally killed a waiter in Lillehammer in the mistaken belief that he was a senior operative forBlack September. The use of false Canadian passports by the killers prompted a diplomatic crisis in relations between Canada and Israel, resulting in a commitment by Israel not to misuse Canadian passports in the future. It also resulted in a redesign of the Canadian passport to improve its security features.[77]
In 1997, Israeli secret service personnel again botched an assassination bid while using Canadian passports. The attempt againstKhaled Mashal in Jordan resulted in the arrest of the would-be killers. The Foreign Affairs MinisterLloyd Axworthy eventually received an apology and a written by the Israeli government, assuring that the Mossad would desist from using Canadian passports.[78]
Ahmed Ressam, the Algerianal-Qaeda Millennium Bomber who attempted to blow upLos Angeles International Airport on New Year's Eve 1999/2000, evaded deportation by Canada and travelled freely to and from Canada by using a Canadian passport he obtained in March 1998 by submitting a fraudulentbaptismal certificate; he used a stolen blank certificate, filling it in with a fictitious name.[79]
In 2007, a former Canadian bureaucrat pleaded guilty to selling at least 10 fraudulent passports to individuals overseas.[80]
A Russian spy involved in theIllegals Program used a Canadian passport to travel to the United States to deliver payment to Russiansleeper agents. The passport was issued to a man known asChristopher Metsos. However, following the public revelation of the spy ring in 2010, Passport Canada revoked the document, saying it had been issued by the Canadian High Commission in Johannesburg, South Africa to a man assuming the identity of a deceased Canadian child.[81]
The TV showThe Americans was inspired by the 2010 FBI bust ofElena Vavilova and Andrey Bezrukov, both of whom held Canadian passports under the names Tracey Foley and Donald Heathfield. Their exposure put their two Canadian-born sons into a legal battle for Canadian citizenship.[82][74]
In July 2004,Abdurahman Khadr was denied a Canadian passport byGovernor GeneralAdrienne Clarkson on the explicit advice of herForeign Affairs Minister,Bill Graham, who stated the decision was "in the interest of the national security of Canada and the protection of Canadian troops in Afghanistan". The government invoked Royal Prerogative in order to deny Khadr's passport, as national security was not at that time listed in the Canadian Passport Order as a ground for refusal. Shortly thereafter, on 22 September 2004, section 10.1 was added to the order, which allowed the minister to revoke or refuse a passport due to national security concerns.[83] Khadr soughtjudicial review of the minister's decision to refuse his passport and,[84] on 8 June of the following year, theFederal Court ruled that the government did not have the power to refuse to issue Khadr's passport in the absence of specific authority set out in the Canadian Passport Order, but stated inobiter dicta that if the order were to be amended, Khadr would likely not be able to challenge the revocation.[85] In 2006, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, thenPeter MacKay, again denied Khadr's application, this time invoking section 10.1 of the amended Canadian Passport Order.[86]
Section 10.1 was later challenged in Federal Court byFateh Kamel, whose passport had also been refused for national security reasons. On 13 March 2008, the Federal Court declared section 10.1 of the Canadian Passport Order to be unconstitutional and therefore invalid,[87][88] though the court suspended its declaration of invalidity for six months in order to allow the government time to amend the order. The federal government launched an appeal at theFederal Court of Appeal and a ruling handed down on 29 January 2009 overturned the lower court decision. The court unanimously agreed the denial of passport service on national security grounds is in compliance with theCharter of Rights and Freedoms, citing the limitation clauseSection One as its main decision point.[89][90] Kamel launched an appeal in 2009 to theSupreme Court of Canada but the court declined to hear his case and thus ended the legality challenge to theCanadian Passport Order.[91] In 2010, Kamel attempted to re-apply for a Canadian passport but was once again refused by the minister on grounds of national security. He sought judicial review but was dismissed by the Federal Court and subsequently by the Federal Court of Appeal in 2013.[92] Kamel did not appeal the decision of the Federal Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
There was backlash against the removal of historic national and Indigenous symbols in the new passport design.[93][94][95][96] Images commemorating Canadian sacrifices in war, such as theVimy Ridge Memorial andNational War Memorial, as well as iconic Canadians likeTerry Fox, women's suffrage activistNellie McClung, andBilly Bishop were removed from the passport.The Vimy Foundation, theRoyal Canadian Legion, and then mayor of Terry Fox's hometown, Brad West, released statements voicing their disappointment about the respective removals of images with which they are associated.[93][44][95][96]
CTV News described the new images as "Scenes of people swimming, canoeing and animals". Tristin Hopper of theNational Post described the new images as "stylized scenes inhabited by faceless geometric figures", and Taylor C. Noakes of theToronto Star called the new imagery "meaningless."[95] Writing inTheGlobe and Mail, Jen Gerson likened the new design to theCorporate Memphis art style.[100] ThenMinister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship,Sean Fraser said feedback received in passport design consultations included a desire to "celebrate our diversity and inclusion", and to "celebrate our natural environment".[101]
Noakes called the passport backlash "fake outrage", arguing in theToronto Star thatnational symbols change, and that the removed images and symbols were "increasingly irrelevant". Referring to the passport, the article stated "If we want history in it, we’ll have to talk honestly about our past and what we value from it." Noakes also argued "The current government’s lack of leadership on national symbols, as shown in the new passport, is as problematic as thelast government’s excessive focus on a narrow set of overusedEuropean-Canadian-centric symbols." He noted that both the old and new passports lack representation ofvisible minorities andLGBTQ+ peoples, and that the old passport had only one woman. Noakes also advocated for discussions on whether national symbols like The Last Spike, Terry Fox, and Vimy Ridge still matter to Canadians, how they relate to us, "and what complications may arise from assuming they matter to Canadians in the first place."[102]
^Total number includes tourists, business travelers, students, exchange visitors, temporary workers and families, diplomats and other representatives and all other classes of nonimmigrant admissions (I-94).
^"Passport Program Annual Report for 2016 – 2017". Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Retrieved 11 March 2018. (See p. 8 for percentage figure and p. 15 for number of travel documents in circulation.)
^"Refusal, revocation, cancellation and suspension of Canadian passports".Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. 14 June 2006. Retrieved17 July 2018.Canadian passports are the property of the Government of Canada. If a person is requested to return a passport, the passport must be provided to the Passport Program without delay or by the date indicated.
^Canada, Global Affairs; Canada, Affaires mondiales (26 June 2013)."Global Affairs Canada". Archived fromthe original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved1 April 2016.
^Branch, Government of Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Communications (28 May 2015)."Omission of place of birth".cic.gc.ca.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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) is located on the bottom right corner. The bilingual cover is indicative of the textual portions of Canadian passports being printed in both English and French, Canada'stwo official languages. The new standard passport contains 38 pages, with 33 available for entry/exit stamps and visas, compared to 29 stampable pages in the 2013-2023 series passport.[22] The size dimensions of a closed Canadian passport are 8.89 cm (3.5") by 12.7 cm (5").
