Immigration Corner | How to renew a Canadian passport

Dear Miss Powell,

My daughter was born in Canada. She’s now seven years old and lives with me. I had a visitor’s visa and I applied to have the visa renewed for over six months now, but I have not heard back from them. Now my daughter’s passport has expired, and I can’t go back to Canada to get it renewed. I’m planning to attend a wedding in the USA next month and want to take my child. What can I do?

SC

Dear SC,

Each time you apply for a passport for a child under the age of 16 years old, you are required to submit a new application. You cannot apply to renew a child’s passport as the simplified application process is not applicable to children under the age of 16 years old. You will need to submit and application for a new Canadian passport and repeat the previous steps taken to obtain the previous passport.

When you apply, you will need to provide proof that you have custody or decision-making authority for the child. Otherwise, both parents/legal guardians must sign the application form.

GUARANTOR

All new passport applicants must ensure that their application is signed by a guarantor or someone who lives in Canada who can provide additional information to the passport office, if required. A guarantor must be a Canadian citizen, has a Canadian passport, be at least 18 years old, and must have known you and the child for at least two years.

The guarantor must sign the application form and one of the two photographs that you need to submit with your application. If you do not have an eligible guarantor, then you may use an ‘occupation-based guarantor’, such as a lawyer, notary public, member of parliament. You may contact the Canadian High Commission/consulate in your home country to request the Statutory Declaration in lieu of Guarantor Form, which can be completed at their office.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

You are required to provide a completed application form that has been certified by a guarantor or provide the required statutory declaration. Additionally, the application must be accompanied by the following: two identical passport photos of the child, one certified by the guarantor/official; proof of Canadian citizenship (original document); birth certificate; proof of parentage, if names are not on the birth certificate; court order (if applicable); the Canadian passport or travel document issued in the name of a child; and the required fees.

When you go to the high commission or consulate to submit a child’s passport application, Passport Canada strongly recommends that both parents and the child be present. If a Canadian passport or travel document has previously been issued to the child and it is the same parent(s)/legal guardian(s) who applied for the previous passport and are participating in the new application process, a proof of parentage document is not required.

WHERE TO SUBMIT?

Since you are outside Canada, you should contact the nearest government of Canada’s passport-issuing office in the country where you are residing or visiting to find out how to apply. This may be at the Canadian High Commission or Consulate. The applicable fees will be based on the processing time that you request.

Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator, and notary public in Canada. You may connect with her by calling or WhatsApp - 613-695-8777. You may also find her on Facebook or Instagram.

All new passport applicants must ensure that their application is signed by a guarantor or someone who lives in Canada who can provide additional information to the passport office, if required. A guarantor must be a Canadian citizen, has a Canadian passport, be at least 18 years old, and must have known you and the child for at least two years.