Changes to Canadian passport process should benefit those seeking documents
Ottawa Journal
David Tilson MP Dufferin- Caledon

Over the last year, there have been many changes to Canadian passport application procedures.

The new application measures are part of a broader effort by our government to modernize Canadian passport services and increase Passport Canada's capacity to better meet demand. I would like to use this week's Journal to highlight some of the key changes that have been made, in hopes of clearing any confusion that you may have about renewing your passport

On Aug. 15, 2007, the Simplified Passport Renewal Process became available to Canadian citizens. The Simplified Passport Renewal Process allows adult Canadian passport holders who meet the eligibility criteria to renew their passports by using a shorter application form and without having to resubmit documents to support their application or provide guarantor information.

This new process will yield benefits to both passport applicants and Passport Canada. Applicants will save time and will not have to surrender important documents such as their birth certificates or citizenship cards for an extended period of time. Passport Canada's productivity will increase, as fewer steps will be required for the entitlement and screening of each file. Renewal applications are still subject to all current security verifications.

To be eligible to participate in this project, an applicant must: • live in Canada, • have been at least 16 years of age at the time of their previous application, • have a passport that is still valid or has expired within the last 12 months, • have a five-year-validity passport issued after Jan. 31, 2002 in Canada, that has not been altered or damaged, or reported as lost or stolen, • have lived in Canada when their last passport was issued, and • apply using the same name that appears on the personal information page (page 2) of the previous passport.

In order for Passport Canada to process a renewal application through the Simplified Passport Renewal Process, the applicant must provide a completed form, including the current fee, two new photos, and their previous passport.

A new guarantor policy was also introduced last year that will also make renewing your passport a much simpler process.

Under the new guarantor policy, eligible guarantors must hold a five-year Canadian passport that is valid or has been expired for no more than one year on the day you submit your application; have known you personally for at least two years (in the case of a child, have known the parent or legal guardian personally for at least two years and have knowledge of the child); be a Canadian citizen 18 years of age or older; and have been 16 years of age or older when he or she applied for his or her own passport.

More information on the new guarantor policy, the Simplified Passport Renewal Process, as well as passport forms are all available through any of my offices. You can also visit Passport Canada's Web site at www.passport.gc.ca