Canadian passports are known to have specific times in which they meet their expiry dates. Canadian passport renewal is then very important to maintain the validity of the passport.
Canadian passports are issued for a maximum period of ten years for adults, and five years for children. Applications to renew are usually accepted anytime within 12 months of the expiry date or if all visa pages are full.
This is why it is worthy to keep on tap with Canadian passport renewal at every point. There are different categories when it comes to Canadian passports, varying from adult passports to children’s passports, these categories also have different renewal methods.
Canadian passport renewal from abroad is also possible, that is, applying for visa renewal from other parts Of the world without having to be in Canada. Below are some of the steps and requirements to complete this Canadian passport renewal abroad;
- You were at least 16 years of age at the time of your previous application;
- Your name on the renewal application is exactly as it appears on page 2 of the submitted passport; and
- You are submitting a previous regular Canadian passport that:
- Has been issued within 5-years or 10-years
- Is not damaged; and
- Was never reported lost or stolen;
- Is still valid or expired no more than one year.
Therefore, to apply,
- A completed Adult Simplified Renewal Abroad Passport Application Form for Canadians applying outside of Canada;
- Your most recent passport;
- The required; and
- Two (2) recent identical photos
It is worthy to note that You can’t renew a child’s passport. When the child turns 16, they can apply for an adult passport, which can be renewed. Until then, you need to apply for a new child’s passport when it expires and not as a form of renewal.
Canadian Passport Renewal Time Duration
The Canadian passport renewal time duration is dependent on the Canadian passport service standard which is approximately 8 weeks from when they receive your envelope to when they mail out your new passport.
Passport Canada was the official body in charge of passport administration in Canada before its a temporary hold. Let’s look into some details about Passport Canada;
Passport Canada
Passport Canada was an independent, special operating agency of the Government of Canada with bureaucratic oversight provided through Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
Formerly known as the Passport Office before June 2006. Passport Canada was responsible for issuing, revoking, withholding, and recovering Canadian passports, and it was the sole issuer of them as of then (except for emergency and temporary passports that may be issued by a Canadian mission abroad).
The agency operated u the umbrella of the Canadian Passport Order which defined the agency. Due to its status as a special operating agency, Passport Canada was financed through the fees collected for issuing passports and other travel documents. It did not receive direct funding from the federal government.
However, Passport Canada became defunct on 1 July 2013, after the amended Canadian Passport Order came into effect. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC, replaced Passport Canada as the passport issuing authority on that date.
Employment and Social Development Canada, through Service Canada, is responsible for the delivery of the passport program on behalf of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. Service Canada delivers in-person passport services in passport offices and at Service Canada Centres in Canada.
Talking about Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC:
Immigration, Refugees the Citizenship Canada
IRCC used to be known as Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). Usage of the new name for this federal government department began soon after a new Canadian government took office in November 2015.
The addition of the word ‘refugees’ in the official name of the government department reflects the government’s increased focus on humanitarian and refugee immigration to Canada.
That being said, the government has made it clear that Canada will maintain an open and welcoming immigration policy for skilled immigrants and a family class program.
To avoid any confusion, individuals and stakeholders should note that CIC and IRCC are not two separate departments. If documents or publications refer to CIC in one instance and IRCC in another, they are referring to the same department. IRCC is not so much a new department, but the successor to one that has existed for many years that is the CIC which was modified into the IRCC.
The IRCC assumed the responsibilities of Passport Canada after 1 July 2013 which was clearly stated in the previous paragraph.
However, a common question that has been asked over time is “when will Passport Canada reopen”, the actual response to that is not specific just yet as the day, month, and year of the opening have not been publicly defined, therefore, for the time being, IRCC is the recognized official body in Canada that is responsible for immigration and the likes issues and concerns.
This article so far has shed light on how to go about Canadian passport renewal and the agencies responsible for this process. However one might still wonder what to do with an expired passport; Unlike birth certificates, passports are not automatically issued to a citizen by the government of their country.
You have to proactively apply for one to the corresponding government agency of your country. Another difference is that they do not remain valid for the holder’s lifetime: a passport is usually issued for a period of 5 or 10 years and will eventually expire.
It is not a good idea to travel internationally after your passport expires: Even if some countries might allow it, it usually requires support documentation.
But do not throw away your old passport even after renewal. While many may assume an old passport is useless and simply toss it out, it can serve several functions and may be worth holding on to because Some paper visas attached may still be valid, It can still be used as an ID document or to even prove your citizenship.
So in as much, as they are termed “invalid” for travels, they still hold other key benefits that can not be exempted.
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