Documents to support your identity: New adult passport applications

If you’re applying for a new passport rather than renewing one, you must submit

• at least 1 valid document to support your identity
  • You can submit the original or a photocopy of both sides.
  • Remember that each photocopy must be signed and dated by your
    • guarantor or
    • signing official, if you used a Statutory Declaration in lieu of a Guarantor form
• additional documents if you’re changing your name, if applicable

If your passport is still valid, you must include it with your application. In some cases, you can use your Canadian passport as your identification document (ID).

On this page

• Requirements for your ID
  • If your ID doesn’t have all the required information
• Types of ID you can use
• Using your Canadian passport as your ID
  • If your passport has been expired for 1 year or less
• How to submit your ID

Requirements for your ID

To support your identity, your ID must

•  be valid
•  include your
  • name
  • date of birth
  • photo
  • signature
•  be issued by a federal, provincial, territorial or state government authority, or the equivalent abroad

If you’re applying by mail, we recommend sending photocopies of your ID. If you send photocopies

•  photocopy both sides of the ID
•  have your guarantor or signing official sign them
  • Learn how to submit your documents.

If your ID doesn’t have all the required information

You can include more than 1 ID if all of the required information isn’t on the same document. To prove that each document belongs to you, they must share at least 1 piece of information, such as your name. This is so we can be sure they all belong to you.

If your ID doesn’t have a signature

We may accept it if there isn’t normally a signature on that particular type of ID.

If your ID doesn’t have a date of issue

If it was issued to you without one, you can leave this field blank on the application form.

Types of ID you can use

You can use any of the following types of ID alone or in combination to meet the above requirements:

•  Canadian passport
•  driver’s licence issued by a province or territory, or the equivalent abroad
•  health card issued by a province or territory, or the equivalent abroad
•  Certificate of Indian Status
•  military ID
•  foreign passport
•  non-driver’s licence issued by a province or territory, or the equivalent abroad
•  ID card issued by the federal government, or a provincial or territorial government, or the equivalent abroad
•  employee identification issued by the federal government, or a provincial or territorial government, or the equivalent abroad

If your ID isn’t in English or French, you must provide an official translation of it.

Using your Canadian passport as your ID

You may be able to use your previous passport as your ID for your application.

You can’t use your previous passport as ID if it

•  has been expired for more than 1 year
•  was a limited-validity passport of 2 years or less
•  was damaged
•  was reported lost or stolen

If your passport has been expired for 1 year or less

You can send us your original passport or a photocopy of pages 2 and 3.

If you send us photocopies, you must have them signed and dated by your guarantor or signing official.

How to submit your ID

Whether you apply by mail or in person, you can submit either original documents or photocopies with your application.

•  If you apply in person
  • We’ll check your ID when you submit your application.
  • We’ll return it to you before you leave.
•  If you apply by mail
  • We recommend you submit photocopies.
  • This will make sure you can use the original documents while we process your application.

What’s a signing official?

You use a signing official when you do not have a guarantor. The signing official completes a Statutory Declaration instead of a Guarantor form.