Gatineau, Quebec, July 20, 2012 - Passport Canada today announced new requirements for children's passport applications designed to enhance security for children's passports.
As of October 1, 2012, applications for a child's passport will require a detailed proof of parentage document. The goal is to standardize applications for all Canadian families. The proof of parentage document demonstrates the child-parent relationship and is designed to enhance the security of the children's passports. It can be either a detailed birth certificate issued by a Canadian provincial or territorial vital statistics agency that indicates the name of the parent(s) or a court-issued adoption order indicating the name of the adoptive parent(s). A foreign birth certificate that indicates the name of the parent(s) is also accepted as proof of parentage.
The only exception to the new rules will require the following condition:
- A Canadian Passport has previously been issued to the child in his or her name.
All other standard requirements, such as submitting proof of Canadian citizenship, continue to apply. Passport Canada is committed to protecting and enhancing the security of the Canadian passport and to doing its part to keep Canadian children safe. All legal documents that refer to custody of, mobility of, or access to the child (including but not limited to separation agreements) must be provided when applying. If a divorce has been granted, a copy of the divorce judgment or order must also be provided to Passport Canada or any of its representatives that accept passport applications in Canada or abroad. Legal guardians must provide proof of legal guardianship when submitting a passport application on behalf of a child. Passport Canada is advising of this change in advance to give parents and legal guardians time to collect the necessary documentation prior to submitting a passport application for their child. Required documentation is available at provincial service outlets.
These new requirements apply only to the Canadian passport program. This policy does not invalidate other birth documents that may be accepted for other purposes.Passport Canada worked with the provinces and territories to implement these new requirements. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure the new proof of parentage requirement is implemented as smoothly as possible. For more information, please contact us.
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