Question Period Note: Passport Services

Passport Program Services

• Canadians rely on secure, timely passport services when they need to travel.
• The Passport Program continues to deliver passport services for Canadians with efficient processing times while improving the client experience by:
o maintaining 92% adherence to established service standards over the course of 2025-2026
o shifting to private couriers to continue delivering passports during the latest Canada Post labour disruption
o gradually rolling out online passport renewals, with capacity steadily increasing to now support up to 1,500 applications per day
o implementing a 30-day full refund policy where complete applications are not processed within 30 business days

If pressed on fees
• Fees have not changed since 2013 and no longer reflect the cost of delivering passport services.
• Most passport fee and travel document fees increased on March 31, 2026.
• Going forward, passport and travel document fees will be updated annually to help maintain sustainable and consistent service over time.

If pressed on 30 days or free
• The Government of Canada is strengthening accountability and efficiency for passport services by offering a guarantee that complete passport applications will be processed within 30 business days or they will be issued a full refund.
• This initiative provides a simpler and more predictable experience with refunds issued automatically.
• Processing time starts when a complete application is received and ends when the passport or travel document is printed and verified. It does not include mailing time.
If pressed on online renewals
• Online passport renewal launched in December 2024 for simplified adult renewals.
• At this time, up to 1,500 applications can be submitted each day. As testing continues and capacity increases, more daily applications will be added.
• This option offers a more convenient and accessible way for eligible adults to renew their passport.
• Fall 2025 survey results showed that Canadians using online renewal reported high satisfaction (87%) and improved clarity on application status.

• The Passport Program is led by IRCC in partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
• Through the Canadian Passport Order, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) authorizes ESDC and GAC to exercise specific functions to support service delivery domestically and abroad.
• Canadians can access passport services at 336 sites, including 60 sites offering standard 10-day pick-up services (of which, 37 sites also offer express services), in addition to 249 scheduled outreach sites that provide in-person services to communities without easy access, through dedicated call centres, through Member of Parliament offices, and via mail at three processing centres in Canada.
• Service standards are to process within 10 business days (in-person) and 20 business days (mail-in), with adherence improving from 78.5% in 2024–25 to 92% in 2025–26.
• Overseas passport services are provided at 120 full service and 85 partial service missions, around the world. Service levels abroad continue to vary depending on the local situation.
• FEES: Fees for urgent pickup, weekend or statutory holiday service, and temporary passports were previously subject to annual inflationary adjustments, while other passport fees were not. Because the adjustments were not applied in recent years, these fees are now being brought up to date.
• During the transition period, applications with the old fee will be accepted. No additional payment is required if the application is received by April 29, 2026, uses a form listing the old fees, and is complete.

• REFUNDS: The existing partial refund policy (25% or 50% depending on the circumstances) was repealed on March 31, 2026. It was replaced with a full (100%) refund policy when passport processing takes more than 30 business days, effective April 1, 2026. This change makes the policy clearer and more consistent.

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