Canadian Passport Renewal: Online, Fees and Wait Times
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You can renew your Canadian passport online, in person or by mail for $163.50 (10 years) or $122.50 (5 years) from within Canada. Count on 20 business days, or 10 at a passport office. Since July 28, 2026, every eligible adult can renew online, with no guarantor or ID document. For the trip that follows, also consider a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
Your passport renewal at a glance
You have 3 ways to renew an adult passport. Here they are side by side:
| Criterion | Online | In person | By mail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processing time | 20 business days, plus up to 5 days for delivery | 10 days (passport office) or 20 (regular Service Canada Centre) | 20 business days |
| When to use it | Expires within 6 months or already expired, no trip in the next 20 business days | Leaving soon: the only access to express or urgent service | Far from an office, not in a hurry |
| Photo | Digital, from a commercial photographer | 2 printed photos | 2 printed photos |
| Your current passport | Cancelled when you submit | Handed in at the counter | Enclosed with the application |
| Adult 10-year fee | $163.50 | $163.50 (plus express or urgent surcharge) | $163.50 |
Our advice: if your passport expires within the next 6 months and you're not travelling in the next 20 business days, the online route saves you both the trip to the counter and the envelope.
Can you renew your passport?
You qualify for a simplified renewal if you meet these 4 conditions:
- You were 16 or older when your current passport was issued
- It was issued less than 15 years ago, with a 5- or 10-year validity
- Your name, date and place of birth stay the same
- Your sex identifier stays the same
For children under 16, there's no renewal: you submit a new application each time, at the child passport rate.
A lost, stolen or damaged passport can also be renewed, by mail or in person: if it was still valid, you include declaration form PPTC 203 with your application. If one of the criteria above doesn't apply to you, for example if you're changing your name, you submit a new passport application instead, with a guarantor and proof of citizenship.
When to renew your passport
Our advice: start your renewal within 6 months before your passport expires. That's the window that gives you access to online renewal, and it leaves room for the 20 business days of processing before your next trip.
You can also renew a passport that's still valid. If it expires in more than a year, IRCC simply asks you to explain why: by mail, a written note attached to the form is enough.
Before you book, also check the entry requirements of your destination on travel.gc.ca: many countries ask for a passport that is still valid for several months after your return date.
Renewing your passport, step by step
Your Canadian passport renewal comes down to 5 steps, whichever way you submit it:
- Check that you're eligible for a simplified renewal
- Fill out form PPTC 055, or the online application
- Get your passport photos taken
- Submit your application online, in person or by mail, and pay the fee
- Track your application until your new passport arrives
Fill out form PPTC 055
For a simplified adult renewal, you fill out form PPTC 055, available on IRCC's Canadian passports page. If you apply online, the IRCC portal asks you for the same information, with no PDF to print.
To fill in the PDF version, you need Adobe Reader 10 or later on a computer: the form doesn't work properly on a phone. Have a valid email address ready, since IRCC uses it to contact you about your application.
If you fill in the form physically, fill it in carefully, taking care not to cross out any lines or write outside the boxes provided. If you make a mistake, we recommend you start again with a new form to avoid any delay in processing your application.
Sign and date the form, then reread every field before you submit it: a single mistake can delay your passport by several weeks.
Find the nearest office
You can use the online search tools available on the Canadian Passport Program website to locate your nearest Service Centre. These tools allow you to enter your postal code, city or full address to find the nearest point of service. You’ll have access to waiting times, too.
Processing time depends mainly on the type of office you choose:
- Passport office: 10 business days, and the only place offering express and urgent service
- Service Canada Centre with accelerated processing: 10 business days
- Regular Service Canada Centre: 20 business days
Get your passport photos taken
You need 2 identical photos that meet IRCC's standards:
- Size: 50 mm wide by 70 mm high
- Face: 31 to 36 mm from chin to crown of the head
- Taken less than 6 months ago
- Colour or black and white, with no retouching
We recommend going to a commercial photographer who knows the passport standards: photos taken at home are often rejected. If you apply online, ask for a digital photo, which the photographer provides for upload to the IRCC portal.
One of the two copies must be stamped and dated on the back by the photographer, and the stamp should include the studio’s name and address. You do not need to sign the photos yourself.
Two references, no guarantor
Good news: for a simplified renewal, you need no guarantor, no proof of citizenship and no ID document. Your current passport covers all three. You do list 2 references on the form: adults aged 18 or older who have known you for at least 2 years and agree that IRCC may contact them. Your spouse, parents, children and other family members can't act as references.
How much does renewal cost?
Since March 31, 2026, you pay $163.50 for a 10-year adult passport when you apply in Canada, or $122.50 for 5 years. The price is the same online, in person or by mail.
| Passport | Applying in Canada | Applying outside Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, 10-year | $163.50 | $266.25 |
| Adult, 5-year | $122.50 | $194.25 |
| Child under 16, 5-year | $58.50 | $102.50 |
If you're leaving soon, you can pay a surcharge for faster service on top of the passport fee:
- Express service (2 to 9 business days): $50
- Urgent service (by the end of the next business day): $125.75
- Weekend or statutory holiday service: $383.50
If your passport was lost or stolen while still valid, you can still renew it by mail or in person: you include declaration form PPTC 203 and IRCC adds $45 to the fee. For urgent or express service, you need to apply in person at a passport office.
Three ways to submit your application
You can submit your renewal online, in person or by mail. Your choice mostly depends on how soon you're travelling and how close you live to a passport office.
Online
Online, you apply through the IRCC portal with a digital photo from a commercial photographer. Your current passport is cancelled as soon as you submit the application. You can use this option if you meet all 7 of these criteria:
- You're renewing your own passport, which you applied for at age 16 or older
- It's a regular blue passport, valid for 5 or 10 years, issued less than 15 years ago, and it shows your place of birth
- It expires within the next 6 months, or it has already expired
- Your home and mailing addresses are in Canada, and you'll be there to receive the passport
- You're not travelling in the next 20 business days
- Your name, date and place of birth and gender identifier haven't changed
- Your passport isn't damaged, seized or surrendered, and has no observations
In person
In person, you get your passport in 10 business days at a passport office or a Service Canada Centre that offers accelerated processing, or 20 business days at a regular Service Canada Centre. If you're leaving soon, this is the only route to express service (2 to 9 business days) or urgent service (by the end of the next business day). Bring proof of travel if you need it fast.
At the counter, bring your completed PPTC 055 form, your 2 printed photos and your current passport. You'll hand over your passport with the application.
Once your new passport is on its way, your next trip comes with currency conversion fees on every purchase abroad. We recommend a card with no foreign transaction fees, like the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card, which also gives you 6 free airport lounge visits a year.
By mail
You mail your application to the passport program in Gatineau. If you live in British Columbia, Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, you use the post office box in Mississauga instead. IRCC recommends a courier or a mail service with tracking, since your current passport is in the envelope.
Choose your payment method on the form itself: once your application is sent, you can't change it. Here's what IRCC accepts by mail:
- Credit card: Visa, Mastercard or American Express
- Prepaid card with raised numbers
- Certified cheque or money order in Canadian dollars, for the exact amount, payable to the Receiver General for Canada
- Not accepted: cash and personal cheques
Processing times: 1 to 20 business days
Count on 20 business days for most renewals, online, by mail or at a regular Service Canada Centre. If IRCC takes more than 30 business days to process a complete application, you get a full refund of your fees, with nothing to request:
- 20 business days: standard processing time, online, by mail or at a regular Service Canada Centre
- 10 business days: accelerated processing, in person only, at a passport office or a Service Canada Centre that offers it
- 30 business days: beyond this for a complete application, IRCC automatically refunds your fees in full
If you apply online, add up to 5 business days for delivery. Our advice: wait until your new passport is in hand before you book a non-refundable ticket.
How to check your application status
You can track your application with the status checker on Canada.ca. If you applied online, the IRCC portal shows the status in real time. In all cases, keep an eye on the email address you entered on the form: that's where updates are sent.
The new Canadian passport in pictures
Canada redesigned its passport in 2023, with new images and stronger security features. Here's what you'll see when you open your new one.
On the cover, you'll first notice the metallic maple leaves; another maple leaf, embossed, sits on the back of the booklet.
The data page with your personal information is now made of polycarbonate and laser-engraved. According to IRCC, it lasts longer and stands up better to water and rough handling.
The inner pages are illustrated with Canadian scenes, like this winter landscape.
When your new passport arrives
As soon as your new passport arrives, check your name, date and place of birth before you book anything. If you renewed online, remember that your old passport was cancelled when you submitted the application: you can no longer travel with it. We also recommend updating the new number in your traveller profiles (Aeroplan, WestJet, NEXUS) to avoid a snag at check-in.
To plan the rest of your trip, create your free member account: you get access to member-only offers and you choose the newsletters you want.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to renew a Canadian passport?
If you live in Canada, a 10-year passport costs $163.50 and a 5-year passport $122.50, rates in effect since March 31, 2026. Outside Canada, these amounts rise to $266.25 and $194.25. Urgent pickup adds $125.75 and express pickup adds $50.
Can I renew my passport online?
Yes, since July 28, 2026, if you are renewing your own passport, it expires within the next 6 months or has already expired, your home and mailing addresses are in Canada, and you are not travelling in the next 20 business days. You upload a digital photo taken by a commercial photographer and pay in the IRCC portal.
How long does it take to get my new passport?
The standard is 20 business days online, by mail or at a regular Service Canada Centre, plus mail delivery. At a passport office, it drops to 10 business days. If processing a complete application takes more than 30 business days, IRCC automatically refunds your fees in full.
Can my child's passport be renewed?
No. A passport issued before age 16 can't be renewed: you submit a new child passport application. From age 16, your teen applies for an adult passport, which they can renew later.
Do I need a guarantor or references to renew my passport?
You need no guarantor, no proof of citizenship and no ID document. You do list 2 references on form PPTC 055: adults who have known you for at least 2 years and who are not members of your family.
My passport was lost or stolen: can I still renew it?
Yes, by mail or in person, if you meet the other criteria. Report the loss or theft as soon as possible and include form PPTC 203; if the passport was still valid, IRCC adds $45 to the fee. Online renewal isn't available in this case.
Can I renew my passport more than a year before it expires?
Yes, in person or by mail, but IRCC will ask why you're renewing early; by mail, you include a written explanation. Online, it isn't possible: your passport must expire within the next 6 months.
What number do I call to reach the Passport Program?
In Canada and the United States, call 1-800-567-6868 (TTY: 1-866-255-7655). You can also track your application on Canada.ca, and in real time in the IRCC portal if you renewed online.