New Passport Guarantor Policy
A new guarantor policy for Canadian passports came into effect on October 1, 2007. This new policy allows most adult Canadian passport holders residing in Canada or the U.S. to act as guarantors for passport applications. Professional engineers and professional geoscientists must meet the eligibility requirements of the new policy in order to act as passport guarantors.
Under the new policy, an eligible passport guarantor must:
- Be a Canadian citizen;
- Hold a five-year Canadian passport that is valid or has been expired for no more than one year;
- Have been 16 years of age or older when they applied for their own passport; and
- Have known the applicant personally for at least two years.
Family members or any individual residing at the applicant’s address may act as a guarantor, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. Passport Canada will use its own database to simplify the verification of guarantor eligibility.
As of August 15, 2007, Canadians living in Canada who meet certain eligibility criteria can now renew their passport through the Simplified Passport Renewal Process. This process offers an opportunity for Canadian citizens to replace their passports without having to resubmit documents to support their application and guarantor information.
More information on passport application and renewal is available on the Passport Canada website at www.pptc.gc.ca.