After unveiling a new design for their passports on May 10, the Government of Canada has now announced that Canadians eligible for streamlined passport renewals will be able to complete this process online beginning this fall.
In an advertisement for Canada Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) the same day the passport redesign is revealed, Minister Sean Fraser revealed that eligible Canadians will be able to upload necessary documents and photos online to a secure government website as part of this new process.
Note: In March 2022, Canada expanded the list of consumers eligible for simplified passport renewals.
Find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration
Starting in May 2023, the following groups will be eligible to take advantage of Canada’s upcoming online passport renewal system:
- Those with expired passports issued in the last 15 years
- Those with lost, stolen or damaged passports
For clarity, the difference between a simplified passport renewal and a standard renewal process is the required documentation.
While standard passport renewals require the applicant to provide original documents (for example, proof of citizenship or photo identification), simplified renewals only require the following four elements:
- 2 photos
- 2 references
- completed forms
- applicable rates
IRCC hopes that the online processes it plans to introduce later this year will make passports faster and easier to process. However, new passport applicants must still use the traditional government application process through Service Canada.
Benefits of a Canadian Passport
Passports are primarily known as travel documents. In reality, these identification documents are much more than something you show at the airport when you go on a trip and come home from vacation.
1. Entry to the 185 countries without a visa
According to a 2022 report by Henley & Partners, Canadian passport holders can enter 185 countries without a visa. This is tied for eighth place in the most recent Global Passport Rankings, meaning those who hold a Canadian passport have some of the best levels of access to other countries in the world without having to go through the process of obtaining one. visa of any kind.
2. Ability to maintain Canadian and national passport (as a Canadian citizen)
Canada allows dual nationals to have their Canadian passport as well as the one they received from their home country. Assuming their home country also allows this, Canadian dual nationals can carry as many passports as they are eligible to carry.
3. Benefits of Canadian citizenship
Obtaining a passport in Canada does not make you eligible for citizenship. If you receive one, it is because you are now a citizen of Canada. Receiving a Canadian passport means that you will now be able to, among other things, enjoy the same rights and freedoms as someone born in this country.
For example, one of the fundamental rights granted to the citizens of this country is the right to vote in an election.
Canadian citizens will also benefit from a greater number of employment opportunities, including some that are not available to Canadians of other statuses (permanent resident, temporary resident, etc.).
reference: www.cicnews.com