Canada Announces 10 Reasons Applicants Can Be Denied Canadian Passports
- Canada's government outlined specific conditions under which the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship may reject a passport application
- Serious criminal charges, including terrorism and child sexual offences, are among the grounds for refusal
- Applicants who already hold a valid passport or owe unpaid debts to the Canadian government may also be turned away
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Canada has published clear guidelines outlining the circumstances under which a passport application may be denied. When an application is refused, the process is closed entirely, and no travel document is issued.
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship holds the authority to reject applications under a range of conditions.
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Reasons Canada may refuse your passport application
1. Not a Canadian citizen: Only individuals who hold Canadian citizenship qualify to receive a Canadian passport.
2. False or misleading information: Providing incorrect details at any stage of the application process is grounds for refusal.
3. Incomplete documentation: Failing to fill out the application correctly or omitting required supporting documents can lead to rejection.
4. Helping someone misuse a passport: An applicant who has assisted another person in using a passport that does not belong to them may be denied.
5. Facing serious criminal charges: Applicants charged with an indictable offence in Canada, or an equivalent serious offence committed abroad, risk being refused. This covers a wide range of conduct, including passport fraud, providing false information to government agencies, smuggling, kidnapping, child sexual offences, terrorism, violent crimes, war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, offences under the Geneva Conventions, unlawfully sharing government secrets, violating United Nations sanctions, and evading justice or disobeying court orders.
6. Serving a prison sentence or subject to court restrictions: A person currently in prison or bound by court-imposed conditions that prevent them from leaving Canada will not be issued a passport. This also covers situations where a court order specifically restricts an individual from holding one.
7. Convicted of a passport-related offence: Anyone found guilty of an offence under Section 57 of Canada's Criminal Code, or a comparable offence in another country, may be refused.
8. Unpaid debts to the Canadian government: Outstanding financial obligations related to repatriation or consular assistance provided to the applicant can result in passport services being withheld.
9. Already holding a valid passport: Canada will not issue a new passport to someone who currently holds one that remains valid and has not been revoked.
10. Risk of committing a child sexual offence abroad: Where authorities have reasonable grounds to believe that issuing a passport could enable a person to commit a sexual offence against a child outside Canada, the application will be refused.
What happens after a refusal
When a passport application is refused under any of these conditions, the process comes to a definitive close. Applicants who believe their application was wrongly rejected may wish to seek legal guidance, as the grounds for refusal are set out under Canadian law and carry formal weight.
UK publishes cost of first British passport
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that the British government released its 2026 passport charges, showing the amount first-time adult applicants must pay depending on their preferred application method.
Those applying through the online platform pay £102, while applicants who submit paper forms are charged £115.50. The 10-year passport is available to eligible British nationals aged 16 and above.
Source: Legit.ng
