Canada Announces 3 Requirements for Parents Applying for Child's Passport
- Canada's immigration authority has outlined specific eligibility rules for adults who wish to apply for a passport on behalf of a child
- The conditions vary depending on whether the applicant is a parent, a separated or divorced parent, or a legal guardian of the child
- Canada's official guidance also spells out what documents are required and what happens when one parent or guardian is deceased or unreachable
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Canada's immigration and citizenship authority has laid out three clear conditions that determine who is permitted to apply for a passport on behalf of a child, with the rules differing depending on the applicant's relationship to that child.
According to guidance updated in February 2026 on the Government of Canada's official website, only three categories of individuals are eligible to submit a child passport application.
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Who qualifies to apply for child's Canadian passport?
1. The first is a parent who is not separated or divorced from the other parent.
2. The second is a parent who holds custody of the child or has been granted decision-making responsibilities through a court order, specifically in cases where the parents are separated or divorced.
3. The third is a person who has been legally appointed as the child's guardian, in which case all relevant legal documents confirming that status must be included with the application.
Regardless of which category applies, all parents or legal guardians are required to sign the application form. Canadian authorities have also noted that they may reach out to other parents or guardians not named on the application. If the applicant does not know the whereabouts of the other parent or guardian, they are advised to contact the authorities directly.
Canada passport: Rules in case of deceased parent
For situations where one or more parents or guardians are deceased, Canada requires the submission of an original death certificate or an official copy. That certificate must have been issued by a provincial or territorial vital statistics office within Canada, or by an equivalent body if the applicant is based outside the country.
The guidance is explicit that a statement of death issued by a funeral home does not meet this requirement and will not be accepted as a valid death certificate.
Applicants in this situation are also instructed to provide as much information as possible about the deceased parent or guardian when filling out the relevant section of the application form.
The updated rules reflect Canada's effort to ensure child passport applications are handled with proper legal oversight, particularly in complex family circumstances such as divorce, separation, or the death of a co-parent.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng
