Canada Announces 5 Categories of People Who Cannot Serve as Passport Applicant's Reference
- Canada's passport authority has set clear rules on who qualifies to serve as a reference on a new adult passport application
- The government listed five categories of people who are automatically disqualified from acting as a reference, covering both immediate and extended family
- Applicants are also warned that references who are travelling or in different time zones could cause significant delays to their passport processing
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Canada's immigration and citizenship authority has published a set of requirements outlining exactly who can and cannot serve as a reference on a new adult passport application, with five specific categories of people ruled out entirely.
According to the Government of Canada, a valid reference must be at least 18 years old, must have known the applicant for a minimum of two years, and must consent to having their name and contact details included in the application.
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Applicants are also advised to ensure their references are reachable during the processing period, as unavailability can slow things down considerably.
Canada passport: Who's disqualified from being reference
The government identified five groups of people who are not permitted to act as a reference. These are:
1. Anyone already serving as the applicant's guarantor on the same application,
2. A member of the applicant's immediate family,
3. A spouse or common-law partner,
4. The applicant's child or grandchild
5. Any other member of the extended family.
The rule effectively means that an applicant cannot lean on close relatives at any level of the family tree to fulfil this requirement, making it necessary to seek out friends, colleagues, neighbours, or other individuals with no family connection.
Canada passport application: Delays and additional checks
Beyond the eligibility rules, the government noted that passport officials reserve the right to request additional references at any stage of the process. This means even a completed application with two valid references does not guarantee the matter is closed.
Geography also plays a role. If a reference is located in a different time zone, reaching them may take longer, which in turn can extend overall processing times. References who are travelling outside Canada at the time of the application review present a similar risk of delay.
The guidance applies to new adult passport applications and forms part of the broader documentation requirements set out by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
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
