Maple News reports that Canada will raise passport and travel document fees for the first time since 2013, effective March 31, 2026, followed by the rollout of a new 30-business-day processing guarantee on April 1, 2026. If a complete application isn’t finalized within that window, applicants will automatically receive a refund of their passport fees. No action is required to trigger the refund.
The changes represent the most significant overhaul to Canada’s passport program in years, affecting both pricing and the level of service travelers can expect from the government. Fees will be adjusted to reflect inflation and the rising cost of producing secure travel documents, with annual adjustments planned under the Service Fees Act tied to the All-items Consumer Price Index published by Statistics Canada.
Examples of the fee changes (effective March 31, 2026) include modest increases across the board: 10-year adult passport in Canada from $160 to $163.50; 5-year adult passport in Canada from $120 to $122.50; 10-year adult passport outside Canada from $260 to $266.25; 5-year adult passport outside Canada from $190 to $194.25; child 5-year passport in Canada from $57 to $58.50; child 5-year passport outside Canada from $100 to $102.50; adult certificate of identity from $260 to $266.25; adult refugee travel document from $120 to $122.50; urgent pickup from $110 to $125.75; weekend or statutory holiday service from $335 to $383.50; temporary passport from $110 to $125.75; and interim passport from $135 to $150.75.
For online or in-person applications, fees are based on the submission date, while mailed applications are assessed based on the date Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives the package.
Starting April 1, 2026, the new refund policy applies to a defined list of products, including adult five- and ten-year passports (domestic and abroad), child passports, temporary passports, adult refugee travel documents, and adult certificates of identity. Some fees are not refundable, notably the $25 consular fee and fees for urgent or expedited services, as well as child certificates of identity and child refugee travel documents.
The policy replaces the existing partial refund system, which offered 25% refunds for processing within one to 10 business days past the service standard, and 50% refunds for delays beyond 10 business days. In practice, refunds will be issued automatically to eligible applicants via cheque or electronic methods, depending on where the application was submitted.
The March 31 increase is not a one-off adjustment. Going forward, passport fees will rise annually in line with the CPI, providing smaller, more predictable changes rather than large periodic jumps.
Beyond the fee changes, Bill C-3—effective December 15, 2025—affects citizenship by descent. The repeal of the first-generation limit means that individuals born outside Canada before December 15, 2025 can be recognized as citizens by descent retroactively if they can trace their lineage to a Canadian citizen. For those born on or after December 15, 2025, citizenship by descent requires the Canadian parent to have spent at least 3 years physically present in Canada before the child’s birth. Those who believe they qualify under Bill C-3 should apply for a citizenship certificate through IRCC before pursuing a Canadian passport.
Maple News will continue to monitor these changes and provide guidance to immigrants and travelers navigating these reforms.