Maple News reports that, effective July 28, 2026, Canadians aged 16 and older can renew their passports online if their passport was issued within the last 15 years. The move aims to give citizens a faster, more convenient option without eliminating existing in-person or mail channels.
Online renewals provide real-time processing updates, and applicants can upload required supporting documents rather than mailing them in or visiting a Service Canada Centre. Importantly, applicants can keep their original personal documents in their possession during the process.
To qualify for online renewal, applicants must have a Canadian residential and mailing address and a digital passport photo taken by a commercial photographer within the past six months. The passport must be expired or set to expire within the next six months to be eligible for online renewal.
Officials emphasize that online renewal is not a replacement for in-person or mail applications but an additional option. The goal is to reduce in-person wait times and help applicants avoid common submission errors that can cause delays.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced the service at a Vancouver press conference at 10 a.m. Pacific Time on July 28, 2026.
Online renewals are targeted to a 20-business-day processing window, not including roughly five days for mailing. Beginning April 1, applicants will receive a passport at no cost if processing times exceed 30 business days.
Government projections for the year anticipate about 4.6 million passport applications, with renewals making up roughly 60%. Up to two million applications are expected to qualify for online renewal, a development that should ease queues at Service Canada locations.
The government began testing the service in December 2024, initially handling 10 online renewals per day and gradually expanding to 2,000 daily. With the testing period concluded, the daily cap on online renewals has been lifted.