Passports

Passports for Canadians in the United States are processed by mail, in Canada. Download the forms and instructions, and obtain other information about the Canadian passport at the official website for Passport Canada.

If you would prefer, we can mail you the forms. Call our office weekdays from 8:45AM to 5PM at 617-247-5100 to request an application. You can follow the prompts to leave your full name and mailing address in our voicemail box (which is checked every few hours), or dial extension 3000 to speak to a receptionist and give him or her your mailing address.

You will note that at the moment there are THREE (3) applications that Canadians in the US may use to apply for a passport. Please decide which form best suits your situation, and use only that one. A brief explanation of each application form follows:

I. The Adult Simplified Renewal Passport Application (Form PPTC054). Please note that this form is ONLY for use by ADULTS; it is not available for use by persons under age 16.

Canadian citizens currently in possession of a valid or recently expired Canadian passport may use this greatly simplified application provided they meet all the criteria as listed in the instruction pages under "Who May Use This Form?" There is NO guarantor required when using this form.

II. The General Passport Application (form PPTC153 for adults and form PPTC155 for children). This may be used to apply for your first passport, or to get a new passport if you do not meet the criteria to use the Simplified Renewal form. A guarantor is required for this form. If you use this form, your guarantor MUST:

  • Be a Canadian citizen 18 years of age or older.
  • Have been 16 years of age or older when they applied for their own passport.
  • Hold a five-year Canadian passport that is valid or has been expired for no more than 1 year.
  • Have known you personally for at least 2 years.
  • Provide the requested information contained in his or her passport.
  • Be accessible to Passport Canada for verification.
  • Reside in Canada, the USA, or Bermuda.

III. The General Passport Application (form PPTC140 for adults and form PPTC142 for children). This may be used to apply for your first passport, or to get a new passport if you do not meet the criteria to use the Simplified Renewal form. A guarantor is required for this form. If you use this form, your guarantor MUST:

  • Be a citizen of the US or Canada.
  • Have known you personally for at least 2 years.
  • Be included in one of the following groups:

    • dentist, medical doctor, or chiropractor
    • lawyer
    • pharmacist
    • police officer, judge, or magistrate
    • veterinarian
    • notary public (notarial seal must appear on the application form.
    • signing officer of a bank or trust company, or of a financial institution that offers the full range of banking services.
  • Be accessible to Passport Canada for verification.

Once you have completed the forms and gathered all the necessary documents and photographs, please review everything carefully before sending it in. It should be noted that roughly 50% of the applications coming from the US are rejected due to applicant error. Use this checklist of common errors for help: PDF * (159 KB). Note that if you are using the simplified renewal form, certain sections of the checklist will not apply to you.

The processing time for a passport is currently 4 WEEKS from the date the application is received at Passport Canada. Processing times are subject to change based upon volume. For the most up to date processing times, please visit the website for Passport Canada.

Canadian Consulates in the US are not staffed to accept and process routine requests for passport services. In exceptional circumstances, Consulates may be able to produce emergency or temporary passports. If you have a travel emergency and are without proper documentation, please e-mail the Consular Services section at the Consulate in Boston at bostncs@international.gc.ca or call us at 617-247-5100, extension 3000 or extension 3500 with your particulars and someone will be in touch with you as soon as possible. All other passports applications must be submitted either by mail / courier to Canada OR in person in Canada!

Passport Canada's FAQ page

How to contact Passport Canada

* If you require a plug-in or a third-party software to view this file, please visit the alternative formats section of our help page.

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Date Modified:
2009-11-24