Frequently Asked Questions
Is my passport ready for pick up?
Please note that passport applications are processed according to Passport Canada's service standard of 15 working days. Due to privacy and security concerns, as well as the high volume of applications processed, we are unable to provide status checks. Please refer to your receipt for the collection date.
Should you need to travel before your passport collection date, please come in person with your proof of travel with confirmed payment and speak with our officer during our normal business hours for an assessment of the situation.
I have recently submitted my application by mail/drop-in box. When will I be notified of my passport pick up date?
A receipt showing the passport pick-up date will be mailed to you within 7 working days after your submission if your application is fully completed. Please note that incomplete applications will not be processed and mailed back to you along with all documentation.
I do not have documentary proof of Canadian citizenship. What can I do?
If you do not have your proof of Canadian citizenship or if you have lost your proof of Canadian citizenship, you should have the document replaced as soon as possible and, if possible, defer your immediate travel plans. After you have submitted for a replacement of your proof of Canadian citizenship, if your travel plans cannot be deferred, you may submit a fully completed passport application along with all other supporting documentation as well as your proof of need for travel. Our passport examiners will assess your case and determine the necessity of issuing a limited validity passport to meet your travel needs. Limited validity passports cannot be extended. Please provide your proof of travel, airline ticket or airline e-ticket as supporting documentation to assess your case.
In section 4 A, "Did you acquire citizenship of another country before JANUARY 1, 1947?" What does it means?
As example, If you were born in Hong Kong in 1943 and you became a Canadian citizen in 1979, your answer to this question would be "Yes" and you would place a check mark in the box next to "By Birth." Your answer is "Yes" because at the time of your birth, you were not a Canadian citizen and you did not become a Canadian citizen until 1979. Therefore, you must have been a citizen of another country before January 1st, 1947. The effective date of acquiring that citizenship would be your birth date if you assumed Hong Kong permanent residency by birth within the territory.
Can the validity of my passport be extended?
As of February 1, 2010, no extensions of passports are permitted. Holders of a limited validity passport wishing to obtain a full validity passport will need to submit a new application with all the normal requirements.
Can I submit an application for processing in Hong Kong if I am not physically there?
Passport applications should be submitted to the nearest passport issuing office in the jurisdiction of where you are residing or visiting. If you are not physically in the jurisdiction of Hong Kong or Macao to submit or collect the passport, please do not forward your application to our office in Hong Kong for processing.
However, in extenuating circumstances, if you can submit the application in person or agree to collect the new passport in person, you may submit your application to our office for processing. Please be aware that if you agree to collect the new passport in person but find you cannot meet that requirement when the new passport is ready, it will not be released to a third party.
How can I apply for a passport if I do not have an eligible guarantor?
A guarantor is required for each passport application whether it is your first application or whether you have previously been issued a Canadian passport. The guarantor is a vital component of your application process as they certify the information on your application is true as well as verify your likeness on the photograph to be placed in the new passport. Essentially, the guarantor is a requirement, not an option.
However, if you have not lived in Hong Kong or Macao for a minimum period of two years, it is reasonable that you will not be able to find a guarantor in the jurisdiction who will have known you for two years. As such, please contact our passport hotline at (852) 2847-7562 or fax our office at (852) 2847-7561 with your mailing address to obtain the PPT 132 form, “Statutory Declaration in Lieu of a Guarantor.” This form cannot be downloaded from the internet and must be submitted in original format.
The statutory declaration may be notarized in our office for an additional fee. More information on notary services.
The PPT 132 Statutory Declaration in Lieu of a Guarantor requires substantial background information. You are advised to fully complete the form before presenting your documents to our office. In addition to your personal details, you will need to provide your residential addresses for the past 5 years, where you have been working or studying for the past 5 years, and also supply the names of two people who have known you for two years or more and are not your relatives to act as references. Your two references do not need to reside in Hong Kong or Macao but must be available by phone to verify your details. We are required to check both references before a new passport can be issued to you.
Can I request rush processing of my passport application?
If you are requesting emergency rush processing of your application, please present your fully completed application to our office in person and provide full details of your case. Please note we cannot assess your circumstances without examining your application and supporting documentation. Offices outside of Canada are not permitted to charge a fee for rush processing and as this service is exceptional, we will only consider rush services on a case-by-case basis.
Can I travel to Canada using my Canadian citizenship card and a passport issued from another country, ie. BNO or HKSAR passport?
No. It is not advised that you travel using your proof of Canadian citizenship (citizenship card or provincial birth certificate) because we are aware that most airlines in Hong Kong will not carry a passenger who only presents a passport from a country which may normally require a Canadian visa in order to facilitate entry to Canada. A passport is the only reliable and universally accepted identification document. It proves that you have a right to return to Canada. For more information on Returning to Canada.
How can I replace a damaged passport?
If you have damaged or destroyed your Canadian passport, please submit what remains of your passport along with a fully completed passport application (including supporting documentation and fees) to our office to process a replacement. You must include the form, PPT 203, “Statutory Declaration Concerning a Lost, Stolen, Damaged, Destroyed, or Inaccessible Passport or Travel Document.” Click here to download the statutory declaration form | PDF * (76 KB). The statutory declaration must be notarized by a person authorized to administer oaths in all matters or in the jurisdiction in which it is subscribed (position and seal if applicable). For more information on notary services.
Will I be allowed to keep my damaged or destroyed passport?
No. The damaged or destroyed passport will not be returned to you.
Can I send someone to collect the passport on my behalf?
Instructions for collecting new passports are indicated on the receipt just below the date and time when the new passport is ready. The instructions may vary depending on how complete your application was at the time of submission. Please refer to your receipt for details.
If the receipt indicates a tick mark in the "Authorized rep" box, the applicant may appoint a third party to collect the new passport and personal documents on their behalf. The authorization section of the receipt must be signed by the applicant showing the same signature as on the application form. The authorization section must also indicate the authorized person’s name and the ID/passport number they will present.
We offer a mail-back passport service to only applicants living in Macao. Please request this service when you submit your application to have your new passport, including the previously submitted documents, returned to you by courier post. There is no additional charge for this service.
Can I have my new passport sent to another office for me to collect there?
Passports are not mailed out of jurisdiction for collection. If you cannot collect your passport from our office on the appointed date or within the 15 days thereafter and you do not live in Hong Kong or Macao, please contact our office to advise when you will be able to pick up the new passport. We will make arrangements to retain the file in our office to meet your needs.
Can I still use the valid visas in my cancelled passport?
Only the issuing authority can determine the validity of a visitor visa in a cancelled passport. We would advise the bearer of the passport to contact the relevant foreign issuing authority for more information. Please be advised that visas are the sole responsibility of the passport bearer.
Can I have visa pages added to my passport?
Effective January 04, 2005, we are no longer permitted to add visa pages to passports which have been filled with visa stamps. When your current passport has run out of visa pages, you must apply for a new passport.
My passport has expired for some time. Can I still renew it?
If your passport has expired, you may submit an application to have a new passport issued to you. There is no time limit to submit for the new passport. Please follow the instructions on the application form and submit a normal application with all supporting documentation to our office for processing.
Am I able to travel using my expired passport?
Passports are only valid for travel before the expiry date. Once a passport has expired, you cannot use it. For your own convenience, please ensure your current passport is valid before you book your tickets for travel. Applications submitted to our office require 15 working days to process. Rush applications are reserved for emergency cases which are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Am I able to travel using my Canadian citizenship card?
Canadian citizenship cards are your proof of Canadian citizenship. It is not a valid travel document and cannot be used for travel purposes. You are advised to always carry a valid Canadian passport when travelling and that you do not have less than 6 months validity before the passport expires.
Leaving a foreign country and re-entering Canada
Why do you recommend that Canadians ensure there are at least six or more months of validity remaining on their passports?
Several countries in our region strictly enforce a rule prohibiting entry if the traveller is holding a passport that will expire within six months. We are aware of many Canadians who were not allowed to board flights originating in Hong Kong to destinations such as Indonesia, Taiwan, and Malaysia because they did not have sufficient validity remaining on their passports. We strongly urge Canadians to check with their agent, airline or Consulate office of the country they intend to visit to ensure their document is acceptable for entry otherwise the individual may experience financial loss as a result of cancelled travel plans.
Do I require six months of validity on my passport to travel back to Canada, or to enter Hong Kong?
No. Canadians can use their passport to return to Canada providing the document is still valid. Hong Kong will allow Canadians to enter providing their passports will be valid for at least one month after the period of intended stay.
My child is a newborn and does not have proof of Canadian citizenship yet. How can I get a passport for them to travel?
Proof of Canadian citizenship is required to support each passport application. If your child was born abroad and you have not yet applied for their Canadian citizenship certificate, you will need to do that before submitting a passport application. If possible, you should consider deferring all travel plans until the certificate is received from the processing centre in Canada. For citizenship cards, this can be a very lengthy process so we urge you to submit the application as soon as possible after the birth of your child.
Following submission of the citizenship application, if travel plans cannot be deferred, you may submit a fully completed passport application along with all supporting documentation as well as your child's proof of travel, airline ticket or airline e-ticket, as supporting documentation to assess the case. As your child does not have citizenship documents, you will need to submit the original proof of Canadian citizenship from one of the parents, the original foreign birth certificate showing both parents' names, original marriage certificate of the parents (optional), and the receipt confirming submission of the citizenship application. Our passport examiners will assess your case and determine the necessity of issuing a limited validity passport to meet your child’s travel needs.
Please note that citizenship applications may take about 12 to 14 months to process. As most countries in Asia require 6 months validity on the passport to travel, it is not in your best interests to apply for the limited validity passport if you have no immediate travel plans. We suggest you wait until you have fixed plans for travel and submit an application at that time allowing our office 15 working days to process your child’s passport.
The other parent is living in another country. How do I get their signature for consent?
Both parents are required to participate in the application process for the issuance of a child’s passport. If one parent is living in another country, you do not need to have them sign the application form which will be submitted to us. Their personal details (name, date of birth, address, contact telephone numbers, etc.) must be provided. The parent living abroad will be required to contact the nearest passport issuing office in their jurisdiction to make arrangements for them to complete the PPTC 028 Acknowledgement/Consent to Provision of Passport Facilities for a Minor Child. This form is to be completed and signed in the presence of the passport officer. The parent living abroad must bring their own passport when they approach the passport issuing office in their jurisdiction for identification and signature verification. After it has been completed and signed, the form will be faxed to our office by the passport officer so we may continue processing.
The other parent is not able to sign the passport form. What can I do?
If it is not possible to obtain the signature of the other parent, you must provide what details you do have, ie. name, date of birth, address, contact telephone numbers, last known contact, details of your attempts to locate the other parent, etc., and advise the passport examiner when you submit the application that the other parent cannot be located. Your file will not be processed under normal conditions. Special consideration will be given with concerns relating to child custody issues.
The first passport was issued with the baby photo. How can I get the passport photo updated?
Once the passport has been produced, the photograph cannot be updated. However, if your child’s passport was issued after December 11th, 2001 when the child was less than one year old, you may elect to have a new passport issued if you would like the child’s current likeness to appear on their passport. In this case, there will be no cost to the new passport but you must provide a fully completed application satisfying all normal requirements to obtain a new passport. The new photos must have been taken within one month of submission of the application and a guarantor must certify the form and the back of one of the photographs. When you submit the application, please be sure to request the “gratis passport” for a child who was issued their first passport when they were less than one year old.
My child does not know a guarantor for two years. What can I do to obtain a guarantor for my child’s passport application?
When the guarantor signs on a child’s passport application, they are confirming they have known the applying parent for a period of two years or more, not the child. They should have knowledge that the child is the child of the applying parent and they must confirm that the details on the application form are correct in addition to certifying the back of one of the photos of the child. However, they are not required to have known the child for two years or more, as would be impossible in the case of newborn babies.
My child is currently not in Hong Kong. Can I submit a passport application to the passport office in Hong Kong on their behalf?
The passport application should be submitted to the nearest passport office to where the bearer is residing. Please do not submit their passport application to the Hong Kong office if they are not within the jurisdictions of Hong Kong or Macao. We do not produce passports to be sent across international borders.
Is it necessary for my child to come in person to either submit the application or collect the new passport?
No, under normal circumstances, your child does not need to appear in our office at either submission of the application or collection of the new passport. However, our office reserves the right to require an interview with you, the other parent, or the child at any time during the application processing period. Please ensure that all parties are available to appear at the passport issuing office when requested.
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