NOTICE - New proof of parentage requirements for a child's travel document application

To protect Canadian children against child abduction and to further enhance the security of the Canadian passport program, Passport Canada will soon require that travel document applications for children under 16 years of age be accompanied by proof of parentage documentation*.
Effective December 1, 2011, along with standard application requirements, parents or legal guardians must provide with their child’s travel document application, either:

• A detailed birth certificate indicating the name of the parent(s) issued by a Canadian provincial or territorial vital statistics agency if the child was born in Canada. This document will serve as both proof of parentage and proof of citizenship;
  • A certified copy of birth registration (original only) is also accepted for a child born in Ontario; and
  • A Copy of an act of birth (original only) issued after January 1, 1994, by the Directeur de l’état civil of Quebec is also accepted for a child born in Quebec;
• An order of adoption indicating the name of the adoptive parent(s); or
• A foreign birth certificate indicating the name of the parent(s) (documents in a language other than English or French must be translated to either English or French) if the child was born outside of Canada.

All legal documents that refer to custody, the mobility of, or access to the child must be provided. If a divorce has been granted, a copy of the divorce judgment or order must also be provided. If a separation agreement exists, it must also be provided with the application.
*Exception: Applications submitted on behalf of a child will be accepted without proof of parentage only if all of the following criteria are met:

• A Canadian travel document has previously been issued to the child in his or her name;
• The previously issued travel document is still valid or expired for less than one year; and
• The previously issued travel document accompanies the new application.

Passport Canada wishes to make Canadian travellers aware of these changes well in advance of the implementation date and encourages Canadians to initiate their travel document application process as soon as they begin to plan to travel to ensure that the proper documentation is obtained in time for a trip abroad.
It is important that parents and legal guardians factor in additional time to acquire proper documentation prior to submitting a travel document application for their child. Failure to provide the proper documentation will result in your child’s travel document application being rejected.