Traveller's corner

Lost, stolen, found, damaged, destroyed or inaccessible passports

A Canadian passport is a valuable document that should be kept in a safe place at all times. Once a passport has been reported lost or stolen, it is no longer valid and cannot be used for travel. This is to ensure that it is not used for fraudulent purposes. Passport Canada, the Government of Canada or any representative of the Government of Canada cannot be held responsible for any difficulties you may encounter at border crossings if you attempt to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Lost or stolen

If a passport is lost or stolen, the bearer is required to report the circumstances of the loss or theft to Passport Canada and to the local police. If you are outside Canada, you must report the loss or theft to the nearest Canadian government office abroad and to the local police.

The request for a replacement passport can be made in Canada at any Passport Canada office or at the nearest Canadian government office abroad.

However, before the document can be replaced, Canadian authorities will conduct an investigation into the circumstances. This may lead to delays in processing the replacement passport.

A replacement passport, which may only be valid for a limited period, may be authorized if strict requirements are met. These include the submission of:

1. A completed application formsigned by your guarantor;
2. Two identical, up-to-date passport photos;
3. The appropriate fee;
4. Documentary proof of Canadian citizenship; and
5. A Statutory declaration concerning a lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed or inaccessible Canadian passport (PPTC 203, PDF, 34 KB).

Found

If you find a passport, including your own passport that you previously reported as lost or stolen, you must immediately do the following:

• In Canada: Notify Passport Canada and the local police. The found passport must be returned to Passport Canada.
• Outside Canada: Notify the nearest Canadian government office abroad and return the found passport to that office.

Damaged, destroyed or inaccessible

If your passport is damaged in any way, you could face significant delays at border crossings. Passport Canada therefore recommends that you apply for a new passport if your current passport is damaged. You must also apply for a new passport if your current passport is destroyed or inaccessible.