Special or diplomatic passport (adult): How to renew your official passport

You can renew your special or diplomatic passport if the passport

• has the same name, place of birth and date of birth you want on your new passport
  • If you only want to change the “F,” “M” or “X” in the sex field, find out how to update the gender identifier on your passport.
• was issued when you were at least 16 years old, and you applied using an adult passport application form
• was issued with a validity period of 5 years, or less than 5 years for reasons unrelated to integrity concerns
• isn’t damaged
• has never been reported lost or stolen
• is either
  • still valid, or
  • expired on or after February 1, 2019

If you’re eligible, follow these steps to renew your official passport.

1. Get your documents ready

You need to include these documents with your application:

• your previous special or diplomatic passport, if you have it
• 2 identical passport photos
  • You don’t need a guarantor.
  • On the back of 1 photo, the photographer must write
    • the photographer’s name, address and postal code
    • the date the photo was taken
• a detailed flight itinerary, if available
• additional forms you need to apply for a visa for the country you’re travelling to (if applicable)
  • If you need a foreign visa:
    • complete the Visa Facilitation Form (PPTC 639) (PDF, 1.6 MB)
    • add 3 to 45 business days (depending on the country) to the 15 business days it takes for us to process your passport application
      • Each country sets its own visa requirements and processing times.
      • We have no influence over the time it takes a foreign mission to issue a visa.
• one of the following:
  • a copy of the signed travel authority and advance form
  • the posting confirmation form
  • a signed letter from your department, or the forms created for clients from National Defence

You may need extra documents if

• you’re from National Defence or the Canadian Armed Forces
• you’re being posted abroad
• you’re replacing a lost, stolen or damaged passport
• you’re changing the gender identifier on your passport
• you changed your name.

2. Find out if you need a visa

If you’re travelling to a country that requires a visa, add 3 to 45 business days (depending on the country) to the 15 business days it takes for us to process your passport application. Each country sets its own visa requirements and processing times. We have no influence over the time it takes a foreign mission to issue a visa.

Find out if you need a visa

3. Complete the application form

Download the adult simplified renewal special or diplomatic application form (PPTC 638) (PDF, 3.3 MB)

If your application is incomplete, we’ll return it to you without processing it. This may cause travel delays.

4. Pay the fees

If you’re applying to travel on official government business or you’re representing the Government of Canada abroad for

• a federal department or agency, complete and include the
  • passport information billing form [PPTC 467] (PDF, 64 KB)
• a Crown corporation or you’re paying with a credit card other than a departmental credit card, complete and include the
  • credit card payment authorization form [PPTC 084] (PDF, 98 KB)
• the Department of National Defence (DND) and you’re not being posted somewhere, complete and include the
  • requisition form for official passports [PPTC 455] (PDF, 50 KB)
• the Department of National Defence (DND) and you’re being posted somewhere, complete and include the
  • Department of National Defence posting confirmation [PPTC 458] (PDF, 50 KB)