Check passport and travel document service standards
You can find the service standards below to see approximately how long it may take us to process your application under normal circumstances.
What’s the difference between a service standard and a processing time?
The service standard for your application is our commitment to process your application in a certain amount of time, under normal circumstances.
The processing time for your application is the actual time it takes us to process your application. We can’t tell you exactly how long it will take.
- Your processing time
- starts once we have
- your application form
- all your supporting documents, and
- payment for your fees
- depends on whether your application is properly completed or not
- depends on how you applied
- doesn’t include mailing time
- starts once we have
- A small number of cases may take longer when we do
- routine verifications, and
- security checks
Service standards for regular passport applications submitted in Canada
Submitted in person at a passport office (Service Canada Centre – Passport Services) or Service Canada Centre that offers 10-day processing
business days
Submitted in person at a regular Service Canada Centre, a Service Canada Scheduled Outreach Site that offers passport services or by mail
business days
We recommend you don’t finalize any travel plans until you get your passport.
Check your application status
Answer a few questions to find out how to check your application status.
If we don’t meet our service standards
You may be eligible for a partial refund of some of your fees under the Service Fees Act. Refunds are processed automatically. Learn what refunds you might be eligible for.
Learn more about our policies for fee remissions:
Service standards for urgent or express passport applications submitted in Canada
Urgent pick-up
By end of next business day
Express pick-up
2 to 9
business days
We aren’t liable for any losses as a result of the passport not being issued to you or your child in time. We recommend you do not finalize any travel plans until you get your passport.
A passport officer will tell you the date of your pick-up when you apply.
Learn more about urgent or express passport services.
Service standards for regular passport applications submitted from the US
Passports are printed in Canada, and mailing time varies by region. Because of this, you should give yourself extra time when applying. We recommend you don’t finalize any travel plans until you get your passport.
Check your application status
Answer a few questions to find out how to check your application status.
If we don’t meet our service standards
You may be eligible for a partial refund of some of your fees under the Service Fees Act. Refunds are processed automatically. Learn what refunds you might be eligible for.
Learn more about our policies for fee remissions:
Service standards for regular passport applications submitted outside Canada and the US
Passports are printed in Canada, and mailing time varies by region. Because of this, you should give yourself extra time when applying. We recommend you don’t finalize any travel plans until you get your passport.
Check your application status
Answer a few questions to find out how to check your application status.
If we don’t meet our service standards
You may be eligible for a partial refund of some of your fees under the Service Fees Act. Refunds are processed automatically. Learn what refunds you might be eligible for.
Learn more about our policies for fee remissions:
Service standards for other travel document applications
We recommend you don’t finalize any travel plans until you get your travel document.
Refugee travel document and certificate of identity services are now available
Find out how to apply for regular or urgent service.
If you already applied and now need a travel document urgently, contact us.
If we don’t meet our service standards
You may be eligible for a partial refund of some of your fees under the Service Fees Act. Refunds are processed automatically. Learn what refunds you might be eligible for.
Learn more about our policies for fee remissions:
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