Protect yourself from passport and travel document fraud
The term “travel document” includes all of the following:
- passports
- refugee travel documents
- certificates of identity
On this page
- How to avoid travel document fraud
- What to do if you think your information is lost, stolen or compromised
How to avoid travel document fraud
Some people or businesses may claim to help Canadians who want to apply for a passport or other travel document. They usually sell information kits that explain how to apply. Some may claim they can speed up the application process for a fee, but this is not true and not possible.
We aren’t associated with any people or businesses that offer these services.
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Only use forms from Canada.ca.
- All passport and other travel document forms are available on our website for free.
- Forms on third-party sites may not be official or up to date.
- If you use unofficial or outdated forms, we may reject your application.
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Passport service locations are the only places allowed to collect passport fees.
- Passport service locations include
- passport offices (including consolidated Service Canada Centres and passport offices)
- Service Canada Centres
- Government of Canada offices abroad
- Passport service locations include
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Protect your personal information, including the information in your travel document.
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Store your travel document in a safe, dry and secure place, such as a
- filing cabinet
- personal safe
- bank safety deposit box
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Never provide the security code on the back of your credit card when you pay your fees.
- We never ask for it.
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No third party, whether they’re a person or a business, can speed up the processing of your application.
- If you need a passport urgently, learn how to apply for urgent and express services.
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Never give a photocopy of or information from your travel document unless you’re sure it’s going to a trusted organization or individual.
- If you do share information from your travel document with someone, you are responsible for anything they do with that information.
- We’re not liable for anything they do with your information.
What to do if you think your information is lost, stolen or compromised
You may be at risk of fraud or theft if
- you lose a photocopy of your travel document or someone steals one
- you give a scan or photocopy of your travel document to a person or organization by mistake
- you give information from your travel document to a person or organization by mistake
The chances of someone getting a travel document in your name are low as long as you still have your
- travel document
- proof of citizenship
- supporting identity documents
Identity theft
If you think your travel document has been compromised, you can
- contact us immediately if you think
- you’ve been a victim of identity theft
- someone used your identity to falsely apply for a travel document
- apply to replace your travel document
- You have to pay all the fees for new ones.
- We can’t transfer the remaining validity period of your travel document to the new one.
More information
To learn more about identity theft, go to the
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