Beginning April 1, 2026 (ET), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will process passport applications within 30 business days or provide a full refund, the ircc announced. The policy covers applications submitted online, in person and by mail and extends to adult refugee travel documents and adult certificates of identity. The move aims to strengthen accountability and streamline passport services after an earlier promised start date was missed.
Ircc announces start date and the money-back guarantee
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced the April 1, 2026 (ET) start date in an online news release on March 3, 2026 (ET). Under the ircc guarantee, applications not processed within 30 business days will receive full automatic refunds of their passport fees. The ircc set the 30-business-day target and said the refunds will be automatic for qualifying delays, applying regardless of how an application was submitted.
Fees change: what Canadians will pay
Passport applications received on or after March 31, 2026 (ET) will be subject to increased fees. The ircc made clear these are the fees applicants can expect if their passports are processed within the 30-business-day standard. Key fee changes listed by the Government of Canada are:
- 10-year adult passport (living in Canada): old fee $160 → new fee $163. 50
- 5-year adult passport (living in Canada): old fee $120 → new fee $122. 50
- 10-year adult passport (living outside Canada): old fee $260 → new fee $266. 25
- 5-year adult passport (living outside Canada): old fee $190 → new fee $194. 25
- 5-year child passport (living in Canada): old fee $57 → new fee $58. 50
- 5-year child passport (living outside Canada): old fee $100 → new fee $102. 50
- Temporary passport: old fee $110 → new fee $125. 75
- Interim passport: old fee $135 → new fee $150. 75
- Adult certificate of identity: old fee $260 → new fee $266. 25
- Adult refugee travel document: old fee $120 → new fee $122. 50
How refunds will be returned and what comes next
The Government of Canada set out the refund methods tied to where an application is submitted. For applications submitted within Canada or from the United States, refunds will be issued by cheque and sent to the mailing address on file. For applications submitted from outside Canada or the United States, refunds will be returned by credit card if one was used, or by cheque or electronic funds transfer. The ircc also noted that not all fees are deemed refundable under the Service Fees Act and that current refund practices depend on processing timelines.
The Government of Canada first announced this initiative in March 2025 and missed its initial rollout; the ircc moved to set a firm April 1, 2026 (ET) implementation date. Officials have positioned the policy as a way to provide a simpler, more predictable experience for Canadians while introducing the new fee schedule for applications received on or after March 31, 2026 (ET). Citizens should watch for formal communications from the ircc as the implementation date approaches and prepare for both faster guaranteed processing and slightly higher fees.
