The government of Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced that the cost of a Canadian passeport will increase, taking effect March 31 ET, as the price is indexed to the consumer price index and the passport fee structure is under review. The immediate change lifts fees by 2. 7%, reflecting the CPI movement in April 2024, and applies to applications both inside and outside Canada. Officials cite a tariff review to bring fees closer to actual operating costs as the reason for the move.
Passeport: Details of the increase
The announced adjustment raises the fee for a five-year passport to $123. 24 and a ten-year passport to $164. 32 for applicants inside Canada; applicants applying from outside the country will face a ten-year passport fee of $267. 02. The 2. 7% figure matches the change in the CPI in April 2024 and follows a decree adopted at the end of January that instructs the government to begin indexing passport prices to inflation. The government frames the change as an automatic indexation step, but officials warn this is likely only the first step in a broader reworking of how passport fees are set.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has prepared a statement of impact explaining the pivot: the basic tariff structure for the passport program no longer covers operating costs and “the program is currently undergoing a full review of its tariff structure, which will produce options to adjust fees to reflect the real cost of operations. ” That review is cited as the rationale for future adjustments beyond the March 31 ET increase.
Immediate reactions
Lawmakers and program managers have highlighted service promises and potential burdens. Terry Beech, when serving as Minister of Citizen Services, said that “Canadians can now expect their passport to be processed within 30 business days; if that deadline is not met, their passport will be issued free of charge. ” That service pledge has not yet been implemented since its unveiling in March 2025, leaving questions about whether processing relief will accompany higher fees.
Advocacy and service-impact concerns are already emerging: the fee rise and the planned tariff overhaul are expected to affect low-income earners, large families, older adults, people on fixed incomes, students, young people, refugees and other vulnerable consular clients who rely on affordable travel documents to access work, study and family reunification opportunities.
Quick context and what’s next
The government says indexing passport prices responds to sustained cost pressures on the passport program and to a decree directing CPI linkage. Officials at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada have signalled that the current increase could be followed by further fee adjustments once the tariff review completes its work.
Watch for formal timelines and the release of options from the department as the review progresses; stakeholders and advocacy groups will press for exemptions or targeted relief for vulnerable groups while the revised tariff structure is debated. Expect further announcements tied to the review and possible implementation milestones in the coming months, and plan renewals with the new passeport fees in mind as the March 31 ET change takes effect.
