The Government of Canada has introduced a new service guarantee for passport applicants: if your passport isn’t processed within 30 business days, you’ll receive a full refund. This “30 days or free” policy aims to improve accountability and provide clear, consistent service standards for Canadian travellers.
Effective March 31, Canadians applying for passports within the country or abroad will automatically receive a complete refund if processing exceeds 30 business days. The refund will be issued without requiring any additional action from the applicant.
Current processing times vary depending on the application method. Applications submitted at a passport office or Service Canada location are typically processed in about 10 business days. For mail-in, online, or regular Service Canada Centre applications, the processing time is approximately 20 business days.
It’s important to note that the processing timeline begins when a complete application is received and ends when the passport is printed and verified. Mailing time is not included in this calculation.
