Passport and other travel documents: Refunds for applications processed outside service standards
If you applied in Canada before the labour disruption in April 2023
We’ll subtract 8 business days from your processing time calculation.
The labour disruption is considered an exceptional circumstance under the Departmental Remission Policy. We won’t count this delay in your eligibility for a refund.
You may be eligible for a partial refund on your passport or other travel document application if the processing time for your application was outside our service standards.
The processing time for your application starts when we have your application form, all your supporting documents and fees. The processing time doesn’t include the additional review time required for complex applications, the holds we place on the application while we collect additional information from you or the mailing time.
Who gets a refund
In most cases, if you submitted an application on or after February 1, 2023, and it was not processed within our service standards, you’re eligible for a refund.
This policy applies to the following applications:
- adult 5-year passport in Canada
- adult 10-year passport in Canada
- child regular passport in Canada
- adult 5-year passport from abroad
- adult 10-year passport from abroad
- child regular passport from abroad
- Temporary passport
- adult refugee travel document
- adult certificate of identity
Passport applications from the following regions and dates are not eligible for refunds:
- China and Hong Kong, if you applied between December 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023
- This is because of the COVID-19 measures and restrictions in the region at the time.
- Türkiye and Syria, if you applied between February 6, 2023, and June 30, 2023
- This is because of the earthquakes at that time and the emergency measures we implemented.
Refunds are automatic
If you’re eligible, we’ll automatically send you a refund using the payment method you used when you applied. For example, if you paid with your credit card, we’ll refund your credit card. In some cases, we may send you a cheque or an electronic bank transfer.
You should receive your refund no later than July 1 of the following fiscal year (April 1 to March 31). If you haven’t received your refund by that date, you can contact us.
How refund amounts are calculated
The amount of your refund is based on how long it took for your application to be processed.
Applications processed
- 1 to 10 business days outside service standards will be refunded 25% of the service fee
- more than 10 business days outside service standards will be refunded 50% of the service fee
Refund amounts
| Name | Fee | Refund amount if 1 to 10 days outside service standards (25%) | Refund amount if more than 10 days outside service standards (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult 5-year passport in Canada | $95.00 | $23.75 | $47.50 |
| Adult 10-year passport in Canada | $135.00 | $33.75 | $67.50 |
| Child regular passport in Canada | $57.00 | $14.25 | $28.50 |
| Adult 5-year passport abroad | $165.00 | $41.25 | $82.50 |
| Adult 10-year passport abroad | $235.00 | $58.75 | $117.50 |
| Child regular passport abroad | $100.00 | $25.00 | $50.00 |
| Temporary passport | $110.00 | $27.50 | $55.00 |
| Adult refugee travel document | $95.00 | $23.75 | $47.50 |
| Adult certificate of identity | $235.00 | $58.75 | $117.50 |
Not all fees are eligible for a refund
The following fees are not eligible under the Service Fees Act:
- the $25 consular fee for adult applications
- This fee is collected on behalf of Global Affairs Canada for providing consular services abroad.
- fees related to urgent or expedited passport services
- For example, urgent and express pick-up services, transfer fees.
- applications for child certificates of identity and child refugee travel documents
This is because the fees for these services are considered low-materiality.
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