Starting from early 2011, Canada will be implementing new credential requirements for Canadian born people for obtaining passports. The new measure has been formulated by the Passport Canada in an attempt to enhance the integrity of the country’s passport issuance process.
From February, 2011 onwards, Passport Canada will require birth certificate issued by the respective provincial/territorial vital statistics agency of the applicant’s province in order to start the process of obtaining passports. Unlike the prevailing requirement, the passport department will not accept municipally issued birth records of any applicant to file passport applications.
As per the new rule, any Canadian born individuals applying for the passport must carry the must needed credential, issued by a provincial/territorial statistics body. The credential must read any of the following;
- Birth Certificate
- Certificat de naissance
- Certificate of Birth
- Certificate of citizenship
While everyone needs to acquire the new birth certificate before he/she sets out for a foreign trip, there are exceptions for certain Canadian provinces and territories. For instance, when it comes to the inhabitants of Nova Scotia, all they will need for filing the passport application is a certified photocopy of a live birth registration. In this case, they will not require to obtain the new birth certificate issued by the vital statistics body of Nova Scotia.
