A passport is issued by your country of citizenship and is required to be issued your Canadian immigration documents, such as a study permit, work permit, and temporary resident visa (TRV). Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will not issue your Canadian immigration documents beyond the expiry date of your passport.
Before you apply for your initial study permit from outside of Canada, you need to make sure your passport is valid. If you’re unable to renew it before coming to Canada and it's set to expire during your studies, there’s no need to worry. You can renew your passport and apply for an extension of your study permit, co-op work permit and TRV from within Canada.
If your passport is set to expire within the next six to eight months, we'd recommend that you begin the process of applying for a renewal. It’s very important that you don’t delay applying for a new passport as processing times can be long. Some renewal processes may require you to travel to other cities or countries. You can begin looking into the process through your country’s embassy, diplomatic mission or consulate.
If you’re having a difficult time confirming the passport renewal process for your country, please contact one of our immigration consultants.
If you have recently renewed your passport in Canada, you very likely need to extend your study permit (and co-op work permit if applicable) and apply for a new TRV. It’s very important that you don't let your study permit expire. To get started, learn how to extend your study permit and then apply for a new TRV from within Canada.
