Your Canadian passport guarantor, or form PPTC 132

You don’t need a guarantor if you’re renewing a passport. All five rows below must be true of your last passport. 1

Was an adult passport that was issued when you were at least 16 years old. 2

You cannot renew a child passport.

Was issued within 15 years of the date you apply for your renewal. 2

Was valid for 5 or 10 years. 2

Has the same name, date of birth and place of birth as you want on your new passport. 2

Has the same gender identifier as you want on your new passport. 2

It can be printed on your most recent passport or be the “X” observation sticker.

Is a Canadian citizen. 3

Is 18 or older. 3

Has known you personally for at least 2 years. 3

The forms define it: “To know you personally means your guarantor is able to confirm aspects of your personal attributes.” This applies on the occupation-based route too.

Knows you well enough to be confident that the statements you have made on the application form are true. 4

Printed in the form instructions, for both routes.

Has a Canadian passport that was issued for 5 or 10 years. 3

Form PPTC 040 adds that temporary passport holders are not accepted.

That passport is either valid or has been expired for less than 1 year. 3

The forms word this as “expired for no more than 1 (year) on the date the Passport Program receives this application”, so the year runs to the day the program receives it, not the day your guarantor signs.

That passport can’t be damaged, inaccessible, suspended or revoked, reported lost or stolen, found and returned, destroyed by the program, or requested to be returned. 3

Was 16 or older when they applied for that passport. 3

Will be available to confirm your identity, your information, and their participation in your application if the program needs to contact them. 3

The forms say the guarantor must be accessible to the Passport Program for verification, on both routes.

Can communicate in English or French. 3

The forms apply this on both routes.

Is not the parent or legal guardian who is the applicant on the form. 3

The other parent or legal guardian can sign as guarantor if they meet all the requirements, even if they submit the application for you.

Has knowledge of your child. 5

The 2 years is counted on you, the parent or guardian applying: the guarantor must “have known you personally for at least 2 years” and “know of the child”.

Complete 4 fields on the form. 1

Signature of guarantor, Signed at, Date, I have known the applicant for (number of years). You or your guarantor can complete the rest of the guarantor section.

Certify 1 passport photo. 1

Write on the back of 1 of the photos “I certify this to be a true likeness of (your name or your child’s name)”, and sign the back of the same photo.

Sign and date your ID copies (adult application only). 1

Sign and date the photocopies of both sides of each supporting identification document you submit. Not needed if you submit original documents.

Do it for free. 1

Your guarantor can’t charge you money for this.

Do it without your help. 1

You can’t help your guarantor with these tasks. If they need help, they contact the Passport Program.

Each reference is 18 or older, has known you for at least 2 years, and agrees to you using their name and contact information. 6

A reference cannot be your guarantor or a family member, such as a spouse, common-law partner, parent, child, sibling or grandparent. 6

Unlike a guarantor. The full list of relatives is on the official page.

Get the form from the program. 7

It’s not available online. In Canada, visit a passport service location or contact the program. In the US, go to the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate, or contact the program. Elsewhere, contact the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate.

Find someone who can administer an oath. 8

In Canada: a notary public, a justice of the peace or a commissioner for oaths. Outside Canada: a Canadian or British diplomatic or consular representative, or a qualified local official such as a civil servant or member of Parliament. This person doesn’t need to know you personally.

Swear or affirm it, and sign. 4

The form is completed at your expense before a person authorized by law to administer an oath or solemn affirmation.

The official signs your photo and copies. 4

The signing official also signs the back of the photo. If you send copies of your ID, the same official signs and dates the copies of both sides to show they have seen the originals.

List different references. 7

You can’t use the same references that you used for your passport application.

Allow for the extra time. 4

The form instructions warn that this may delay the processing time of the passport.