How to complete form PPTC 155: child passport application (2026)

Form PPTC 155 is the application for a first Canadian passport for a child under 16. If your child was born in Canada, or has become a Canadian citizen, this is the form you complete before your family can travel on a Canadian passport. This guide walks through each requirement, the exact fee, current processing times, and the mistakes that most often send applications back.

Everything here was checked against the official Government of Canada pages in August 2026. If you are reading this later, confirm figures on the linked pages before you pay, and keep our settlement checklist handy for the other documents your family needs in the first year.

What form PPTC 155 is, and who can use it

PPTC 155 is Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) application for a child passport, for children aged 0 to 15 who are Canadian citizens. A child passport is valid for a maximum of 5 years and stays valid until its expiry date, even after the child turns 16. There is no renewal for child passports: when it expires you apply again with a new PPTC 155, and once the child turns 16 they apply for an adult passport instead. Parents renewing their own documents can follow our PPTC 153 adult renewal guide.

Only certain people can apply for a child. You must be one of the child's parents (if you are not separated or divorced), the parent with custody or decision-making responsibility (if you are separated or divorced), or the child's legal guardian. All parents or legal guardians should sign the application, and IRCC may contact the other parent or guardian to confirm.

The application at a glance

Applying by mail is the standard route when you do not need the passport urgently. If your child is not yet a citizen or you are unsure of their status, start with our FAQ or ask Aida, and see how to replace a citizenship certificate if the proof document is missing.

Step 1: complete the form on a computer

Download the official form from the Government of Canada: PPTC 155 (PDF, 2.8 MB). IRCC asks you to fill it out on a computer using Adobe Reader 10 or higher, not on a phone or tablet, because the form does not work properly on mobile devices. Save it locally, complete every section, then print it.

• Sign each page of the printed application.
• State the relationship between you and the other parent or legal guardian in section 2.
• Add your signature in sections 2 and 5.
• The guarantor signs and dates section 6.
• Include your email address so you can check your application status online.

If both parents or legal guardians cannot sign the form, contact the Passport Program before you send anything. Our free government forms assistant can also answer questions about individual fields while you work through the PDF.

Step 2: gather the required documents

Include all of the following with the signed form. Full details are on the official documents to submit page.

• Proof of the child's Canadian citizenship. A long-form birth certificate from the province or territory where the child was born, or a citizenship certificate. The name on this document is the name that will appear in the passport. New parents can follow our guide to getting a birth certificate in Canada.
• Proof of parentage. Required with every child passport application. A long-form birth certificate that names the parents usually covers both requirements at once.
• Custody and guardianship documents. Every legal document with clauses about custody, decision-making responsibilities, access, parenting time or mobility, including anything that mentions the child's passport specifically.
• Two identical passport photos. See the photo rules below.
• Any previous travel document. Any valid Canadian passport or travel document already issued in the child's name.

All documents must be in English or French. Anything in another language needs an official translation.

Step 3: the photo rules that get applications returned

The photos must meet the official passport photo requirements, so use a studio that photographs children regularly. On the back of one of the two photos, the photographer must write or stamp the studio's name, its complete address, and the date the photo was taken. Stick-on labels are not accepted, and your guarantor must sign the back of that same photo.

Step 4: find a guarantor

A guarantor signs the application form and one photo. For a child application, the guarantor must have known you, the applying parent or guardian, personally for at least 2 years, and must know of the child. Newcomers often use a colleague, a neighbour, or a fellow parent they have known since arriving; if you have not known anyone for 2 years yet, contact the Passport Program to ask about the alternative process.

Fees: what a child passport costs

Verified on the official fee page in August 2026, after the 2026 fee increase:

• Child passport (age 0 to 15): $58.50
• Standard pickup at a passport office (instead of mail): $20
• Express pickup, 2 to 9 business days (in person only): $50
• Urgent pickup, next business day (in person only): $125.75
• Replacing a valid lost or stolen passport: $45 on top of the new passport fee

By mail you can pay with a credit card, an embossed prepaid card, or a certified cheque or money order in Canadian funds payable to the Receiver General for Canada. Cash and personal cheques are not accepted. If you are still setting up Canadian payment methods, our banking guide explains how newcomers get a credit card or money order, and the cost calculator helps you plan fees like this into your budget.

Step 5: submit the application

Mail the signed form, documents, photos, and payment. IRCC recommends a certified courier or traceable mail service, which also protects your original documents.

• By courier: Government of Canada, Passport Program, 22 De Varennes Street, Gatineau, Quebec, J8T 8R1
• By regular mail: Government of Canada, Passport Program, PO Box 4000 STN LCD 3, Mississauga, Ontario, L5K 0A9

If you need the passport faster, apply in person instead: 2 to 9 business day service and next business day urgent service are only available at a passport office. Use the official finder to check which services your nearest office offers.

Processing times, verified August 2026

By mail, IRCC's service standard is 10 to 20 business days plus mailing time, and delivery of the finished passport usually adds about 5 business days. In-person express service runs 2 to 9 business days, and urgent service delivers by the end of the next business day. While you wait, you can check your application status online. Original documents are mailed back to you, sometimes in a separate package from the passport. If you move within 30 days of applying, contact the Passport Program to update your mailing address.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Missing signatures: every parent or legal guardian signs, and sections 2, 5 and 6 each need attention.
• Filling the PDF on a phone or tablet, which breaks the form.
• Short-form birth certificates: only the long form proves parentage.
• Photo backs with stick-on labels, or missing the guarantor's signature.
• Leaving out custody documents after a separation or divorce.
• Never sign the child's passport when it arrives. A parent's signature makes it invalid, and you would need to apply and pay again. Children 11 and older may sign it themselves, but they do not have to.

FAQ

Can I renew my child's passport?

No. Child passports cannot be renewed. You submit a new PPTC 155 with new documents and photos each time, until the child turns 16 and applies for an adult passport.

Does my child need a passport for the United States?

Not always. Children may not need a passport to enter the US by land or sea, but air travel requires one. Check requirements before booking, and see our E311 customs declaration guide for the return trip.

My child is a permanent resident, not a citizen. Can I use PPTC 155?

No. Canadian passports are only for Canadian citizens. Permanent resident children travel on their home country passport with a valid PR card. The benefits finder and our Canada Child Benefit guide cover the family programs that do apply meanwhile.

Is there financial help with the fee?

There is no fee waiver for passports. The $58.50 fee (verified August 2026) is the same across Canada. Families managing tight budgets can check our childcare and education guide for the benefits that free up room in the budget.

Related Resources

• How to apply for a child passport in Canada (official)
• Form PPTC 155 download (PDF)
• Passport fees in Canada (official)
• Documents to submit with a child application (official)
• Passport photo requirements (official)
• Guarantor and reference rules (official)
• Official translation requirements
• Check your application status (official)
• Find a passport office near you
• WelcomeAide government forms assistant
• WelcomeAide settlement checklist
• Adult passport renewal (PPTC 153) guide