Canada renews the design of its passports

The government will change the design of new Canadian passports and activate an online renewal platform this year.

Rodrigo Diaz m.

Canadians will soon have a different passport than they are used to and will be able to renew it online.

Immigration Minister Shaun Fraser and Social Development Minister Karina Gold presented the redesigned passport at a press conference last week.

According to Fraser, Passport has been updated from start to finish with new artwork and enhanced security features, and has been in the works for more than 10 years.

“The new security measures will help ensure that the Canadian passport remains one of the most secure, reliable and universally accepted travel documents around the world,” he said.

New Canadian passports are due to be printed in the summer and will continue into next year, according to federal ministers.

And starting this fall, Canadians will be able to apply online to renew their passports.

In the coming months, Gould said, some Canadians will continue to have the old copy of the passport, which remains secure and reliable.

“We still have stock from the previous generation, so there is no need for everyone to run for the new passport,” he said.

Those who have recently obtained a passport will be able to use it until it expires.

In addition to the new passport’s redesigned cover, with a maple leaf outline, the inside pages feature illustrations highlighting Canada’s diversity of people, landscapes, wildlife, and the four seasons, visible only in bright ultraviolet light.

New security features include a polycarbonate data page, the same technology used in Canadian currency and driver’s licenses.

“In addition, passport holders’ personal information will now be laser engraved rather than printed in ink, making the data page more durable and resistant to tampering and forgery,” Fraser said.

Inside, a visible chip and antenna have been added to help confirm passport validity and keep information secure.

Other features include a kinegram above the main image that changes color and appears to move when viewed from different angles.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, this passport redesign has been planned since 2013 to prevent fraud by incorporating new, more modern security elements and design techniques.

Some opposition MPs have argued that the new designs erase Canada’s history by removing the designs of iconic figures and images that have graced passports for decades. The Canadian passport is ranked 26th in the world in terms of security, according to the World Passport Index. Canadian passport holders can enter 115 countries without a visa and obtain a visa on arrival in 51 countries.