If you are a Canadian citizen, you can apply for a Canadian passport and that is your travel document. If you are not a Canadian citizen and are instead a citizen of another country, and you have a passport from that country, then that passport is your travel document.
However, you should not use a passport from your country of origin if you have been found to be a Protected Person (Convention refugee) from that specific country. You could have your protected status taken away if it is found that you sought protection from a country that you were found to be afraid of.
If you are a Protected Person or Convention refugee, you can apply to get a Refugee Travel Document. If you are stateless or if you are a permanent resident of Canada (and not a Protected Person) and cannot obtain a passport from your country, or get a travel document from any other source, you can apply for a Certificate of Identity Document. You cannot use either of these documents to travel to your country of citizenship.
It is the same application form to apply for either the Refugee Travel Document or the Certificate of Identity Document. You cannot apply in person for these documents. You must complete the application form and submit it with your documents by mail or courier. These forms are available on the Government of Canada’s website. They are not available at a Canadian passport office. Please follow the instructions on the website. The adult application form is called PPTC190. The cost for an adult is $120 for a refugee document and $260 for a certificate of identity. The child application form is called PPTC192. The cost for a child for a refugee document is $57 and $141 for a certificate of identity.
You will need to have proof of your immigration status in Canada, a document that supports your identity, two (2) identical passport photos and the fee payment. You must also have a guarantor and two (2) references. The people who are your references and your guarantor must have known you personally for at least six (6) months. They cannot be your spouse or family members. The guarantor has to be from a work occupation listed in the application form. If you do not know such a person, you must then get a form called Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor. This form is not available online, you must go to a passport office to obtain it.
Please note that Don Valley Community Legal Services staff cannot sign as guarantors if the staff member has not known you personally for at least six (6) months. Our staff can verify your Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor if you can provide an explanation as to why you cannot find a guarantor.
The processing of your request for a travel document can take up to 30 days, but that is only a guideline and it can take longer. If your situation is urgent, you can ask for urgent processing of your application. This requires you to fill out a separate form online and provide the information on why you need urgent processing. You will need to show a serious medical emergency for a family member overseas or other types of emergencies. It is often valuable to ask your local Member of Parliament (MP) for assistance if you need urgent processing of your document.
Please read the explanations provided online for these travel documents so they are completed properly and have all of the required documents and fee payments.
***This is legal information and not legal advice. If you need further information or need legal advice, please call our Intake Line at 416-441-1764 ext. 1 or complete our online Intake Form.***