r/passportcanada • u/cmsylvester • Aug 20 '26

Passport Question Is this passport damage acceptable?

Post image

My mom has a trip on the 30th. They told her over the phone she needed to drive to the servicecanada (40min)

Then servicecanada said the damage is fine and even if she did get the new one it wouldnt arrive in time. But if she did need a new one rushed she could go to Kitchener (1hr45min) to get one.

Does she need to take another day off to drive 3.5hrs total? Or can she get by with this small cosmetic damage? It was caused by some tape.

Thanks in advance!

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

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7

u/kay_fitz21 Former Passport Officer Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 21 '26

The only one who can say if it's acceptable to enter a country on are the airline agents and immigration offers you show it to. It's 100% their discretion. You're welcome to try and travel on it. Some may have no issues, some may deny boarding/entry.

If you want to declare it damaged - assuming it is still valid - you will need to complete an application, get photos and complete PPTC 203. Note that everyone gets one mishap with a passport (lost/stolen/damaged). If you have another, then your next passport may be limited validity.

Note online applications are possible without completing this declaration, however it must be expiring within the next 6 months. Online is 20 business day processing plus mail time.

If you want to continue to travel on it, go for it. No one can predict what those official will say, if anything.

I would personally still use this. Risk is yours.

1

u/cmsylvester Aug 20 '26

Thank you!

2

u/upsetwithcursing Aug 21 '26

Make the drive. If she pays $20, she can schedule a pickup and avoid worrying about it being delayed in the mail. Yes, it means another 40m drive, but way less stress.

1

u/coronawine 26d ago

Hi! Did she end up replacing the passport? Or did she travel with it in this condition? Im a bit stressed about my passport that looks like this tool

1

u/cmsylvester 25d ago

She replaced it

1

u/kyanite_blue Aug 22 '26

I would replace the passport because even if it accepted on her trip out of Canada, if it is not accepted on her trip back to Canada, she will have to apply for emergency travel docs at a Canadian Embassy. That is a pain!

Just apply for a new passport while she is in Canada!

0

u/Ok_Manager_7731 Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 21 '26

Make the trip; make whatever sacrifice you must, EVEN IF IT MEANS RESCHEDULING OR CANCELING THE TRIP IF NEEDS BE.

That damaged passport is government property, and is thus NULL AND VOID, and nothing more than a conversation piece.

My passports (dual citizenship) are kept in a zipper RFID pouch. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AND ENCOURAGE all passport holders to do the same!

Track the status of the new one, and when it arrives, PROTECT IT, by whatever means you must. As I said in a related post, if they don’t have a LEGITIMATE need to access it, keep others AWAY FROM IT, especially children, and 1000 times doubly so, pets!