Passports

Your passport is your most important document. If you lose your passport or it expires while you’re in Canada, there are important steps you must take.

About your passport

A passport is an official document issued by the government of your country of citizenship, certifying your identity and citizenship, to be used when traveling to and from foreign countries. Passports normally have an expiration date, after which they cannot be used for identification or travel purposes.

It’s a good idea to keep photocopies of all your important documents (including your credit cards, passport, immigration documents, bank information, and health insurance cards) in a safe place in case the originals are lost or stolen.

You are responsible for keeping track of the expiry date of your passport, as well as contacting your country’s consulate or embassy in Canada for instructions on how to extend or get a new passport. Processing times differ by country. In general, you should allow for up to six months of processing time.

Your study permit, temporary resident visa (TRV), and any other document from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will not be issued past the expiry date of your passport. You must extend your passport before it expires, then extend your study permit and any other applicable Canadian permits or visas.

After you receive your new passport

1. Extend your study permit*
2. Apply for a new Temporary Resident Visa (if you are from a visa-required country)
3. Extend your co-op work permit (if you have one)
4. Extend your spouse or partner’s work permit or visitor record (if they have one)
5. Extend your dependent children’s visitor record or study permit (if they have one)
6. Extend your Medical Services Plan (MSP)
7. Extend your Social Insurance Number (SIN) card (if you have one)
   *You can apply for items 3, 4 and 5 at the same time as when you extend your study permit. Although you can apply for all of these documents at once using a paper application, the online system allows only one type of work permit application for yourself at a time.

If your passport has been lost or stolen

If your passport has been lost or stolen, contact an International Student Advisor and follow these steps:

Step one

Contact the nearest police department or RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) to report that your passport has been lost or stolen. Keep any file numbers or documents they provide so you can prove you contacted them.

Step two

Contact your country’s consulate or embassy in Canada for instructions on how to get a new passport.

If your study permit was also stolen, apply to replace your study permit for a fee. The processing time varies, but it can take several weeks. If you need a study permit urgently, you can include “proof of urgency” with your application.

If your passport containing a Temporary Resident Visa is lost or stolen

If your passport with a valid TRV is lost or stolen, you must first replace your passport. Once you have a new passport, you can apply for a new TRV. Include a letter of explanation that contains the police report number and a brief explanation of why you are applying.

Kelowna RCMP Detachment
1190 Richter Street
Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K7
250 762 3300

Get help

International Student Advising

Talk to an advisor.

International Student Advisors are Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) who can help.

When emailing us, include the following information in the email:

• Your student number in the subject line
• Your name
• Your citizenship(s)
• All permit and visa expiration dates (if applicable)
• Currently in Canada (YES or NO)
• If you request specific assistance, provide detailed information including applicable documents, such as a rejection letter.

International Student Advising