The government will change the design of the new Canadian passport and activate a platform for online renewal this year.
Canadians will soon have a different passport in their hands than the one they use and will be able to renew them online.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser and Social Development Minister Karina Gould presented the redesigned passport at a press conference last week.
According to Fraser, the 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.
The printing of new Canadian passports is scheduled for summer and will last until next year, according to federal ministers.
And beginning this fall, Canadians will be able to apply for renewal of their passports online.
Gould said that in the coming months, some Canadians will continue to receive the older version of the passport, which remains secure and reliable.
“We still have the stock of the previous generation, so there is no need for everyone to rush for this new passport,” he said.
Those who have recently obtained passport will be able to use it till its expiry date.
In addition to the redesigned cover of the new passport, with its maple leaf outline, the inside pages feature illustrations that highlight the diversity of Canada’s people, landscapes, wildlife and the four seasons, visible only in bright light. appear in.
New security features include a polycarbonate data page, which is 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 with ink, making the data page more durable and resistant to tampering and forgery,” Fraser said.
Inside, a visual chip and antenna have been added to help confirm passport validity and keep information secure.
Other features include a kinegram above the main picture that changes color and appears to move when viewed from different angles.
According to the Canadian Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, plans have been made to redesign this passport since 2013 to prevent counterfeiting by integrating new and more modern security elements and design techniques.
Some opposition MPs argued that the new design erases Canada’s history by removing the design of notable figures and images that have graced the passport for decades. Canada ranks 26th worldwide in terms of passport 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.
