Fee shortfall waived for passport applications mailed with outdated fee information during a one-month window

Plain-language summary · AI-assisted · not legal advice

The federal government has issued a remission order that forgives the difference between the old passport fee and the newly adjusted fee for applicants who mailed in a paper application form during a specific one-month period. The issue arose because some application forms still showed the fee amounts in effect before a scheduled fee adjustment, meaning applicants paid less than the new rate. Rather than chase down those underpayments, the government has remitted (i.e., formally cancelled) the shortfall amounts for the affected passport and travel document services. This applies to services covered under items 1 to 3 and 5 of the relevant fee schedule. Anyone who mailed a passport or travel document application during that period using a form with the old fee printed on it should not expect a bill for the difference.

Who this affects: individuals who mailed passport applications during the affected period · applicants for other travel documents using outdated paper forms · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada processing staff