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Liberals raise passport fees …in perpetuity?

May 1, 2026

As of March 31, 2026, most passport and travel document fees increased approximately 2.7%. The price increase will be applied to all passports, travel documents and service fees charged inside Canada and abroad.

This initial increase is fairly insignificant (approximately $3.50 for the annual average ten-year passport).  However, the government has decided to make these increases automatic — at least initially they will be tied to the yearly Consumer Price Index (CPI). So it is feasible that when Canadians apply for their next ten year passport, the cost could be more than $30 higher than the previous one.

But it’s only the start. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is “in the midst of a comprehensive fee structure review” which could well result in additional, substantial, increases.

It is important to note however, that there is now a requirement that fees be returned if complete passport applications take longer than 30 days to process. The refunds are supposed to be automatic, so keep all documentation when submitting your applications.