Canada Announces 7 Conditions Applicant's Guarantor Must Meet for Passport Application

• Canada's immigration authority has outlined the specific conditions a guarantor must satisfy before they can sign off on a passport application
• The guarantor must be a Canadian citizen who has known the applicant personally for at least 2 years and holds a qualifying passport
• Several passport conditions can disqualify a guarantor, even if they meet all the personal eligibility requirements

Canada's immigration and citizenship authority has published clear guidelines detailing exactly what is required of a guarantor when a Canadian citizen applies for a new adult passport.

A guarantor plays a key role in the passport application process, confirming the applicant's identity and information by signing the guarantor section of the application form, one of the two required passport photos, and copies of both sides of the applicant's supporting identity document, each of which must be dated.

Canada passport: Who qualifies as a guarantor?

The Canadian government has set seven personal conditions that a guarantor must satisfy.

1. The individual must be at least 18 years old.

2. The guarantor must have known the applicant personally for a minimum of two years.

3. They must be a Canadian citizen

4. They must hold a Canadian passport that was originally issued for either five or ten years, and must be either currently valid or have expired within the past year.

5. The guarantor must also have been at least 16 years old when they applied for that passport.

6. Beyond those criteria, the person must be reachable and willing to confirm the applicant's identity and their own participation in the process should immigration authorities need to follow up.

7. They must also be able to communicate in either English or French.

Passport conditions that can disqualify a guarantor

Even when someone meets all the personal requirements, the condition of their passport can still bar them from serving as a guarantor.

Canada's passport authority will not accept a guarantor whose passport is damaged, inaccessible, suspended, or revoked.

A passport that has been reported lost or stolen is equally disqualifying, as is one that was found and returned, destroyed by the government, or officially requested to be returned.

Canada passport: What applicants need to submit

For the application itself, Canadians must present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or citizenship certificate, in its original form for paper versions, or as a printed copy if it is an e-certificate.

A document supporting the applicant's identity is also required, and while photocopies are accepted, both sides must be shown and must be signed and dated by the guarantor or a signing official.

Two identical passport photos and two references round out the requirements.

Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.

Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.

Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.

The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.