Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — Passport Program Edition PPTC 142 (08-2026) 9 pages

PPTC 142 — Child General Passport Application (in the USA) for Canadians under 16

The form a parent or legal guardian living in the United States uses to apply for a Canadian passport for a child under 16.

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PPTC 142 · Child General Passport Application (in the USA) for Canadians under 16 years of age
The official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — Passport Program form, edition PPTC 142 (08-2026) — blank
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PPTC 142 (2026) Child General Passport Application (in the USA) for Canadians under 16 years of age — page 1 of 9
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Fill this form online Blank PDF from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — Passport Program

What is PPTC 142?

PPTC 142 is the Child General Passport Application (in the USA) from the Passport Program of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is the version of the child passport application for Canadian families who live in the United States; families in Canada use PPTC 155, and families elsewhere abroad use PPTC 042. The current edition is PPTC 142 (08-2026); the French version is PPTC 143.

Like the other child forms, it is built around the parents: it asks about every parent or legal guardian, the relationship between them, any custody or parenting-time documents, and proof that you are the child's parent. What sets the U.S. form apart is the guarantor: section 6 asks for the guarantor's occupation, firm and business address, because the guarantor is a U.S. professional such as a doctor, lawyer, notary public, pharmacist or bank signing officer.

FileIt guides you through PPTC 142 section by section and prints your answers in capital letters onto IRCC's official PDF. The names repeated in the declaration are filled in for you from your earlier answers, and the finished PDF is filed in the child's vault folder. FileIt does not submit the application: you print it, the parents and the guarantor sign in ink, and you send it yourself.

Who fills it
A parent, custodial parent or legal guardian, living in the USA, of a Canadian child under 16
Given to
The Passport Program in Gatineau, by mail or courier (or in person at a passport office in Canada)
When
For a child's first passport or a replacement, any time before the child turns 16
Signatures
Applicant parent (sections 2 and 5), the other parent in section 2 where possible, and a U.S. professional guarantor (section 6)
Edition
PPTC 142 (08-2026)

Who needs to fill out PPTC 142?

  • Canadian parents living in the United States who need a passport for a child under 16.
  • A custodial parent in the USA applying after separation or divorce.
  • A legal guardian in the USA of a Canadian child, with proof of guardianship.
  • Families in the USA replacing a child's passport that has expired, is damaged, or was lost or stolen (a lost or stolen one also needs PPTC 203).
  • Families in Canada use PPTC 155 instead; outside Canada and the USA, PPTC 042. From age 16 the child applies with an adult form.

When to use PPTC 142

  • Apply well ahead of any trip: the form recommends not finalizing travel plans until the passport arrives.
  • Each child needs their own application, photos and documents.
  • Both pages must be completed and signed within the 12 months before you apply.
  • If the child's current passport is valid for more than another 12 months, include a written explanation of why you are applying early.
  • If the mailing address changes within 30 days of submitting, tell the Passport Program.

What you need before you start

  • The child's proof of Canadian citizenship: an original provincial or territorial birth certificate or a certificate of Canadian citizenship.
  • Proof of parentage: a detailed birth certificate naming the parents, an adoption order or proof of guardianship (with a translation if it is not in English or French).
  • All separation agreements, court orders and divorce judgements about custody, decision-making, access, parenting time or mobility, or with a passport clause.
  • Two identical, unaltered photos of the child taken by a commercial photographer within the last six months.
  • Any unexpired Canadian travel document issued to the child.
  • Details for both parents or legal guardians, and a death certificate if a parent has died.
  • A guarantor who is a licensed U.S. professional on the eligible list and has known you for at least two years.
  • An emergency contact and the fee (current fees are listed at Canada.ca/passport-fees).

What’s on PPTC 142

The 2026 edition has 9 pages. FileIt asks for it in 9 parts:

  1. Section 1: Child's personal informationChild
  2. Section 2: Applicant parent and other parent(s)Parent / legal guardian
  3. Section 2: Other parent or legal guardianParent / legal guardian
  4. Section 3: Previous Canadian travel documentChild
  5. Section 4: Proof of Canadian citizenshipChild
  6. Section 5: Declaration of applicantParent / legal guardian
  7. Section 6: Declaration of guarantor (U.S. professional)Guarantor
  8. Section 7: Emergency contact informationChild
  9. Credit card information (mail-in applications only)Child

How to fill out PPTC 142, step by step

1 Section 1: Child's personal information

Enter the child's name exactly as on their proof of citizenship or most recent Canadian passport, any former surnames, place and date of birth, sex, eye colour and height. Give the home address with its state and country, and a mailing address if the passport should go elsewhere.

Children aged 11 to 15 are encouraged to sign section 1; nobody else may sign the child's box.

2 Section 2: Applicant parent and other parent(s)

Answer whether the child is in an adoption process or in care, and whether any agreements, orders or proceedings deal with custody, decision-making, access, parenting time or mobility. Then give the relationship with the other parent, the marriage date if any, and each parent's names, date and country of birth, address, phones and email. Each parent signs their part.

3 Section 3: Previous Canadian travel document

Say whether a Canadian passport, certificate of identity or refugee travel document was ever issued to the child, with its number and date of issue, and whether you want an old passport returned or securely destroyed. If neither box is ticked, it is destroyed.

4 Section 4: Proof of Canadian citizenship

Choose the birth certificate or the citizenship certificate and give its number and date. Copies of citizenship certificates are accepted only if the number begins with K or X.

5 Section 5: Declaration of applicant

Your names, your relationship to the child and the child's names are repeated here, and you sign in ink with the date and place. FileIt fills the names, date and place from your earlier answers.

6 Section 6: Declaration of guarantor

The guarantor must have known you, the applicant parent or guardian, for at least two years and be currently licensed in the USA as a dentist, medical doctor, pharmacist, veterinarian, judge, lawyer or notary, notary public, police officer, dean or head of a university or college, or signing officer of a financial institution. They don't need to be Canadian.

You can fill in their name, occupation, firm, phones and business address; the guarantor completes the four bold fields (years known, signature, date and place) and signs the back of one photo.

7 Section 7: Emergency contact information

Mandatory: someone who can be reached if the child needs help while outside Canada.

8 Credit card information (section E)

Only for mail-in applications paid by Visa, Mastercard or American Express. FileIt prints the card type, names and amount; write the card number and expiry by hand and sign as cardholder.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using PPTC 155 or 142 for the wrong place: PPTC 142 is for families in the USA; PPTC 155 is for those in Canada.
  • Choosing a guarantor who is not on the eligible U.S. occupation list, or who knows the child but not you.
  • Leaving out custody or parenting-time documents, including earlier orders needed to understand them.
  • Signing the child's signature box for them.
  • Forgetting PPTC 463A, 463B or 463C when the child is in foster care or being adopted in Canada.
  • Mailing only one page: both pages must be completed and signed within the last 12 months.

After you fill it out

Print the PDF and sign in black or dark blue ink: the applicant parent signs sections 2 and 5 and the other parent signs their part of section 2 where possible. Then give it to your guarantor to complete section 6 and sign the back of one photo.

Send it yourself with the photos, proof of citizenship, proof of parentage, legal documents, any unexpired travel document and the fee to the Passport Program address in section G of the instructions (mail or courier). Originals are returned, possibly separately from the passport, so use a trackable service.

Keep the completed PDF in the child's FileIt folder. When the passport arrives, record its expiry date so FileIt reminds you before it runs out.

Fill out PPTC 142 online with FileIt

  1. Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
  2. Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 101 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
  3. Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — Passport Program form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
  4. Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

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PPTC 142: frequently asked questions

Which form do Canadians living in the USA use for a child's passport?

PPTC 142, the Child General Passport Application (in the USA), for a child under 16. Families in Canada use PPTC 155 and those elsewhere abroad use PPTC 042.

Who can be the guarantor on PPTC 142?

Someone who has known you, the applicant parent or guardian, personally for at least two years and is currently licensed in the USA in an eligible profession, such as a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, lawyer, notary public, judge, police officer, veterinarian, university dean or head, or bank signing officer. They do not need to be a Canadian citizen.

Where do I send PPTC 142?

The instructions list the Passport Program in Gatineau, Quebec, with separate mail and courier addresses. Applications can also be submitted in person in Canada. FileIt does not send it for you.

Do both parents have to sign?

All parents and legal guardians are asked, and may be required, to take part and sign. The other parent has their own declaration in section 2 and may be contacted.

Does my child need to sign?

No. Children under 16 don't have to sign, although those aged 11 to 15 are encouraged to sign section 1.

What if I have not known an eligible guarantor for two years?

Complete form PPTC 132, the Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor, before a person authorized to administer oaths, and send it with the application.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — Passport Program or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.

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