PPTC 155 — Child General Passport Application (under 16 years of age)

What is PPTC 155?

PPTC 155 is the Child General Passport Application from the Passport Program of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Every Canadian child under 16 needs their own passport, and this is the form a parent, custodial parent or legal guardian completes to get one — whether it is the child's first passport or a replacement. The current edition is PPTC 155 (02-2026); the French version is PPTC 156.

Compared with the adult form, the child application 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. The guarantor vouches for you, the applicant parent, rather than for the child, and there are no references or two-year address history to complete.

FileIt guides you through PPTC 155 section by section and prints your answers in capital letters onto IRCC's official PDF. Details for the child and both parents can be pre-filled from the People records in your FileIt vault, the names repeated in the declaration and guarantor sections 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 guarantor sign in ink, and you deliver it yourself.

Who needs to fill out PPTC 155?

• Parents of a Canadian child under 16 who is travelling abroad and needs a passport.
• A custodial parent after separation or divorce applying on the child's behalf.
• A legal guardian of a Canadian child, with proof of guardianship.
• Families replacing a child's passport that has expired, is damaged, or was lost or stolen (a lost or stolen one also needs PPTC 203).
• Canadian families living in the United States applying through the Canadian Passport Program.
• Once the child turns 16 they apply themselves using the adult form PPTC 153.

When to use PPTC 155

• Apply well ahead of any trip: the form recommends not finalizing travel plans until the passport is received.
• Use it for each child separately — every 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.
• Tell the Passport Program if your home or mailing address changes within 30 days of submitting.

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.
• All separation agreements, court orders and divorce judgements about the child's 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, with its number and date of issue.
• Full details for both parents or legal guardians: names, former surnames, dates and countries of birth, addresses, phone numbers and emails.
• A death certificate if a parent or legal guardian has died.
• Your guarantor's Canadian passport details and home address.
• The child's eye colour, height and an emergency contact, plus the fee (the Passport Program publishes current fees online).

What’s on PPTC 155

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 guarantorGuarantor
8. Section 7: Emergency contact informationChild
9. Credit card information (mail-in applications only)Child

How to fill out PPTC 155, step by step

1 Section 1: Child's personal information

Enter the child's name exactly as it appears on their proof of citizenship or most recent Canadian passport; a different name needs a legal change of name certificate, court order or adoption order. List any former surnames, then the child's place and date of birth, sex, natural eye colour, height, home address and — if the passport should go elsewhere — a mailing address.

Children under 16 do not have to sign, but those aged 11 to 15 are encouraged to sign the box in this section. Only the child may sign there. If the child does not sign, leave the box empty.

2 Section 2: Information on applicant parent and other parent(s)

Answer two questions first: whether the child is in an adoption process or in the care of a family services organization, and whether any separation agreements, court orders or legal proceedings deal with custody, decision-making, access, parenting time or mobility. If either answer is yes, all the related documents must be included.

Then choose the relationship between you and the other parent (single, common law, married, separated, divorced or widowed), the marriage date if any, and your own details — current and former surnames, date and country of birth, address, phones and email. You sign and date the declaration here.

3 Section 2: Other parent or legal guardian

Give the same details for the child's other parent or legal guardian. The form asks all parents and guardians to take part and sign, and the Passport Program may contact them. If there are more than two parents or guardians, add the extra details and signatures on a separate signed and dated sheet; if a parent has died, enclose the death certificate and give as much information as you can.

4 Section 3: Previous Canadian travel document

State whether a Canadian passport, certificate of identity or refugee travel document was ever issued to the child in any name, with the latest number and issue date. Enclose it if it has not expired.

Tick whether you want the old passport returned or securely destroyed; if neither box is ticked, it is destroyed. Check for visas the child still needs before choosing destruction.

5 Section 4: Proof of Canadian citizenship

Pick one document: an original provincial or territorial birth certificate (give its registration number and issue date) or a certificate of Canadian citizenship (certificate number and date). A detailed birth certificate naming the parents can double as proof of parentage.

Copies of citizenship certificates are accepted only if issued on or after 1 February 2012 with a number beginning K or X. Commemorative certificates are not accepted, and the document is returned to you.

6 Section 5: Declaration of applicant

This repeats your name, your relationship to the child and the child's name, and you sign it in ink with the date and place. By signing you declare that the child is a Canadian citizen, the photos are unaltered and true, and you have included all the documents the proof-of-parentage instructions require. FileIt fills in the names, date and place from your earlier answers; you only add your relationship to the child, such as MOTHER or LEGAL GUARDIAN.

7 Section 6: Declaration of guarantor

The guarantor must know you, the applicant parent or guardian, personally for at least two years. They must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or over who can communicate in English or French, with a 5- or 10-year Canadian passport that is valid or expired for no more than one year, obtained when they were 16 or over. Unlike the adult form, the child's other parent can act as guarantor, as can a relative or someone living at your address.

You can fill in the guarantor's passport details and address, but they must complete the four bold fields themselves (years known, signature, date and place signed) and certify one photo on the back as a true likeness of the child. If no eligible guarantor has known you for two years, use PPTC 132 instead.

8 Section 7: Emergency contact information

Mandatory. Give someone who can be reached if the child needs help while outside Canada — their name, relationship to the child, phones, email and address.

9 Credit card information (section E, mail-in only)

Fill this in only when mailing the application and paying by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Enter the card type, name on the card, the child's name and the exact amount in Canadian dollars; FileIt does not store card numbers, so you write the card number and expiry by hand and sign as cardholder.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving out custody or parenting-time documents. All separation agreements and court orders with valid clauses about the child must be included, plus any earlier orders needed to understand them.
• Not getting the other parent involved. All parents and legal guardians are asked to sign, and a missing one can slow things down.
• Choosing a guarantor who knows the child but not you — the guarantor must have known the applicant parent for at least two years.
• Signing the child's signature box for them. Only the child may sign section 1, and it is optional.
• Sending a short-form birth certificate without other proof of parentage; a detailed certificate naming the parents is what the form describes.
• Forgetting PPTC 463A, 463B or 463C when the child is in foster care or being adopted in Canada.
• Using PPTC 155 for a 16- or 17-year-old; they must apply with PPTC 153.

After you fill it out

Print the PDF and sign both pages 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. Once you have signed, hand it to your guarantor to complete their bold fields in section 6 and sign the back of one photo.

Submit it yourself, in person at a Passport Program office or participating Service Canada Centre, or by mail to the address in section G of the instructions (addresses differ for British Columbia and the territories, other provinces and the USA, and courier deliveries). Enclose the photos, proof of citizenship, proof of parentage, legal documents, any unexpired travel document and the fee; the form recommends a trackable service since originals are enclosed.

Save the completed PDF in the child's folder in your FileIt vault. When the passport arrives, record it there with its expiry date so you get reminders in good time before it runs out, and remember that from age 16 the child will use the adult form.

PPTC 155: frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Blank form (PDF), published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — Passport Program: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/passport/forms/pdf/pptc155.pdf
• Official instructions and guidance: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/child-passport.html
• Edition shown on this page: PPTC 155 (02-2026) E (checked 2026-09-25).

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 2026-09-25.

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