Canada quietly boosts online passport renewal capacity ahead of summer travel
More eligible Canadians can renew their passport online as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) increases its daily capacity.
The IRCC first launched the online passport renewal pilot program in Canada on Dec. 15, 2024, but it was only available to a limited group of eligible Canadians. The initial rollout only accepted a small number of applications each day, with the immigration department slowly expanding access over time.
Recently, however, it has been ramping up the number of daily applications accepted each day.
Adjusting to meet demand
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In an email to Daily Hive, a representative stated that IRCC has increased its daily application limit for online renewals to 1,500 on March 31, 2026. Previously, the daily limit was only 1,250 on March 15, 2026, and 1,000 applications on Oct. 30, 2025.
He said that the gradual rollout gives the immigration department a chance to test and adjust the system “as needed.”
“This allows us to closely monitor performance and quickly address any issues,” he stated. “As testing continues and capacity increases, more daily applications will be added.”
He did not, however, share when IRCC plans to next increase its online daily capacity.
According to the website, the daily cap for the number of people who can start an application resets at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET.
Who can renew their passport online?
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Canadians can renew their passports online if they meet the following criteria:
- You’re applying to renew your own passport
- Your home and mailing address are in Canada
- You applied for your current passport when you were 16 or older
- Your current passport is a regular blue passport, which was valid for five or ten years, shows your place of birth, and was issued in the last 15 years
- Your passport has expired or will expire in the next six months
- You don’t need a passport in the next 20 business days, in addition to mailing time (once you apply for a renewal, your current passport will be cancelled)
- You’ll use the same name, date of birth, place of birth and gender identifier on your new passport
- You have a digital passport photo
- You don’t have observations or notes on your passport, like a name that’s too long to be printed in full or if you have a diplomatic passport
- Your current passport hasn’t been seized or surrendered
- You’re not reporting a lost or stolen passport as found if it hasn’t already been returned to IRCC
Increased fees and guaranteed processing time
IRCC increased passport and travel document fees in March.
A 10-year adult passport for applicants in Canada now costs $163.50 (up from $160), while a five-year adult passport costs $122.50 (up from $120).
The government also has a “30 days or free” guarantee, which ensures Canadians get their passports processed within 30 days or receive a refund.
Canadians who don’t want to renew their passports online can still do so by mail or in person.