Indian Passport Renewal in Canada 2026: BLS Process, Fees, Documents and Processing Time

Indian Passport Renewal in Canada - 2026 Quick Answer

Indian passport renewal in Canada runs through the mission covering your Canadian address and its BLS centres. The short version, as of October 2026:

• Ottawa (High Commission): the Ottawa-Hull region, eastern Ontario with K postal codes, Montreal and other Quebec H or J postal codes, and Nunavut.
• Toronto (Consulate General): the rest of Ontario and Quebec, Manitoba and the Atlantic provinces.
• Vancouver (Consulate General): British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
• Step one: submit the form on the Passport Seva portal for Indian missions. Step two: hand in the print-out, photo, documents and fee at one of 12 BLS centres, or post it to BLS Brampton, Surrey or Ottawa.
• Fees from 1 July 2026: adult 36 pages CAD 176, 60 pages CAD 246, minor CAD 128, plus CAD 1.70 to BLS.
• Minimum time, per BLS: 8 weeks in the Toronto and Ottawa jurisdictions; in Vancouver, 2–4 working weeks if CGI Vancouver issued your passport, otherwise 2 months. Post adds 3–4 working days.
• Police verification in India is mandatory before processing.

Jurisdiction - Ottawa, Toronto or Vancouver

Your Canadian address decides the mission you select in the online form.

• High Commission of India, Ottawa: the National Capital Region of Ottawa-Hull, eastern Ontario (postal codes starting with K), Montreal and other Quebec H or J postal codes, and Nunavut. BLS centres: Ottawa and Montreal; postal files go to BLS Ottawa.
• Consulate General of India, Toronto: the rest of Ontario and Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. BLS centres: Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Winnipeg and Halifax; postal files go to BLS Brampton.
• Consulate General of India, Vancouver: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, with proof of a Canadian address in that area. BLS centres: Vancouver, Surrey, Calgary, Edmonton/Sherwood Park and Regina; postal files go to BLS Surrey.

Quebec is split by postal code, so we recommend confirming yours against the BLS jurisdiction list.

Online Form on Passport Seva and BLS Appointment

Open the Passport Seva link from your mission's website and select the office that covers your address.

Step 1: the online form

• Upload a digital photo and signature, which BLS requires for every passport application. Since 1 September 2025 only ICAO-compliant photos are accepted: colour, 630x810 pixels, white background.
• Skip ampersands and hash signs in the address; BLS warns they can cause a print error on the booklet.
• Neither handwritten corrections nor BLS staff can change a submitted form. The fix is a fresh online application.

BLS recommends uploading the photo, signature and documents online for faster processing. If its staff upload the signature, the portal will not allow a corrected application to be printed later.

According to applicant reports on Reddit in October 2026, the PIN field refused an alphanumeric Canadian postal code; there is no official guidance, so ask BLS before submitting.

Step 2: BLS in person or by post

• Book an appointment. Toronto-jurisdiction centres also take walk-ins first-come, first-served, capacity permitting.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday, submission 8:00 am to 2:30 pm, collection 3:00 to 4:00 pm; Saturdays by appointment only in the Vancouver jurisdiction.
• Payment: debit card or exact cash at the counter. By post, a demand draft or money order to BLS International Services Canada Inc. covering all fees and return courier; no personal cheques.

Only the applicant, or a close family member with the applicant's authorization letter, can hand in the file; the missions authorise no agents.

Documents Checklist (Students, Workers, Permanent Residents)

The High Commission's checklist for a standard re-issue covers:

• The checklist and the printed online form
• Current Indian passport, original plus a copy
• Annexure E
• Proof of present address in Canada
• Proof of status in Canada (copy, original shown at the counter)
• Photographs and the fee
• Indian address proof (listed by BLS for the Toronto jurisdiction)

Status proof by category

• Students and workers: a copy of the study or work permit, which means a 10-year passport for adults and 5 years for minors.
• Permanent residents: a PR card copy plus the landing paper, mandatory per BLS in the Toronto jurisdiction; a CoPR showing the immigration category also works.
• Visitor status: a 2-year passport only.
• Expired permit or PR with an extension pending: the expired document plus the IRCC letter or email confirming the extension is in process. A payment slip alone is rejected in the Toronto jurisdiction, so we recommend the IRCC acknowledgement everywhere.

The name in the application has to match your Canadian permit or PR.

Address proofs and minors

BLS (Toronto jurisdiction) accepts a driving licence, government photo ID, tax statement, rental agreement, utility bills, a permit or SIN document showing the address, or a university letter for on-campus students. Prepaid phone bills and bank statements are not accepted.

The Indian address can belong to family or a known person who can vouch for you during police verification, so warn them a police check may follow.

For minors, both parents sign Annexure D; Canadian custody orders are not recognised, so without both parents' consent an Indian court order is needed. Minors aged 15 to 18 can take a 10-year passport at the adult fee, normal category only.

Fees in CAD and BLS Service Charges

Fees below apply from 1 July 2026, per the High Commission's CAD table, and already include ICWF, as CGI Vancouver confirms. Check the BLS page before paying.

Government passport fees, normal category

• Adult, 36 pages: CAD 176 (CAD 177.70 with the BLS fee)
• Adult, 60 pages: CAD 246 (CAD 247.70 with the BLS fee)
• Minor, 36 pages: CAD 128 (CAD 129.70 with the BLS fee)
• In lieu of a lost or damaged passport: CAD 349 for 36 pages, CAD 419 for 60 pages
• Minor, in lieu of a lost or damaged passport: CAD 301
• Emergency Certificate (CGI Vancouver): CAD 24

Tatkal and BLS charges

• Tatkal, adult 36 pages: CAD 349 plus CAD 1.70 at BLS (CAD 350.70)
• BLS service fee: CAD 1.70 per application
• Courier: CAD 40 within the province, CAD 60 outside it
• Form filling: CAD 5; four photos: CAD 9
• Premium Lounge: CAD 100, with no priority at the Consulate

The High Commission's table has a Tatkaal column, but only the Toronto jurisdiction and the Vancouver Consulate offer the service.

Processing Time and Tracking Your Application

BLS gives minimum times, counted from when the file reaches the mission; postal and courier time is extra. As of October 2026:

• Toronto and Ottawa jurisdictions, normal renewal: at least 8 weeks
• Toronto jurisdiction, Tatkal: 1 week
• Vancouver jurisdiction: at least 2–4 working weeks if CGI Vancouver issued your passport, at least 2 months if it came from India or another mission
• Postal applications: an extra 3–4 working days

Police verification in India is mandatory, per the High Commission's notice of 24 June 2020, and the passport is processed only after the report arrives; CGI Vancouver also ties timing to a clear report. Choose the police station that matches your Indian address.

Tracking

BLS tracks files on its website and helpline in five stages: accepted at the centre, sent to the mission, processing at the mission, received back, dispatched. The missions' Passport Seva tracker, which CGI Vancouver points to on its surrender page, is only a supplement.

According to applicant reports on Reddit in October 2026, a Toronto applicant saw that tracker switch to "application not found" while BLS still showed the file under process. No official explanation exists. Keep the BLS receipt, check both trackers, and email the mission only after the normal processing time has passed, as BLS asks.

Emergencies

In the Toronto jurisdiction, only death or critical illness of a parent, child or sibling counts as an emergency, and it speeds up only the BLS appointment. Travel plans and Canadian visa or permit filings do not qualify. You can renew up to a year before expiry, and the Consulate expects it at least 6 months ahead. We recommend not booking non-refundable travel until the new passport is in hand.

Lost, Damaged or Expired Passports and Tatkal

For a lost passport, the High Commission asks for Annexure F, a letter explaining the loss and the original long-form police report with the lost passport's number. A passport reported lost and later found should not be used.

For an expired passport, CGI Vancouver asks for a plain-paper self-declaration explaining the delay if it expired over a year before you apply, and a search letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada plus an affidavit after more than three years.

An Emergency Certificate is a one-way travel document to India, issued when an expired passport comes with no valid status in Canada, when a lost passport leaves someone without status who needs to return urgently, or on deportation.

Tatkal by jurisdiction

• Ottawa jurisdiction: no Tatkal service at the High Commission or its BLS centres.
• Toronto jurisdiction: only BLS Brampton, Toronto and Winnipeg accept Tatkal files, 36-page booklets only, at CAD 349 plus CAD 1.70.
• Vancouver jurisdiction: BLS centres offer neither Tatkal nor 60-page passports. Applicants email the consulate's passport section with scans of the passport's first and last pages, two Indian photo IDs, current status in Canada (PR, work permit, study permit or super visa only) and a written request.

Tatkal is not available for:

• Lost or damaged passports, even though fee tables show Tatkal rates for them
• Implied (maintained) or expired status in Canada, a common trap for students and workers awaiting IRCC extensions
• Changes in name, signature, appearance, sex, date or place of birth, or other personal particulars
• Short-validity passports, adopted applicants and minors of separated parents

According to applicant reports on Reddit in October 2026, a Calgary applicant with a normal file and a non-refundable trip 10 weeks out hoped to switch to Tatkal. No official guidance on converting exists.

After Canadian Citizenship - Surrender and OCI (Brief)

After Canadian citizenship you are no longer an Indian citizen; holding, renewing or travelling on the Indian passport is an offence under the Passports Act, 1967, and penalties cannot be waived. The surrender certificate costs CAD 59 plus CAD 1.70 at BLS (CAD 60.70) under the High Commission's July 2026 table, but CGI Vancouver lists CAD 116 for those who became foreign citizens on or after 1 June 2010. According to applicant reports on Reddit in September 2026, that gap left one applicant torn between CAD 60.70 and 117.70, so confirm with BLS before buying a money order.

The original last-held Indian passport is required. CGI Vancouver quotes 4–6 weeks, the BLS Toronto-jurisdiction page about 8 weeks minimum. An Indian visa can be filed alongside the surrender; OCI cannot, as the certificate comes first, and since 5 April 2026 OCI applications in Canada are taken only in person at BLS.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 1 July 2026: fees revised by Gazette notification GSR 516(E) of 25 June 2026. The abroad schedule is set in US dollars (125 for 36 pages, 175 for 60 pages, Tatkal 250 and 300); missions charge local-currency equivalents.
• Portal upgrade: BLS Canada warns that MEA's Passport Seva upgrade may slow processing and appointments during the transition. MEA said, as reported by The Tribune in November 2025, that GPSP V2.0 went live at Indian missions worldwide on 28 October 2025.
• 26 September 2026: the government passport portal was down, and BLS had to reschedule that day's appointments.
• 1 September 2025: only ICAO-compliant photos are accepted for passport applications.
• BLS Calgary and Edmonton/Sherwood Park have new addresses; check the BLS contact page before visiting.

FAQ

Can I renew my Indian passport in Canada on visitor status?

Yes, but the new passport is valid for 2 years only.

Can someone else submit my renewal at BLS?

Only a close family member with your authorization letter; agents are not permitted. Visarun can help check your documents beforehand and arrange visas for your next trip once the new passport is ready. Decisions stay with the missions, and timing cannot be guaranteed.

Will visas in my old passport stay valid?

Yes. The old passport is cancelled on renewal, but visas stamped in it remain valid until they expire.

My permit expired and I am on maintained status. Can I renew?

Yes, with the expired permit and the IRCC letter or email confirming the extension is in process, but Tatkal is not an option.

Does the Premium Lounge speed things up?

No. It costs CAD 100, and BLS states these files are processed normally, without priority at the Consulate.

How do I get a 60-page passport in the Vancouver jurisdiction?

Not through BLS centres there. BLS asks applicants to contact CGI Vancouver directly, and we recommend confirming the fee with the Consulate.

Can I fly to India on my Indian passport right after the citizenship oath?

No. A new citizen asked something similar on Reddit in October 2026. After citizenship you need an Indian visa, which can be filed together with the surrender application.

Do I pay ICWF on top of the passport fee?

No. The CAD fees already include ICWF; BLS adds its CAD 1.70 service fee plus any optional extras you choose.