Canadian Passport Order

* * Administrative version * *

1Disclaimer: These documents are not the official versions.

Order Respecting the Issuance of Diplomatic and Special Passports

Short Title

  1. This Order may be cited as the Diplomatic and Special Passports Order. P.C. 2005-2216
  2. The Minister of Foreign Affairs may, in his or her discretion, authorize the issuance of a diplomatic passport to the following persons or to a person holding one of the following offices, as the case may be:
    1. the Governor General;
    2. the Prime Minister;
    3. the Chief Justice of Canada and the other Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada; P.C. 2006-1566
    4. members of the Cabinet;
    5. Lieutenant Governors;
    6. the Speakers of the Senate and the Speakers of the House of Commons; P.C. 2005-2216
    7. the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons;
    8. Deputy Ministers of Departments of the Government of Canada;
    9. Ambassadors, Ministers, High Commissioners, and officers of diplomatic rank, Attachés, Trade Commissioners and Consular Officers serving the Government of Canada abroad;
    10. representatives and delegates of the Government of Canada to international governmental organizations and international conferences, of a diplomatic character;
    11. officers of the Government of Canada, not otherwise provided for in this section, proceedings abroad on a mission of a diplomatic character;
    12. private citizens duly nominated as official delegates of the Government of Canada to international conferences of a diplomatic character;
    13. members of the immediate family of a person to whom a passport has been issued under any of paragraphs (a) to (l) whose normal place of residence is with that person and who are travelling with that person or proceeding to join that person abroad; and
    14. diplomatic couriers.
  3. The Minister of Foreign Affairs may, in his or her discretion, authorize the issuance of a special passport to the following persons or to a person holding one of the following offices, as the case may be:
    1. members of the Privy Council, not being members of the Cabinet;
    2. Premiers of the Provinces;
    3. repealed. P.C. 2006-1566
    4. the Chief Justices of the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal and the other Judges of the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal; P.C. 2006-1566
    5. members of the Senate and members of the House of Commons;
    6. speakers of the legislative assemblies of the Provinces;
    7. members of Provincial Cabinets;
    8. persons employed by the Government of Canada in a non-diplomatic capacity proceeding on an official mission or to a post abroad;
    9. private citizens employed in senior positions by international governmental organizations of which Canada is a member;
    10. private citizens duly nominated as official delegates to international conferences of a non-diplomatic character;
    11. private citizens, duly nominated as official advisers or experts, forming part of delegations of the Government of Canada to international conferences of either a diplomatic or non-diplomatic character; and
    12. members of the immediate family of a person to whom a passport has been issued under any of paragraphs (a) to (k) whose normal place of residence is with that person and who are travelling with that person or proceeding to join that person abroad.
    1. Notwithstanding the expiry date of a passport issued to a person under section 2 or 3, the passport ceases automatically to be a valid on the date of the termination of the duty for which the passport was issued to that person, as the case may be.
    2. A person to whom a passport was issued under section 2 or 3 shall, upon the expiration of the passport as provided in subsection (1), surrender it to Passport Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, or to an office of the Government of Canada issuing passports abroad.
  5. The Minister of Foreign Affairs may, from time to time, issue instructions, not inconsistent with this Order, regarding the issuance and control of passports issued under section 2 or 3.
  6. The Minister of Foreign Affairs shall decide whether or not an individual or mission has diplomatic or official status or is of a diplomatic or official character and whether or not individuals may be considered as members of the immediate family of persons to whom diplomatic or special passports have been issued.

1. Note from Passport Canada

Passport Canada assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of any reproduction derived from the legislative material on this site.

The legislative material on this site has been prepared for convenience of reference only and does not yet have official sanction.

For all purposes of interpreting and applying the law, users should consult:

  • the Acts as passed by Parliament, which are published in the "Assented to" Acts service, Part III of the Canada Gazette and the annual Statutes of Canada, and
  • the regulations, as registered by the Clerk of the Privy Council and published in Part II of the Canada Gazette.

The above mentioned publications are available in most public libraries or on this site:

*** Administrative Version of the Diplomatic and Special Passports Order - December 14, 2006 ***