30 March 26 
Cross-Border Canada just raised passport fees for the first time in 13 years — and if you’re an American living in Canada, you’re now paying for two passports in two countries. Here’s what changed, what it costs, and what dual citizens need to know.
On March 31, 2026, the Government of Canada increased passport and travel document fees for the first time since 2013. The increases were announced on March 3, 2026 by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The standard increases are modest — roughly 2% across the board. But the bigger story is what comes next: fees will now be adjusted annually under the Service Fees Act, pegged to the Consumer Price Index. The era of 13-year freezes is over.
The Service Fees Act requires federal fees to be periodically updated to reflect actual service costs. Passport fees were among the last major government fees that hadn’t been touched in over a decade. In that time, the cost of producing RFID-chipped biometric passports has risen substantially.
| Service | Old Fee | New Fee | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-year adult passport (16+) | $160.00 | $163.50 | +$3.50 (+2.2%) |
| 5-year adult passport (16+) | $120.00 | $122.50 | +$2.50 (+2.1%) |
| Child passport – 5-year (under 16) | $57.00 | $58.50 | +$1.50 (+2.6%) |
If you’re applying from outside Canada (through a consulate or embassy), fees are higher — and always have been:
| Service | Old Fee | New Fee | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-year adult passport (16+) | $260.00 | $266.25 | +$6.25 (+2.4%) |
| 5-year adult passport (16+) | $190.00 | $194.25 | +$4.25 (+2.2%) |
| Child passport – 5-year (under 16) | $100.00 | $102.50 | +$2.50 (+2.5%) |
The headline numbers are small, but if you need a passport in a hurry, the increases are much steeper — 11% to 14%:
| Service | Old Fee | New Fee | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urgent pickup | $110.00 | $125.75 | +$15.75 (+14.3%) |
| Weekend/holiday service | $335.00 | $383.50 | +$48.50 (+14.5%) |
| Temporary passport | $110.00 | $125.75 | +$15.75 (+14.3%) |
| Interim passport | $135.00 | $150.75 | +$15.75 (+11.7%) |
The premium for last-minute passport services just got significantly more expensive. A weekend rush passport now costs $383.50 — that’s nearly 2.5x the regular fee. Renew well before your passport expires.
Starting April 1, 2026, IRCC introduced a new service standard: complete passport applications will be processed within 30 business days. If they miss this target, your passport is free — with refunds issued automatically. No paperwork, no chasing anyone.
If you remember the post-COVID passport chaos of 2022 — months-long waits, lineups around the block at Service Canada offices — this is the government’s direct response. It’s a meaningful accountability measure.
If processing exceeds 30 business days, you don’t need to do anything — the refund is issued automatically. This is a significant new consumer protection for Canadian passport holders.
Here’s where it gets interesting for our cross-border community.
If you’re a Canadian-American dual citizen, you need to maintain both passports:
That means you’re paying two countries every 10 years:
| Passport | Cost | Equivalent (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian 10-year passport | $163.50 CAD | ~$118 USD |
| US 10-year passport (renewal) | $130 USD | ~$180 CAD |
| Combined total per person | ~$248 USD / ~$344 CAD every 10 years | |
For a married couple, that’s roughly $500 USD ($690 CAD) per decade just to keep your travel documents current. Not a fortune, but it’s one of those quiet costs of dual citizenship that adds up alongside your two tax returns, two sets of financial reporting, and two estate plans.
For all the talk of fee increases, Canadian passports remain significantly cheaper than American ones. A new US passport book costs $165 USD ($229 CAD) including the facility fee, compared to just $163.50 CAD for the Canadian equivalent. Even with annual increases going forward, Canada has a long way to go before reaching parity.
| Category | Canada (CAD) | USA (USD) | USA in CAD (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult 10-year (new applicant) | $163.50 | $165 | ~$229 |
| Adult 10-year (renewal) | $163.50 | $130 | ~$180 |
| Child 5-year | $58.50 | $135 | ~$187 |
The US now offers online passport renewal. If your passport is eligible, you can skip the in-person visit entirely. Canada’s online application system has also improved significantly since the post-COVID overhaul.
Under the Service Fees Act, passport fees will now be adjusted each year based on the Consumer Price Index. Current CPI is running 2-3% annually, so expect small annual bumps rather than the old pattern of nothing-for-a-decade-then-a-big-jump.
For planning purposes, this means the cost of maintaining dual passports will creep up predictably each year — another line item in the cost of cross-border life.
We see this more than you’d think: American expats who let their Canadian passport (or Canadian citizenship proof) lapse because they “never fly into Canada from outside North America.” Then they book a trip to Europe, and realize they need a valid Canadian passport for the return flight.
With fees now increasing annually, there’s a (very) small cost incentive to renew sooner rather than later. But more importantly, having a lapsed passport creates travel headaches that no amount of money can solve at the last minute — even with the new $383.50 weekend rush service.
For mailed applications, the fee is based on the date the application is received, not the date it is mailed. Applications received on or after May 1, 2026 with the old fee will be returned and must be resubmitted with the correct fee.
The Canadian passport fee increase itself is small — a few dollars more for standard passports. The real shift is the move to annual inflation-linked adjustments, which ends 13 years of frozen fees and sets a new normal.
For Americans living in Canada, it’s a reminder that dual citizenship comes with dual costs — passports, tax returns, financial reporting, estate planning. Each one is manageable on its own, but together they form a web of obligations that requires proper cross-border planning.
Book a free consultation with our cross-border team. We’ll review your situation and build a plan that covers the full picture — not just the passport line.
Book Your Free Consultation
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