Canadian Passport
To change your name and/or gender on a Canadian Passport, you need to apply for a new passport. Complete the Adult General Passport Application Form.
You can apply by mail, or in person at a Passport Canada office. You will need:
- the completed Adult General Passport Application Form.
- proof of Canadian Citizenship (e.g. Birth Certificate, Citizenship Card); and
- other documentation to support your identity (see link for accepted identification);
- any previously issued Canadian travel documents that are still valid (i.e. passport, certificate of identify, refugee travel document;
- two identical passport photos taken within the past 6 months, one of which is signed by a guarantor; and
- the required fees for either a 5-year or 10-year passport
If your proof of citizenship does not have your new legal name, you can submit your proof of citizenship in your previous name and a legal name change certificate.
If you are changing the gender marker on your Passport and your proof of birth or citizenship certificate does not reflect your gender identity, you may submit a Request – Sex or Gender Identifier form instead.
Passport Canada offers “M”, “F” and “X” gender markers. Please note that if your passport has been updated to reflect an “X” observation sticker and is valid for 6 months or longer, you must complete the Adult Simplified Renewal Passport Application instead.
We advise that if it is not possible to have an X, or to change a gender marker in the country you will be visiting or travelling through, it may not be safe to have documents that show an X.
Gender marker observation stickers used to be issued to indicate a changed gender- but now updated markers are printed directly into the passport. If your passport has a gender observation sticker that shows your gender correctly, you do not need to apply to change the marker- it is already correct in the system.
All the federal applications can be searched here.
Note on “X” gender markers:
Passport Canada has issued the following statement regarding X gender markers that clients should be aware of:
We can’t guarantee that other countries you visit or travel through will accept the sex or gender identifier on your passport or travel document. Check with our local Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate in the countries you plan to visit or travel through to make sure you understand their entry requirements.
You should also be aware that current systems used by some countries and travel companies may not recognize the X gender identifier and you may still be asked to provide your sex/gender information as either Male or Female when travelling.