+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445
YES you can, even work permit holders or students doesn;t matter as long as they know you for 2 years and they are residing in Canada. if they fit the 2 clauses below you are good to go, not every application they call and check for the references but yes for safe side notify your reference people aware that they may get a call from Passport Canada.

Your references must

  • be 18 years of age or older
  • have known you for at least
    • 2 years for passport applications
Can my relatives be references
 
Can my relatives be references

NO (in My Opinion, why to take chances at the end of the entire struggle you made??),i could be wrong. Let's see if anyone has a psotive experience. See the Guideline below. If required you call call the help line.


People who can’t be a reference for you
Your reference cannot be

  • your guarantor
  • a family member, such as a
    • spouse or common-law partner
      • Whether you’re the opposite or same sex, you’re considered common-law partners if you’ve lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least 1 year, but you aren’tlegally married.
        • A boyfriend or girlfriend can be a reference if you’re not in a common-law relationship.
        • If your marriage or common-law relationship has ended, your former spouse or partner can serve as a reference.
    • parent, step-parent, foster parent, or a parent’s spouse or common-law partner
    • mother-in-law or father-in-law
    • child (biological, adopted, foster, or stepchild), or your child’s spouse or common-law partner
    • son-in-law or daughter-in-law
    • sibling (brother, half-brother or stepbrother, or sister, half-sister or stepsister), or your sibling’s spouse or common-law partner
    • brother-in-law or sister-in-law
    • grandparent (biological, adopted, step or foster grandparent), or your grandparent’s spouse or common-law partner
    • grandmother-in-law or grandfather-in-law
    • grandchild (biological, adopted, step or foster grandchild), or your grandchild’s spouse or common-law partner
    • grandson-in-law or granddaughter-in-law
    • anyone else who’s related to you or your spouse or common-law partner by blood, marriage, common-law partnership, adoption or guardianship andlives at the same address as you
      • For example, if your aunt, uncle or cousin lives with you, they cannot be a reference.
 
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a big NO


People who can’t be a reference for you
Your reference cannot be

  • your guarantor
  • a family member, such as a
    • spouse or common-law partner
      • Whether you’re the opposite or same sex, you’re considered common-law partners if you’ve lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least 1 year, but you aren’tlegally married.
        • A boyfriend or girlfriend can be a reference if you’re not in a common-law relationship.
        • If your marriage or common-law relationship has ended, your former spouse or partner can serve as a reference.
    • parent, step-parent, foster parent, or a parent’s spouse or common-law partner
    • mother-in-law or father-in-law
    • child (biological, adopted, foster, or stepchild), or your child’s spouse or common-law partner
    • son-in-law or daughter-in-law
    • sibling (brother, half-brother or stepbrother, or sister, half-sister or stepsister), or your sibling’s spouse or common-law partner
    • brother-in-law or sister-in-law
    • grandparent (biological, adopted, step or foster grandparent), or your grandparent’s spouse or common-law partner
    • grandmother-in-law or grandfather-in-law
    • grandchild (biological, adopted, step or foster grandchild), or your grandchild’s spouse or common-law partner
    • grandson-in-law or granddaughter-in-law
    • anyone else who’s related to you or your spouse or common-law partner by blood, marriage, common-law partnership, adoption or guardianship andlives at the same address as you
      • For example, if your aunt, uncle or cousin lives with you, they cannot be a reference.

My interpretation is that as long as the relatives do not live at the same address as the applicant, they can be a reference.

  • For example, if your aunt, uncle or cousin lives with you, they cannot be a reference.
 
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My interpretation is that as long as the relatives do not live at the same address as the applicant, they can be a reference.

  • For example, if your aunt, uncle or cousin lives with you, they cannot be a reference.

Not sure, I will pass this to someone who have a positive experience lately. my personal opinion, why to risk now?

I check the webiste and Twitter tweets, everything redirects to the same page, so it depends on how you interprete. Good to knowyour point of view.

Passport Canada

@PassportCan


#PassportTip – Your aunt, uncle or cousin may be a reference for your passport application as long as they meet the requirements. http://ow.ly/9pVb30jIu3c
 
Need some advice please.
My wife applied for her passport after aje did the oath in March 2022. We went to a Service Canada office to submit the application on March 29 2022. On the receipt, it says that the passport was expected to be mailed on April 28 2022. Today, we called after waiting 2 hours and the agent said that they haven't even started processing. We are due to travel on June 7th. What are our options now? Please help. The agent said to call next friday to request transfer the file to a local office? Should we just try and go to a specialized office to submit a new application?
 
Is there anyone here that has requested passport file transfer to the PO in North York? Wanted to know when they called you to fax in the proof of travel documents.
 
I was wondering what to expect after requesting your file to be transferred to North York PO. Backstory- I applied for my sons passport on April 7 at service Canada Richmond hill with an expected mail out date of May 9th (as per their receipt). Fast word to May 9 and I call the Passport helpline and they say they haven’t even touched my file yet… I need to travel May 27th and when I told the agent that, he told me to call 10 business days before my trip to request the transfer. So I called and made the request May 12. That agent said , the North york office will call me to fax proof of travel and pay transfer fees. So I wanted to know when you received that call after requesting the transfer. I read on another thread that they still do paper transfers.. so that’s going to take a while I assume, so just wondering how long I have to wait to get that call? Any insight would be appreciated :)
 
I was wondering what to expect after requesting your file to be transferred to North York PO. Backstory- I applied for my sons passport on April 7 at service Canada Richmond hill with an expected mail out date of May 9th (as per their receipt). Fast word to May 9 and I call the Passport helpline and they say they haven’t even touched my file yet… I need to travel May 27th and when I told the agent that, he told me to call 10 business days before my trip to request the transfer. So I called and made the request May 12. That agent said , the North york office will call me to fax proof of travel and pay transfer fees. So I wanted to know when you received that call after requesting the transfer. I read on another thread that they still do paper transfers.. so that’s going to take a while I assume, so just wondering how long I have to wait to get that call? Any insight would be appreciated :)

Below is my timeline

request to transfer to the call center - day 0
call from local office confirming travel and requesting proof of travel - day 1
file arrived in local office and they called back confirming appointment to pickup (credit card charged same day)- day 5
pick up of passport - day 6
day of planned travel - day 9

when they called on day 1 (as per above timeline) they asked my email, sent me a test email. was asked to reply to that email with travel proof. no fax was involved.
 
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Below is my timeline

request to transfer to the call center - day 0
call from local office confirming travel and requesting proof of travel - day 1
file arrived in local office and they called back confirming appointment to pickup (credit card charged same day)- day 5
pick up of passport - day 6
day of planned travel - day 9

when they called on day 1 (as per above timeline) they asked my email, sent me a test email. was asked to reply to that email with travel proof. no fax was involved.
Thank you very much.. this is very helpful.. tomorrow will be my day 2 after transfer. I hope I get the call soon. I am walking around with my phone glued to me so that I don’t miss the call!
 
Thank you very much.. this is very helpful.. tomorrow will be my day 2 after transfer. I hope I get the call soon. I am walking around with my phone glued to me so that I don’t miss the call!
North York is quite busy office but i think you will get the call soon :)
 
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North York is quite busy office but i think you will get the call soon :)
I called today as well to see if there is any movement on the file, and the agent said not to expect a call before the 24th of May! So I asked how it is feasible if they are still doing paper transfers and she replied that everything is done electronically and not to worry. I find it hard not to worry when every agent you talk to gives contradictory information :(
 
I called today as well to see if there is any movement on the file, and the agent said not to expect a call before the 24th of May! So I asked how it is feasible if they are still doing paper transfers and she replied that everything is done electronically and not to worry. I find it hard not to worry when every agent you talk to gives contradictory information :(
did you ask them if the transfer got accepted?
my experience was from middle of april this year in case if it matters. i saw my paper application with the agent when i went to pickup the passport
 
did you ask them if the transfer got accepted?
my experience was from middle of april this year in case if it matters. i saw my paper application with the agent when i went to pickup the passport
The agent said that she has no further information on the file other than that the request was put in last week on the 12 of May. She kept telling me to wait for the office to call and I said I am but it is deeply frustrating to be left in limbo till a day before my trip! Honestly, Who knows what happens at these offices?! And they keep changing policies as well too.. but I highly doubt they switched everything to electronic in a matter of a month!