Indian passport application in Canada — 2026 guide for NRIs

Indian citizens in Canada — whether renewing an expiring passport, replacing a damaged one, applying first-time as an adult, or registering a child born in Canada — apply through the BLS International India Passport Services network, which is the current authorised outsourcing partner. Applications still start on the passportindia.gov.in portal; BLS handles the Canada-side intake, biometrics, fee collection and dispatch. This page covers the 2026 workflow, jurisdictions, fees and documents.

Who should apply from Canada

Indian citizens resident or travelling in Canada — renewal, re-issue, first-time adult passport, damaged / lost replacement.
Minors (children of Indian citizens) born in Canada or brought to Canada — first passport or renewal.
Indian citizens seeking a name change after marriage, court order, or gazette publication.
Indian citizens needing a DOB / particulars correction — re-issue with change in particulars. See change DOB on Indian passport.

Who should not apply through this route:

Canadian citizens of Indian origin — file for OCI instead. See OCI card — complete guide.
Former Indian citizens who naturalised as Canadian citizens — automatic loss of Indian citizenship under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act. File for a Surrender Certificate first, then OCI. See surrendering an old Indian passport.

The Indian missions in Canada — which one has jurisdiction

The Indian missions and their provincial jurisdictions:

High Commission of India, Ottawa — Ontario (parts), Quebec, the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador), and the territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut).
Consulate General of India, Toronto — Ontario (Greater Toronto and Southern Ontario cluster).
Consulate General of India, Vancouver — British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba.

The specific postal-code / city-to-mission mapping is published on the Indian mission websites and on the BLS International India Passport Services page — confirm your jurisdiction before booking.

Where — the BLS International network

BLS International operates Indian Passport and Consular Application Centres across Canada:

Toronto — Greater Toronto Area.
Ottawa.
Montreal.
Vancouver.
Calgary.
Edmonton.
Winnipeg.
Halifax.
Mississauga, Brampton, Surrey and several other satellite / community-serving locations reflecting Canada's Indian-diaspora geography.
Mail-in applications accepted for most renewal services.

Each centre handles biometrics (where required), document intake, fee collection, and dispatch via Canada Post or courier.

The services offered

Fresh passport (first-time adult or re-entry after surrender).
Re-issue — renewal, change in particulars (name, DOB, address, appearance).
Duplicate passport for lost or damaged (with police report, affidavit, penalty).
Child's first passport (born in Canada or brought to Canada).
Police Clearance Certificate.

The process — step by step

Step 1 — Apply online at passportindia.gov.in

Go to passportindia.gov.in.
Register / log in under the "Passport Seva Online Portal" for citizens abroad.
Select country Canada and the mission with jurisdiction.
Fill the application form online.
On submission the portal routes to the BLS India Canada Passport Services site for logistics.

Step 2 — Book BLS appointment / mail-in

Choose walk-in at a BLS centre or mail-in.
Walk-in is the default for first-time adult and for cases that need biometrics.
Mail-in is commonly used for straightforward renewals — BLS publishes the mailing instructions and return-envelope requirements.

Step 3 — Gather documents

Core documents for a renewal:

Current Indian passport — original + copies of every page with any endorsement / visa / stamp.
Proof of legal status in Canada — PR card (both sides), Canadian study permit, work permit, visitor record, or similar. Status proof is mandatory; expired status leads to refusal.
Canadian address proof — provincial driving licence, utility bill, bank statement, lease / mortgage document, CRA notice of assessment.
Photograph — 2" × 2" (51 × 51 mm), white background, Indian-passport specification (different from Canadian passport photo specs).
Self-attested photocopies of all documents.

Additional for specific categories:

First-time adult passport — school leaving / birth certificate, additional ID.
Lost / damaged — Canadian local police report, affidavit of loss, copy of lost passport if available.
Name change — Canadian marriage certificate, provincial legal name change document, or Indian gazette notification where applicable.
Children's passport — see below.
Address update — new Canadian address proof.

Step 4 — Attend the appointment or mail the package

Walk-in — biometrics captured on-site, documents scanned, fee collected (card / certified cheque / money order).
Mail-in — complete package sent to the designated BLS address with tracked return envelope.

Step 5 — Processing

BLS forwards the application to the jurisdictional Indian mission.
Mission issues the new passport; BLS dispatches to the applicant by tracked mail.
Old passport is cancelled with a "cancelled" stamp and returned with the new one — retain as a permanent reference.

Step 6 — Timelines (2026 typical)

Normal re-issue — 4 to 6 weeks.
First-time adult passport — 6 to 10 weeks; may require police verification in India.
Lost / damaged replacement — 6 to 10 weeks.
Child's passport (born in Canada) — 5 to 8 weeks once birth registration is complete.
Tatkaal (expedited) — 3 to 7 working days on premium fee, for genuine emergencies.

Current fees (2026 indicative)

Fees are set by the Indian mission in Canadian Dollars and revised periodically. 2026 typical ranges:

36-page adult passport (re-issue / fresh) — approximately CAD 220–240.
60-page adult passport — approximately CAD 290–310.
36-page child passport (under 18) — approximately CAD 140–160.
Tatkaal premium — an additional ~CAD 200 over the normal fee.
Lost / damaged passport penalty — CAD 130+ on top of the standard fee.
BLS service charge — ~CAD 20–30 per application.
Return postage — Canada Post / courier charged separately.

Confirm exact fees on the BLS India Canada Passport Services page at the time of application.

Children born in Canada

The common family scenario — Indian-citizen parents in Canada; baby born in Canada.

The citizenship question

A baby born in Canada is automatically a Canadian citizen by birthright (jus soli) under the Citizenship Act (Canada). If the baby's parents are both Indian citizens, the baby is also eligible for Indian citizenship by descent under Section 4 of the Indian Citizenship Act, provided the parents register the birth with the Indian mission within one year.

So in almost all cases the baby is dual Canadian- Indian at birth in law — but India does not recognise dual citizenship. The parents typically choose one of two paths:

Obtain a Canadian passport for the child (for ease of Canadian-side use and international travel) plus an OCI card once the family is clear that the child's long-term nationality will be Canadian; or
Register the baby as an Indian citizen by descent (Section 4) within the first year and obtain an Indian passport for the child.

Section 4 — registration within one year

File Application for Registration of Birth at the mission within one year of birth.
Submit the Canadian provincial birth certificate (long form), both parents' Indian passports, parents' marriage certificate, parents' Canadian immigration status, and declarations.
On registration, the mission issues a certificate and the child is recognised as Indian citizen by descent.
The child's Indian passport application follows on this registration.

See register birth at consulate.

Late registration (beyond one year)

Additional affidavit explaining the delay.
Late-registration penalty on top of the registration fee.
Longer processing time.

Child's passport application

Same Passport Seva + BLS workflow.
Both parents must be present at the biometrics appointment, or sign a notarised consent where one parent cannot attend.
Single-parent filings with sole custody need a court order.

Surrender Certificate — for Canadian naturalisations

Canadian naturalisation ends Indian citizenship automatically under Section 9. The passport procedure is different:

Do not apply for an Indian passport renewal. You are no longer Indian.
Apply for a Surrender Certificate — the Indian passport is cancelled; the certificate is required for OCI.
Post-1 June 2010 Canadian naturalisations attract a graduated penalty based on delay.

See surrendering an old Indian passport.

Common pitfalls

Photograph non-compliance. Indian-passport photo is 2" × 2" (51 × 51 mm) with specific face positioning — different from Canadian passport spec. Use a studio experienced with Indian consular photos.
Missing Canadian legal-status proof. PR card, work / study permit, or equivalent must be current. Expired status leads to refusal.
Applying for passport renewal when you are now a Canadian citizen. Surrender Certificate, not renewal, is the path.
Minor's application with one parent's documents only. Both parents' consent required, either in-person or notarised.
Late Canadian birth registration beyond one year without the explanatory paperwork.
Not submitting the old (cancelled) passport after the new one is issued — it is part of the audit trail for future OCI and visa history.
Trying to apply at the consulate directly. BLS is the intake channel; walk-in at the mission is generally not accepted.
Forgetting to update OCI / PAN / Indian bank / Aadhaar (if held) after renewal.
Using USPS / FedEx to BLS Canada address. Follow BLS Canada's specific courier instructions; wrong carrier delivery can lose the package.

Checklist — Indian passport in Canada

Confirm you are still an Indian citizen — if you have naturalised as Canadian, Surrender Certificate + OCI is the path.
Register on passportindia.gov.in and fill the application.
Book BLS appointment or select mail-in at the centre with jurisdiction.
Gather documents — current passport, Canadian legal-status proof, Canadian address proof, 2" × 2" photograph, service- specific additions.
Attend appointment or mail the package.
Pay the fee (card / certified cheque / money order).
Track the application on the BLS portal.
Receive new passport by tracked mail; retain cancelled old passport.
Update OCI (if held) / PAN / Indian bank / demat / Aadhaar with new passport number.
For a Canada-born baby, register birth at the mission within one year; then apply for the child's Indian passport.

Summary

Indian passport services in Canada run through BLS International, linked from passportindia.gov.in.
Three Indian missions in Canada — High Commission in Ottawa, Consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver.
BLS centres across Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Halifax, satellite offices) plus mail-in.
Fees (2026 indicative) — CAD 220–240 (36-page adult), CAD 290–310 (60-page), CAD 140–160 (child), Tatkaal +CAD 200.
Processing — 4–10 weeks normal, 3–7 working days Tatkaal.
Babies born in Canada — dual Canadian- Indian at birth in law; register with the mission within one year to preserve Indian citizenship.
Canadian naturalisation ends Indian citizenship automatically — apply for Surrender Certificate, then OCI.

For the US parallel, see Indian passport in the USA. For the UK workflow, see Indian passport in the UK. For the Australia workflow, see Indian passport in Australia. For the Surrender Certificate, see surrendering an old Indian passport. For the Canadian immigration framework that underpins the long-term Indian-citizen-in-Canada position, see immigrating to Canada. For the OCI framework, see OCI card — complete guide.