About the Official Travel Section of the Passport Program at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Circular Note No. XDC-4884 of October 19, 2015

• This note must be read jointly with Circular Note XDC-5591 of March 21, 2016

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (Office of Protocol) presents its compliments to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and notified Chargés d’affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada and has the honour to provide information regarding the mandate and operations of the Official Travel Section of the Passport Program within Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), as well as its communication expectations.

The Department also has the honour to explain that, on July 2, 2013, responsibility for providing passport services to Canadians in accordance with the Canadian Passport Order was transferred from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship . Consequently, the Official Travel Section of the Passport Program is the authority responsible for issuing special passports and diplomatic passports to individuals who are representing the Government of Canada during official travel abroad or who are being posted abroad. IRCC’s Official Travel Section also provides visa services for these travellers.

It should also be noted that the Certificate of Identity Section of the Passport Program within IRCC is the authority responsible for issuing travel documents in Canada to individuals who have refugee status under the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, done at Geneva on July 28, 1951, protected person status, stateless person status, and permanent resident status who, for valid reasons, cannot obtain a national passport or travel document from any other source. Under the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, done at New York on January 31, 1967, when the Certificate of Identity Section issues a new travel document, it is required to return the former travel document to the country that issued it.

As of December 1, 2015, the Official Travel Section will use a letter with the letterhead of the Government of Canada when they communicate with foreign missions accredited to Canada for the purposes of visa issuance.

• IRCC's Official Travel letter, English template (42 KB)^{Footnote *}
• IRCC's Official Travel letter, French template (48 KB)^{Footnote *}

Also, as of August 26, 2015, the Certificate of Identity Section has begun using a letter with the letterhead of the Government of Canada when returning travel documents to foreign missions accredited to Canada.

• IRCC's Certificate of Identity letter, English template (39 KB)^{Footnote *}
• IRCC's Certificate of Identity letter, French template (42 KB)^{Footnote *}

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (Office of Protocol) avails itself of this opportunity to renew to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and notified Chargés d’affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada the assurances of its highest consideration.

OTTAWA, October 19, 2015