Government of Canada services and information in London, United Kingdom

Refer to International adoption.

Surrogacy is legal in the United Kingdom.

Refer to Children born outside of Canada.

If your child is born outside of Canada, you do not need to register the birth in Canada.

Canadian birth certificates are available from the Vital Statistics authorities in the province or territory in which the event occurred.

The General Registrar Office provides birth, death and marriage certificates in England and Wales.

Refer to Child abduction and parenting or custody issues.

Reunite is the leading UK charity specialising in international parental child abduction. It provides advice, information and support to parents, family members and guardians, who have had a child abducted or who fear child abduction.

For information on legal advice refer to Legal matters.

Applying for a Canadian citizenship certificate from outside Canada and the United States

If you are required to submit a paper application, please mail it to the following address:

Mailing address:

High Commission of Canada
Attn: Consular - Citizenship Services
Canada House
Trafalgar Square
London, SW1Y 5BJ

If you prefer to drop-off your application in person, you are invited to leave your application in the Consular Services drop-box located inside the Pall Mall Street entrance of Canada House Monday to Friday from 8am - 4pm (except public holidays):

If you are currently living in the UK and require a criminal record check to cover time spent living in Canada:

Criminal record check with fingerprints

If you are asked for a criminal record check based on fingerprints, you must have your fingerprints taken in the UK. You will also need to hire a Canadian company to digitize and forward them to the RCMP on your behalf. Refer to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) instructions. No application form is available from the RCMP. The organization you use to digitize and forward your fingerprints to the RCMP will provide you with a form. See accredited fingerprint companies.

In London you can arrange to have your fingerprints taken at Scotland Yard. Appointments may be made through the Metropolitan Police website. Outside London, please contact the regional police headquarters for your area.

Criminal record check without fingerprints

If you are asked for a criminal record check that is only based on your name and date of birth, contact local police in the area where you last resided in Canada and follow their instructions.

An internet search will provide details of private companies in Canada which assist in obtaining police certificates based on your name and date of birth.

Note: The High Commission of Canada to the UK cannot authenticate or confirm the contents of criminal record checks, other than certificates issued by the RCMP and based on fingerprints.

Refer to Death abroad. Also refer to the UK’s Register the death.

See also UK What to do when someone dies: step by step.

Find information on obtaining a UK death certificate.

Canadian death certificates are available from the Vital Statistics authorities in the province or territory in which the event occurred.

See also Pensions and retirement.

Send the deceased’s Canadian passport to the Passport Section of the High Commission by email at London.consular@international.gc.ca. Indicate if you would like the passport cancelled and returned as a keepsake.

Find information on Canadian divorce and separation.

To get a divorce certificate, but you are unsure where your divorce was filed, consult Canadian Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings.

The High Commission of Canada cannot provide legal advice, however the following may be of assistance:

Law Society

• England and Wales
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland

Legal Aid

• England and Wales
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland

Citizens Advice Bureau

• England and Wales
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland

See Ask Travel under General Consular Services for a list of lawyers in the London area.

Refer to Marriage outside Canada.

Canadian marriage certificates are available from the Vital Statistics authorities in the province or territory in which the event occurred.

The Consular section of the High Commission of Canada in London provides certain notarial services by post or by appointment, to Canadian citizens and, in limited cases, to non-Canadian citizens if the documents are intended for use in Canada. Please note that the High Commission only provides notarial services if the service is not available through a local solicitor or notary public. Instructions below will provide information about the notarial services available. Please note: Some services are only available through the provincial vital statistics office in Canada or through the Authentication section of Global Affairs Canada.

Apostille

As of January 11, 2024, Canadian documents are authenticated with an apostille. The High Commission can authenticate certain documents issued by the Government of Canada or notarized in specific provinces and territories The following documents may be eligible for authentication:

1. Documents issued by the Government of Canada
2. Vital statistics documents issued by all provinces and territories
3. Certain documents issued or notarized in the following provinces and territories:
   • Manitoba
   • New Brunswick
   • Newfoundland and Labrador
   • the Northwest Territories
   • Nova Scotia
   • Nunavut
   • Prince Edward Island
   • Yukon

If your document was notarized in the provinces and territories listed above, the High Commission can also assist no matter where it was originally issued.

Competent authorities in the following provinces will be responsible for authenticating all other documents issued or notarized in their respective provinces. These documents must be submitted to the competent authorities and will not be authenticated at the High Commission.

• Alberta: Ministry of Justice of Alberta
• British Columbia: Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia
• Ontario: Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery of Ontario
• Quebec: Ministère de la Justice du Québec
• Saskatchewan: Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of Saskatchewan

Visit Changes to authentications services in Canada for more information on how authentication services changed after the Apostille Convention took effect in Canada on January 11, 2024.

If you have questions about these services, email london.consular@international.gc.ca.

Certified copies:

The Consular section of the High Commission of Canada in London can produce certified true copies of certain Canadian documents.

You can obtain this service by post or by appointment. In all cases, your application must include the followings:

• Original documents for which you need certified true copies
• A payment of 20$CAD per document. Complete and include the Credit Card Authorization form in your application.
• A short letter to explain your request and include instructions for the return of the document: provide the name and address of the person who will receive the documents in the UK.
• Please note: if you are requesting this service to complete your pension application in Canada, this service is offered free of charge. Please include a document to demonstrate that you are applying for certified true copies to complete your pension application in Canada.

Witness a signature, affidavit, sworn statement - by appointment only

• Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply).

If you have questions about notarial services, email london.consular@international.gc.ca.

Note: Please gather all the necessary documents and draft any affidavit or sworn statement before presenting yourself at your appointment, but the date and your signature must be completed in front of the officer. Note that if witnesses must sign your document, both you and the witnesses must be present at the High Commission on the day of your appointment. Witnesses must have their own original official and valid pieces of identification. It is your responsibility to ensure that your witnesses meet the eligibility criteria. Your presence is mandatory for this service; please make an appointment with us.

Wills, probate and estates

Records of wills and estates are a provincial / territorial responsibility in Canada. To access these records, contact the appropriate provincial or territorial authority.

Complete your passport application, add the required documents, pay your fee online and enclose a copy of the payment receipt. Note that we do not accept any kind of payment in person at the High Commission.

Send your application and online payment receipt by registered or traceable mail to:

High Commission of Canada
Attn: Consular - Passport Services
Canada House
Trafalgar Square
London, SW1Y 5BJ

You can enclose several applications in a single envelope. Your passport and original documents will be returned to you by registered mail. You do not have to provide an envelope or pay extra fees for this return mail service. Due to the high volume of applications, we will not answer enquiries on application status or receipt of documents. Track with the courier company of your choice the status of your shipment if needed. Incomplete applications will be rejected and sent back to the sender without being processed.

If you prefer to drop-off your application in person, you are invited to leave your application in the Consular Services drop-box located inside the Pall Mall Street entrance of Canada House Monday to Friday from 8am - 4pm (except public holidays):

The processing time for passports is 20 working days (around 4 weeks) from the date of receipt of a complete application, excluding holidays and excluding postal delivery time (may take 1-2 weeks). Please note that as passports are printed in Canada, it is not possible to expedite this processing time.

It is recommended that you do not finalize your travel plans until you receive your new passport.

Children and adults – First passport application

All first-time applicants for a Canadian passport must submit a proof of citizenship with the application.

If your child was born outside Canada, you can apply for his/her/their passport once they have received their Canadian citizenship certificate.

A passport application for a child under 2 years of age without proof of citizenship can be submitted if:

• A citizenship application has been submitted prior to or at the same time as the passport application.
• A proof of international travel (airline ticket or booking confirmation under the child’s name) or a statement detailing a residency requirement is available.

Lost, stolen or damaged passports

To replace a lost, stolen or damaged passport, you must complete a passport application along with the documents listed on the lost, stolen, inaccessible, damaged or found passports page and submit it to the High Commission as indicated above.

Emergency passport application

It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure their passports are valid for travel prior to making travel arrangements. If your passport has expired or does not have sufficient validity to accommodate your need to travel, we are unable to guarantee we can process your application prior to your departure date.

Although our offices offer travel document options for urgent cases, these are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Having a flight ticket does not guarantee that your case will be treated as urgent. Please email london.passport@international.gc.ca to give us details if you are in such a situation before submitting your application.

Questions

Email passport questions to London.passport@international.gc.ca only if an answer is not available on this website and cannot be found in the Passport Help Centre.

Passports - Frequently asked questions

• Do Canadians with dual citizenship need a Canadian passport to travel to Canada?
• Can I extend the validity of my passport?
• Who can act as a guarantor?
• I can’t find a guarantor, what can I do?
• Who can act as a reference?
• References are not required to reside in the United Kingdom or in Canada, nor are they required to be Canadian citizens.

• I have changed my surname. Can I obtain a new passport?
• What proof of Canadian citizenship is acceptable?
• What are the photo requirements?
• In the event of separation or divorce, who can apply for a passport on behalf of a child?

Refer to Benefits for Canadians living abroad.

Canadian residents in the UK will receive their Canada pension, Old Age Security and Québec pension in pounds sterling by direct deposit.

Information about veterans’ services is available from the Veterans Affairs Office of the Canadian High Commission in London by calling 020 7004 6075. Refer to Veterans Affairs Canada for additional information.

Refer to Cancel Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan benefits if someone has passed away.

Should you require assistance to cancel public pension benefits, please provide the requested information and a scanned copy of the death certificate to the Consular Section by email at London.consular@international.gc.ca.

The estate/relatives of the deceased may be entitled to benefits following the death.

Same sex marriages are legal. Refer to Marriages and civil partnerships in England and Wales.

Refer to Students and youth and EduCanada.

Studying in the UK

If you are a Canadian interested in higher education in the UK, consult:

• Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) – For information on undergraduate courses online application processes for full-time study.
• UK Postgraduate Application and Statistical Service (UKPASS) – For information on all UK postgraduate studies, and an online application service for some degree courses.

For general advice on fees and funding, immigration and visas:

• UK Council for International Student Affairs
• British High Commission in Ottawa
• Study UK
• UK Border Force - Student visas

Refer to Travel documents – Visas.

Advice on UK entry and visas is not available from the High Commission of Canada in London. For information see Visas and immigration at GOV.UK.

Canada

• Apply to travel, study, work or immigrate to Canada.
• Find a visa application centre (VAC) to book an appointment to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
• Submit an enquiry using the IRCC web form to contact a visa office.

Permanent residents of Canada: Find out how to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD).

Refer to Voting in an election while outside Canada.