Canadian Passport: Rank 7th Worldwide

A recent study by Henley & Partners ranked the world’s passports based on how many countries their holders can visit without a visa. Canada’s passport came in seventh place this year, tying with Czechia, Hungary, and Malta. This means Canadians can travel to 187 countries visa-free and have good options for work and study in many of them.

Singapore topped the list with access to 195 countries, while France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain tied for second with entry to 192. The United States slipped to eighth place, allowing visa-free travel to 186 countries.

It’s worth noting that many Canadians hold passports from other countries, which can expand their travel options even further.

Canada's Powerful Passport

Canada has consistently held a strong position in global passport rankings. For nearly two decades, the Canadian passport has remained a top-tier travel document, reaching as high as second place in 2014. Today, it grants visa-free access to 187 countries.

How to Possess the Canadian Passport: Become a Canada citizen

For one to get a Canadian passport, then the one has to be a Canadian citizen. For those who were not born in Canada, this usually entails getting permanent resident status in the country and meeting the physical presence requirement of having spent an aggregate of approximately 1095 days over the last five years in Canada.

Note: You can also apply for Canadian citizenship by descent if you were born to a Canadian citizen at the time of your birth. The eligibility of these rights has, however, over time been extended to some children who are born in other countries but have at least one Canadian citizen parent.

In addition to meeting residency requirements, applicants must also fulfill the following criteria to apply for Canadian citizenship:

• Tax Filing: Declare and remit any sum to the internal revenues in the course of your residency period.
• Citizenship Test: Obtain a pass on a Canadian citizenship test.
• Language Proficiency: Produce evidence of language proficiency that is at least sufficient to meet at least CLB 4 for both English and French.

Naturalization is the process of attaining citizenship through residency, normally it takes three years of living in Canada.

Obtaining a Canadian Passport

If the person has undergone the citizenship process and has been issued with the citizenship certificate, then he or she is free to apply for a passport. Any person who is a Canadian citizen can apply, but some factors such as fraud, security, violation of human rights, or any form of criminal activity will disqualify one from the application.

To apply for a passport, you will need to provide:

• Proof of Canadian Citizenship: A citizenship certificate or a birth certificate that is Canadian.
• Valid Passport or Travel Document: Any current Canadian passport or travel document in your name and valid at the time of the application; operating account that you have fully controlled for at least 12 months.
• Reference: Two references for an application.
• Identity Confirmation: An ID that will prove your identity.
• Photographs: Two Identical photos taken passport-size.
• GuarantorWhile applying for the first time, special emphasis is placed on a guarantor, chosen by definite criteria.

It is possible to apply in person at a Service Canada center or through an online application, appointment, or drop-in.

Finally, Canada's passport remains one of the strongest on the international stage and thus will remain as part of the top 7 international passports by the year of 2024. While the ability to visit the number of countries without a visa equals 187, other privileges incumbent upon the members of the Canadian passport owners include the prospect of employment and education, as well as obtaining second citizenship. This constant high rating strengthens the commitment and portability of Canadian citizens and thus proves the timelessness of Canadian citizenship.

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