The relaxed security led to numerous cases of misuse of the passport, which made the need to tighten the application requirements evident.

This changed in the early 1980s in the lead up to the introduction of Machine-Readable Passports (MRP) when the smaller sized booklet was first introduced.

[21] In 2002, Passport Canada began to issue an updated version within Canada, which includes the digitally printed photo of the bearer embedded into the identification page of the booklet, holographic images, bar-coded serial number, and a second hidden photo of the bearer that could only be viewed under ultraviolet light.

[4] In March 2010, the passport was upgraded to include a new design of the identification page and more anti-counterfeit elements, such as the new colours of Optically Variable Ink and addition of laser perforated number.

[21] In the 2008 federal budget, Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, announced that biometric passports (or "e-passports") would be introduced by 2011.

[7] This Order in Council specifies grounds for which Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can issue or renew a passport.

Since 10 November 2016, under the new visa regulations all visa-free passport holders (except for U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and U.S. permanent residents) are required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before boarding a flight to Canada.

The use of a guarantor is to serve "as a security measure in the entitlement process and as a point of departure for the future investigation of statements made on the application form".

For Canadian citizens living abroad who do not have a Canadian guarantor, a non-Canadian guarantor who works in a licensed profession may be used for application, such as a dentist, medical doctor, judge, lawyer, notary public, pharmacist, police officer, veterinarian, or sitting officer for a financial institution.

[31] Per the Diplomatic and Special Passports Order, only the Governor General and Prime Minister and their immediate family members may use their diplomatic passports for all types of travel (i.e. official or personal) Special passport (green cover): These are issued pursuant to the Diplomatic and Special Passports Order[29] to people representing the Canadian government on official business, including Privy Councillors, Members of Parliament, provincial cabinet members, public servants, citizens nominated as official non-diplomatic delegates[32] and Canadian Forces members who are posted abroad.

Regular passports are deep navy blue in colour, with the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada and a Canadian maple leaf emblazoned on the bottom left.

The bilingual cover is indicative of the textual portions of Canadian passports being printed in both English and French, Canada's two official languages.

The textual portions of Canadian passports are printed in English and French, the official languages of Canada.

The applicant must indicate his or her awareness that omitting this information could cause difficulties at international entry points or when applying for visas.

Chinese visas will no longer be issued to Canadian passport holders whose place of birth is inscribed as Hong Kong HKG, Macau MAC, or TWN.

The e-passport will have an electronic chip encoded with the bearer's name, gender, and date and place of birth and a digital portrait of their face.

[51] The new process was expected to be available in November 2015, however the plan was cancelled in October when the use of GCMS for passport applications was temporarily suspended due to numerous security glitches in the system.

[52] IRCC permanently suspended the use of GCMS for passport applications in February 2016 following an internal audit.

[55] Historically, the Canadian passport has been a target of counterfeiters, criminals, fugitives, and agents of foreign governments.

The reasons for such high number of misuses include the relative lax issuance process, the lack of anti-counterfeit security features in early non-MRP versions, the Canadian passport's high number of visa-free countries, and the general unassuming nature of the country and its citizens.

In July 2004, Abdurahman Khadr was denied a Canadian passport by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson on the explicit advice of her Foreign Affairs Minister, Bill Graham, who stated the decision was "in the interest of the national security of Canada and the protection of Canadian troops in Afghanistan".

Shortly thereafter, on 22 September 2004, section 10.1 was added to the order, which allowed the minister to revoke or refuse a passport due to national security concerns.

[65] In 2006, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, then Peter MacKay, again denied Khadr's application, this time invoking section 10.1 of the amended Canadian Passport Order.

[66] Section 10.1 was later challenged in Federal Court by Fateh Kamel, whose passport had also been refused for national security reasons.

The court unanimously agreed the denial of passport service on national security grounds is in compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, citing the limitation clause (Section 1) as its main decision point.

[71] In 2010, Kamel attempted to re-apply for a Canadian passport but was once again refused by the minister on grounds of national security.

Such persons may be issued Canadian passports, as their provincial or territorial birth certificate are considered as proof of citizenship.

[77] In most circumstances, Canadian citizens do not require visitor, business, transit or other visas to enter the United States, either from Canada or from other countries.

[82] Under the Jay Treaty signed by the U.S. and Great Britain in 1794, all First Nations born in Canada are entitled to freely enter the U.S. for employment, education, retirement, investing, or immigration.

In order to qualify, all eligible persons must provide documentation of their First Nations background at the port of entry.