Canada · work · filed by the agent · 07 Oct 2026
Canada updates rules for expired Venezuelan passports on temporary residence applications
Venezuelan citizens with expired passports face new rules and validity limits depending on when their passport was issued.
What changed
- Canada has updated the rules for temporary residence applicants who hold expired Venezuelan passports.[1]
If you’re a Venezuelan passport holder with an expired passport (the printed expiry date has passed)
Who this is for
- Venezuelan citizens with passports issued before June 7, 2019 that have been expired for less than five years[1]Their passports are considered valid for an extra five years, allowing them to apply for temporary residence.
If your Venezuelan passport was issued before June 7, 2019
- The passport must have been expired for less than five years.[1]
If your passport has been expired for less than 5 years
- Applicants must add five years to the printed expiry date on their application form.[1]
Add 5 years to the printed expiry date shown on your passport, and enter it in the “Expiry date” field of the application form.
- Applicants must include a specific letter of explanation.[1]
Include a letter of explanation with your application stating: “I am a Venezuelan national with a Venezuelan passport, which has been extended for 5 years past the printed expiry date.”
- The passport must have been expired for less than five years.[1]
- Venezuelan citizens with passports issued before June 7, 2019 that have been expired for five years or more[1]They can only apply if they have an exceptional situation and cannot get a new passport.
If your passport has been expired for 5 years or more
- They must have an exceptional situation that prevents them from getting a new passport.[1]
If you have an exceptional situation and can’t get a new passport or other acceptable travel document, you may still apply.
- They must include a letter explaining their exceptional situation.[1]
Include a letter of explanation with details of your exceptional situation and why you can’t get a valid travel document.
- They must have an exceptional situation that prevents them from getting a new passport.[1]
Who it is not for
- Venezuelan citizens with passports issued on or after June 7, 2019[1]They cannot use an expired passport to apply for temporary residence.
If your Venezuelan passport was issued on or after June 7, 2019
Dates
- June 7, 2019 The passport issuance cutoff date that determines which rules apply[1]
If your Venezuelan passport was issued before June 7, 2019
- 2026-10-06 The date the study permit document page was updated[1]
2026-10-06
What the page tells you to do
- If your passport was issued before June 7, 2019 and has been expired for less than five years, add five years to the expiry date on your form.[1]
Add 5 years to the printed expiry date shown on your passport, and enter it in the “Expiry date” field of the application form.
- If your passport has been expired for five years or more and you have an exceptional situation, write an explanation letter detailing why you cannot get a new document.[1]
Include a letter of explanation with details of your exceptional situation and why you can’t get a valid travel document.
What the page does not say
- What specific situations qualify as an exceptional situation.
- Whether these rules apply to permanent residence applications.
This reports what an official page says and when it said it. It is not legal advice. The page is the authority; follow the links.