ePassport Set To Replace Old Canadian Passports, Adds Digital Chip | HuffPost

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Canadian Passports Set To Go High Tech

Brian Vinh Tien Trinh— The Huffington Post Canada

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Get ready Canada, your passport is about go high tech.

The new passport, dubbed the ePassport by the Government of Canada, is set to make its debut in the spring of 2013. The latest version of the passport will feature a chip and enhanced security features designed to stop identity theft and make the document more tamper-proof, reports the Toronto Sun.

Earlier this week, the RCMP reported that the number of stolen legal documents, such as social insurance numbers and doctored birth certificates were on the rise, according to the Canadian Press.

In addition to the upgrade, the passport will come in two versions: one for adults, which needs to be renewed every 10 years, and another for children, set to last five years. Adults can expect to pay $135 for a 10-year ePassport. They can also opt for a five-year version for $95, while the children's passport is set at $57.

The current version of the passport costs approximately $87 for adults and $37 for children, but needs to be replaced six months prior to its expiry date.

The ePassport is said to store the same basic information, such as the holder's name, sex, photo, passport number, place and date of birth as well as the passport's expiry date within the chip, according to Contactless News.

But that's not all. As reported by the Montreal Gazette, the ePassport can also store additional information, such as past car rentals, hotel reservations or frequent flyer programs to which the user subscribes.

Canada will be joining some 95 countries around the world that issue ePassports. There are an estimated 400 million ePassports in circulation worldwide, according to the Government of Canada.

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Common Passport Problems

Name Change(01 of10)

If you've gotten married or changed your name for other reasons and it says so on other official documents, like driver's licenses, it's recommended to order a new passport in your new name -- otherwise you might encounter problems at the border. (credit:Shutterstock)

Spelling Mistake(02 of10)

If there's an error printed on your passport -- either due to your mistake or the government's -- don't just try to book tickets under your misspelled name. Get that mistake fixed, or it can come back to haunt you in a foreign country, far from any embassy, if they ask for further identification. (credit:Shutterstock)

Additional Pages(03 of10)

If you're a frequent traveller, you know the panic of running out of space in your passport because its expiration date -- but whatever you do, don't add in pages yourself, as they'll be seen as invalid. Passports with more pages can be ordered when you get your passport (for an additional cost). (credit:Shutterstock)

Scanned Copy(04 of10)

Although one news story earlier this one told of a man who used a scanned version of his passport on his iPad to enter the United States, that practice generally won't work at most borders. Always have the physical document with you. (credit:Shutterstock)

Covering The Passport(05 of10)

Putting anything on your passport as a covering material is not legal in most countries (note: the stickers depicted here are usually placed there by airline employees, and just fine). (credit:Shutterstock)

Stamps For Certain Countries(06 of10)

This one's a bit more detailed, but there's long been rumours about stamps from certain countries making it impossible to cross borders into other ones -- Israel is one country that often crops up in these discussions. A thread on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum discusses this in detail, but one option is asking Israel border guards - who are familiar with the issue -- not to stamp your passport in the first place. (credit:Shutterstock)

Expiry Dates(07 of10)

Most people know not to travel with an expired passport, but some countries are even stricter in their regulations, requiring that a passport be valid for up to six months once you're entered their territory. Be sure to check specifics for any location -- a good list of countries that enforce the rule is found here. (credit:Shutterstock)

Passport Photo(08 of10)

Even if some countries have different regulations about their passport pictures (for example, some nations still allow for smiles in the shots), it's a good idea to adhere to international regulations for photos. A full list of requirements for Canadian passport photos can be found here. (credit:Shutterstock)

Water Damage(09 of10)

Watch out for that pool! Water damage, even a small amount, can render a passport invalid, and because it's difficult to predict how stringent particular border guards will be, it's a good idea to replace it even if it's only a few drops. (credit:Shutterstock)

Ripped Pages(10 of10)

Pages that are ripped are considered to be damaged when it comes to passports. This is particular the case on the photo page, where airline staff might suspect falsified photos or details. (credit:Shutterstock)

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