Parents who have joint custody of their children must both sign a passport application for a child of the marriage. Even if a parent has sole custody of their children if the non-custodial parent has specific access dates (for example every other weekend) then both parents’ signature must appear on the passport application. This can be difficult if the child’s parents are not on good terms.
A parent with sole custody where the other parent has no access or “reasonable access” can usually receive a passport for a child without the signature of the other parent.
Every passport application also requires to have attached a photo of the child and proof of Canadian Citizenship. Proof of Canadian citizenship can include a birth certificate or a certificate of Canadian citizenship.