Passports and Service Canada in Fredericton

Where to go in Fredericton

Fredericton does not have a standalone passport office the way Toronto or Halifax do. Everything federal runs through one building: the Service Canada Centre and Passport Services. It is a full-service centre, which matters, because full-service centres can process a passport application on the spot rather than just forwarding it to Gatineau on your behalf. That is the difference between a roughly 10-business-day turnaround and a longer one.

The address is 1133 Regent Street, Suite 200, postal code E3B 3Z2. That is what the federal office finder, the mapping data, and the current business listings all show for the combined Service Canada and Passport Services office. You may still stumble on older directory entries pointing to 633 Queen Street downtown, which was a long-time home of Service Canada here before offices were consolidated. If a search result sends you to Queen Street, treat it as out of date, but it never hurts to double-check the current location: search "Find a Service Canada office" on Canada.ca, type in Fredericton, and go with whatever it shows you that day.

Hours are Monday to Friday, roughly 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with no weekend service for routine work. The office closes on federal statutory holidays, which are not always the same days New Brunswick observes, so a day that feels like a normal workday to your employer can still find the doors locked. The national Service Canada line is 1-800-622-6232 (TTY 1-800-926-9105) if you want to check hours or ask a question before making the trip.

If you are new to the city and still learning where the government counters are, our Service New Brunswick and government services guide maps out who does what: Service New Brunswick handles provincial things like health cards and licence plates, while Service Canada handles the federal side. Newcomers should also read the newcomer and immigrant guide, which covers the order you generally want to tackle these tasks in.

What to bring: renewal versus a new passport

The single biggest time-saver is knowing which stream you are in, because a renewal and a first-time (or expired-too-long) application are genuinely different animals.

You can usually renew if your most recent adult passport is a 5- or 10-year book that is still valid or expired within the eligibility window, was issued when you were 16 or older, is undamaged and not reported lost or stolen, and was issued in your current name (or you can document the name change). A renewal is the easy path: no guarantor and no references required, and you submit your old passport with the form.

What to have in hand for a renewal:

• The renewal form (PPTC 054), filled out but not signed until an official tells you to.
• Your current or most recent passport.
• Two identical printed photos that meet the specifications (more on those below).
• Payment for the fee.

That is it for most people.

A first-time application, or one where you cannot renew (passport too old, damaged, lost, stolen, or a child's), uses the general adult form (PPTC 153) and asks for more:

• Proof of Canadian citizenship, such as a birth certificate issued in Canada or a citizenship certificate. Bring the original; a photocopy will not do, and the original is returned to you.
• One piece of supporting government-issued ID (a New Brunswick driver's licence works well; see our NB driver's licence guide if you still need one).
• Two photos.
• A guarantor and two references.
• Payment.

If your name has changed through marriage, divorce, or any legal process, bring the document that proves it (a marriage certificate or a legal change-of-name certificate). Photocopies of citizenship or ID are not accepted in place of originals. When in doubt, bring more than you think you need; a wasted trip across town costs you more than a slightly fatter folder.

Photos and the guarantor rules

Passport photos are where perfectly organized people come undone, because the rules are fussy and non-negotiable. Do not take them yourself. Go to a place that does passport photos routinely: most Fredericton pharmacies (Shoppers Drug Mart, Jean Coutu, several Lawtons and independents) and photo counters know the current specifications cold and will reprint for free if a shot gets rejected. Our pharmacies guide lists locations around town.

The core photo requirements: two identical prints, 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, taken within the last six months, against a plain white or light background, with a neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible, and no glasses. The photographer records their name, address, and the date on the back. Get these done before you go, not after, because the office does not shoot photos for you.

The guarantor only applies to first-time and non-renewal applications, which trips people up because the rules were simplified a few years back. If you are renewing, skip this entirely. If you are not renewing, your guarantor must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older who has known you for at least two years, holds a valid or recently expired (within one year) Canadian passport, and was at least 16 when they got that passport. The old requirement that your guarantor belong to a specific profession is gone, so an ordinary neighbour or coworker who fits the criteria works. Your guarantor signs the form and writes the required certification on the back of one photo.

You also list two references (for non-renewals): people 18 or older who have known you at least two years, are not family, and are not your guarantor. They just need to be reachable by phone if the passport office calls to verify. Pick people who actually answer their phone.

What it costs in 2026

Passport fees went up on March 31, 2026, the first increase in over a decade, and they are now indexed to adjust over time. The amounts below reflect that change for applications made inside Canada. Because these are set nationally and can shift, treat them as current as of writing and confirm the exact figure when you pay, because the government charges the fee in effect on the date it receives your application.

A few things worth understanding. The 10-year book is the better value per year if you travel regularly and your face is not going to change dramatically over the decade. The urgent and express fees are add-ons, charged on top of the base passport fee, not instead of it. A replacement for a lost or stolen passport carries extra paperwork and its own considerations, so guard the one you have.

Payment methods at the counter typically include debit and credit; cash is less reliably accepted for passports, so bring a card. If you are watching your household budget while settling in, our Fredericton cost of living guide puts fees like these in context, and the banks and credit unions guide covers where to sort out payment cards.

Processing times, the 30-day guarantee, and going urgent

For a standard application, plan on roughly 10 business days if you apply in person at the full-service Fredericton centre, or about 20 business days by mail or online, plus mailing time on top. Business days mean Monday to Friday, holidays excluded, so "10 business days" is really two calendar weeks and change. The clock starts when the office has a complete application, not when you first walk in with a missing document.

The good news for 2026 is the new "30 days or free" service guarantee, which took effect April 1, 2026. On standard passport and travel-document applications submitted through a Service Canada Centre, by mail, or through an embassy or consulate, if processing takes longer than 30 business days (measured from a complete application to the printed, verified document, mailing time excluded), you get an automatic full refund of the fee. It is a real backstop, though most Fredericton applications finish well inside that window anyway.

The guarantee does not cover urgent and express service, replacements, transfers, or certified copies, which run on their own timelines. If you are genuinely up against a departure date, you have faster options, but you generally need to show proof of travel (tickets, an itinerary) and pay the extra fee:

Here is the local reality: not every urgent scenario can be fully resolved at the Fredericton counter, and the most extreme same-day and weekend services live at larger dedicated passport offices in bigger cities. If you have a true emergency (a family bereavement abroad, say), call the Passport Program at 1-800-567-6868 before you assume anything, and explain your situation. And if the trip involves flying, our Fredericton Airport (YFC) guide is worth a look for connection realities out of a small airport.

Everything else Service Canada does

Passports get the headlines, but the same office is where you handle a stack of other federal business, and knowing that saves you chasing the wrong counter. Service Canada is federal; Service New Brunswick (a different set of offices) handles provincial items like your Medicare card and vehicle registration. Keep the two straight and you will save yourself a lot of driving.

Social Insurance Number (SIN). Your SIN is the first thing you need before you can legally start a job or file taxes. You can apply online, by mail, or in person at the Fredericton centre, and it is free. Newcomers usually make this an early stop; bring your primary identity document (for many, that is a permanent resident card or work permit). The newcomer guide walks through the sequence.

Employment Insurance (EI). If you have lost a job or are going on parental leave, EI claims are federal and start online, but the Fredericton counter is where you go for help if the online system stalls or you need to sort out a problem with a claim. Have your record of employment and banking details ready. For the bigger picture on finding your next role locally, see our employment help and WorkingNB guide and the honest job market guide.

Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS). Retirement and disability benefits run through Service Canada too. Applications can be done online through My Service Canada Account, but plenty of people prefer to sit down with a person for something this consequential, and the Fredericton office can help. If you are planning your later years here, the retiring in Fredericton guide and the seniors guide cover the local angle on income, health, and getting around.

The office also touches on things like Canadian Dental Care Plan enrolment help, direct-deposit setup for federal benefits, and general questions about federal programs. When in doubt about whether something is federal or provincial, a quick call to 1-800-622-6232 will point you to the right door.

A local playbook for a smooth trip

None of this is hard, but the failure modes are predictable, so here is how Fredericton residents actually get in and out without a second trip.

Do the paperwork at the kitchen table first. Download and fill the correct form (PPTC 054 for renewals, PPTC 153 for new adult applications), but do not sign until instructed. Half of the counter frustration in this town is people signing in the wrong box or on the wrong day.

Get photos before, not after. A rejected photo is the most common reason for a redo. Use a pharmacy or photo counter that does passport shots weekly, and confirm they will reprint free if the specs are off.

Bring originals and a card. Citizenship and ID must be originals. Payment is smoothest by debit or credit. If you are new to Canadian banking, sort a card out first through our banks and credit unions guide.

Time it right. Early in the day, midweek, and outside the spring travel rush. If you can avoid the weeks right before March Break and summer, do.

Confirm the volatile stuff. Address, hours, and fees all drift over time. Before you go, check the current office location on Canada's official finder and verify the fee you will pay, because the numbers in any guide (this one included) are a snapshot, not a promise.

Getting there without a car? The Regent Street office is not downtown, so factor in a bus connection. Our transit guide and the car-free in Fredericton guide cover routes and realities. If you are brand new to the city and stacking up errands, the moving to Fredericton guide helps you batch them so you are not crossing town five times in a week.