Fee Remission for Ukraine-related Travel Documents

Summary#

The government made the Remission Order in Respect of Certain Fees for the Issuance of Identity and Travel Documents (Russian Invasion of Ukraine). It cancels or reimburses certain passport, citizenship, travel document and immigration fees for people affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The total cost is $1,086,485.

What it does#

• Cancels fees for some Canadian travel and identity documents for eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents who had to travel urgently because of the invasion. The relevant applications must have been submitted between February 22, 2022 and March 31, 2023, and in person or electronically at Canadian missions in Warsaw, Bucharest, Budapest, or Vienna.
• Reimburses fees (including biometrics) paid by Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members who applied under the Canada‑Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) between February 22, 2022 and March 14, 2022.
• Reimburses small amounts that were overpaid for certain temporary resident visas, work and study permits, and associated biometrics for the same period.
• Sets out reporting and accountability: remissions and reimbursements will be reported in the annual fees reports and public accounts of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and IRCC.

Who's affected#

• Canadian citizens and permanent residents who were in Ukraine or elsewhere and needed to travel urgently because of the invasion, and who applied for a covered document at the specified missions between February 22, 2022 and March 31, 2023.
• Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members who applied under CUAET to IRCC and paid fees between February 22, 2022 and March 14, 2022.
• People who applied before February 22, 2022 are not eligible under this order.
• The order impacts a relatively small number of fee payments; the government lists portions of the cost (for example, a $675 consular fee is included in the total).

Why it matters#

• People who paid for certain passports, citizenship proofs, travel documents, visas, permits, or biometrics because of the Ukraine crisis can have those fees cancelled or refunded. That reduces the financial burden on evacuees and those helping them.
• It formalizes and pays for fee relief the government had announced early in the crisis but could not legally implement retroactively without this order.
• The total fiscal impact is $1,086,485, so the cost to taxpayers is limited and will be publicly reported by GAC and IRCC.