Fee Remission for Flight PS752 Families

Summary#

This Order — the Certain Fees in Respect of the Issuance and Replacement of Identity and Travel Documents (Crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752) Remission Order — officially waives or refunds certain passport, travel-document, citizenship and eTA fees for people affected by the January 2020 crash. It applies to applications made between January 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020 and the government estimates foregone revenue of $1,659.

What it does#

• Remits (waives or refunds) fees paid or payable for the issuance or replacement of:
  • passports, certificates of identity, refugee travel documents and emergency travel documents under the Passport and Other Travel Document Services Fees Regulations;
  • travel documents issued abroad under the Consular Services Fees Regulations;
  • certificates of citizenship under the Citizenship Regulations; and
  • electronic travel authorizations (eTA), permanent resident cards and permanent resident travel documents under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
• Covers applications made on or after January 10, 2020 and on or before June 30, 2020. Applications already in process before January 10, 2020 are not eligible.
• Requires that the applicant declared they were a family member of a victim of the January 8, 2020 crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 and that they needed to travel to or from Iran or stay in Canada to handle personal affairs or support the victim’s family.
• Notes that 2 eligible clients who were charged eTA fees because of system limits are being issued refunds.

Who's affected#

• Family members of victims of the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 crash who needed travel or identity documents between January 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020.
• This includes Canadian citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals who applied for the listed documents for urgent travel or to deal with the aftermath.
• The crash killed 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents, which is the group this relief responds to.
• Other people or groups are not affected unless they meet the family-member-and-application-date conditions above.

Why it matters#

• It removes the financial burden of document and travel fees for people suddenly required to travel or handle affairs after a mass fatal crash.
• It makes refunds or fee waivers official so eligible family members do not have to pay, or can recover fees already paid.
• The total estimated cost to the government for this measure is $1,659, a small administrative amount compared with the purpose: easing an additional stress on grieving families.