Canada's new passport design: Security and royalty combined

On Wednesday, Canada unveiled a new design for passports with advanced security features, including a series regarding King Charles III.

The cover and back page of the the newly unveiled Canadian passport, featuring a polycarbonate data page and embedded electronic passport chip, is seen in a design reproduction on its release in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada May 10, 2023.

By Jenna Zucker

(Reuters) - Canada on Wednesday unveiled a new design for passports with advanced security features including a new series with reference to His Majesty King Charles III, as part of a regular upgrade.

The new passport will display a Coat of Arms, making Canada among the first in the Commonwealth to introduce a travel document series that references King Charles III, the IRCC said. It will show the Queen's Coat of Arms as the passport’s creation came before the King approved the new version.

The new features include personal information engraved with lasers instead of printed in ink on its polycarbonate data page, a design that has strong anti-fraud components.

A fall scene on visa pages of the the newly unveiled Canadian passport, as viewed using ultraviolet light which adds colours and displays security features, is seen in a design reproduction on its release in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada May 10, 2023.

It will also include a Kinegram over the main photo, a custom see-through window with a secondary image of the passport holder, a variable laser image, and a temperature-sensitive ink feature, a press release by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said.

A spring scene on visa pages of the the newly unveiled Canadian passport, as viewed using ultraviolet light which adds colours and displays security features, is seen in a design reproduction on its release in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada May 10, 2023.

The Canadian passport is ranked fourth globally for its mobility score by the Passport Index, alongside seven other countries including the United States, Australia, and Japan. It is ranked 26th globally for its visa characteristics, which authorizes passport holders visa-free entry into 115 countries, with 51 countries permitting a visa on arrival.

A fall scene on visa pages of the the newly unveiled Canadian passport, as viewed in normal light, is seen in a design reproduction on its release in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada May 10, 2023.

The United Arab Emirates is the top globally rated passport.

A spring scene on visa pages of the the newly unveiled Canadian passport, as viewed in normal light, is seen in a design reproduction on its release in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada May 10, 2023.

Canada's new passport will begin rolling out late summer and it will also allow citizens to renew their travel document online.

The new cover will have an outline of a maple leaf and visa pages will exhibit seasonal art that changes under ultraviolet light.

(Reporting by Jenna Zucker; Editing by Stephen Coates)