Identity Screening Regulations

The full text of the Regulations can be found on the Department of Justice web site at the following link:

• http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/SOR-2007-82/index.html

The Identity Screening Regulations require airlines to screen each person's name against the specified-persons list for any person who appears to be 18 years of age or older before issuing a boarding pass. The Regulations take into account the various ways in which the boarding pass may be obtained, such as at an airport check-in counter, at the kiosk or via the Internet.

If the name of the person is the same as that of a person specified to the air carrier, the air carrier must ask the person for one piece of government-issued photo identification that shows his or her name, date of birth and gender or for two pieces of government-issued identification at least one of which shows his or her name, date of birth and gender.

When a possible match is verified with government issued identification, the air carrier must contact Transport Canada who will then determine whether the individual poses a threat to aviation security.

If an emergency direction is issued, Transport Canada will provide the air carrier contact information for the Department of Transport's Office of Reconsideration and the air carrier will make that contact information available to the person.

The screening is not completed until Transport Canada checks the person's name against the list and informs the air carrier whether an emergency direction will be issued or not.

Identification Requirements

Note that before boarding, all passengers planning to travel on Canadian domestic and international flights coming to or leaving Canada who appear to be 18 years of age or older, are to be asked to present:

1. One piece of valid government-issued identification that includes a photograph and the passenger's name


OR


2. Two pieces of valid government-issued ID showing the passenger's name, without photographs


OR


3. A Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC) (a smart card issued to airport workers).

IMPORTANT: The name on the identification that is provided must match the name on the boarding pass.

Valid passports are required for all international travel and all other rules for flights to the United States and other international destinations continue to apply.

The verification of passengers' identification is already a practice followed by most major air carriers in Canada.

The following are some examples of valid government-issued identification documents that may be used to meet the requirements of the Identity Screening Regulations:

• passport
• citizenship card
• permanent-resident card
• driver's licence
• provincial health card
• provincial or territorial government identification cards (GICs)
• birth certificate
• Record of Landing Form/Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292)
• immigration documents issued to foreign nationals (e.g., Work Permit, Study Permit, Visitor Record, Temporary Resident Permit, Refugee Approved Status)
• Canadian military identification
• federal police identification
• federal, provincial or municipal government employee identification cards
• Old Age Security (OAS) identification card
• Certificate of Indian Status (Status card) issued by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
• Canada Border Services Agency NEXUS card