Getting a passport is about to get a bit more difficult.

The federal government has announced that in order to "further enhance the integrity of the passport issuance process" Passport Canada will implement changes to its birth certificate requirements for general passport applications.

As of February 1, 2011, for Canadians born in Canada, Passport Canada will only accept birth certificates issued by a provincial or territorial vital statistics agency to support a general or a child's passport application.

More information is available online at: passportcanada.gc.ca.

Passport Canada wants to ensure that Canadian travellers are aware of these upcoming changes well in advance of the implementation date and encourages Canadians to initiate their passport application process as soon as they intend to travel to ensure that the proper documentation is obtained in time for a trip abroad.

Passport Canada is advising travellers to factor in the time required to obtain proper documentation prior to submitting a passport application. The changes outlined above are reflected in the passport application forms. Failure to provide the proper documentation will result in the passport application being rejected.

Canadians requiring a new birth certificate must contact the vital statistics agency of the province or territory of their birth.

Simplified renewal applications are not impacted by this requirement.

These requirements apply only to the Canadian passport program