Issuance of Airport Restricted Area Passes

Circular Note No. XDC-0499 of March 2, 2005

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) presents its compliments to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Charges d’Affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada and has the honour to advise of an administrative change to Transport Canada’s policy regarding the issuance of “Restricted Area Passes” to diplomatic and consular couriers.

The Department would like to clarify that certain Canadian airport security authorities, although under no international obligation, provide passes to diplomatic and consular couriers to access and facilitate movement in the secure areas of their airports for the purpose of receiving diplomatic and consular bags. Under revised Transport Canada guidelines, all NEW applications for restricted area passes and renewals of existing ones must now be accompanied by completed Transportation Security Clearance (TSC) and fingerprints forms. No application for a Restricted Area Pass shall be processed by the Airport Authority unless the applicant has submitted all information required by the Minister of Transport for Canada and that this information has been reviewed and vetted by Transport Canada.

Additional information is available by accessing the following web sites:

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) takes this opportunity to renew to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Charges d’Affaires, a.i. assurances of its highest consideration.

OTTAWA, March 2, 2005