Guidelines Relating to Signature Specimens for the New Identity Card

Circular Note No. XDC-2456 of October 24, 2006

Signature Card Form (PDF Version, 165 Kb)^{Footnote *}

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Office of Protocol) presents its compliments to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and notified Chargés d’Affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada, Heads of International Organizations and other Offices established in Canada and has the honour to inform them of the new guidelines relating to signature specimens for the new identity card.

Effective November 1, 2006, the Department will begin issuing a new identity card to foreign representatives accredited to Canada, which will feature the signature of the bearer. As such, the Department requests a signature specimen of each adult, each dependent over the age of 16 and each private servant, who are presented to the Department for the purposes of accreditation or extensions of accreditation.

For this purpose, the Department encloses a signature card which must be signed by each adult, each dependent over the age of 16 and each private servant eligible for accreditation or extension of accreditation. The signature must be contained within the borders found on the card.

The Department would further like to remind Diplomatic Missions that this process is independent of the signature specimens which must be provided when nominating a person as having signing authority as per circular note XDC-0367 of February 22, 2005.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Office of Protocol) avails itself of this opportunity to renew to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and notified Chargés d’Affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada, Heads of International Organizations and other Offices established in Canada the assurances of its highest consideration.

Ottawa, October 24, 2006