Canadians can travel with confidence knowing Canada's consular network is there to support them when they need help abroad. Canada's Annual Consular Data Report - 2025 to 2026 released today, looks at where Canadians travelled, the challenges they faced and how Canadian officials supported them around the world.
The report tells quite a story
From April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, Canadian consular officials:
- managed 7,436 consular cases, an increase of approximately 3% from the previous year and more than 7% over two years
- issued 33,437 certificates, known as "apostilles," which authenticate eligible Canadian public documents for use abroad
- received 208,174 passport applications from abroad
- responded to 289,254 enquiries through the Emergency Watch and Response Centre and the contact centre for Canadians in the United States
And this is just a snippet. Behind some of these numbers are Canadians facing difficult circumstances abroad and consular officials supporting and helping them. The report also explains what consular officials can and cannot do and provides practical information to help Canadians prepare for travel and navigate difficult situations abroad.
A year marked by international emergencies
From fuel shortages in Cuba to cartel-related violence in Mexico and conflict across the Middle East, it was a year of rapidly changing conditions for Canadians abroad.
Canada helped facilitate the return of more than 28,000 travellers from Cuba, responded to more than 2,700 enquiries during violence in Mexico, and supported more than 1,500 people leaving affected areas in the Middle East.
The full report takes a closer look at these responses and more.
Canadians did their homework, too
Canadians weren't just travelling. They were preparing for it. Travel.gc.ca received 27.1 million visits during the fiscal year, including 18.5 million visits to Travel Advice and Advisories.
More Canadians also signed up for the Registration of Canadians Abroad, with registrations growing from 452,160 to 574,338 over the year.
And that's a travel trend we're happy to see.
For your next trip, take a page from their book: check the Travel Advice and Advisories, register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad and keep Canada's 24/7 emergency contact information handy.
It's a small step before departure that can make a big difference abroad.
