Canadian Embassy in Guatemala 2026: Address, Services, Passport, Emergencies

If you are Canadian and you live, travel, or do business in Guatemala, the Embassy of Canada in Guatemala City is your single most important institutional contact. This guide explains exactly where it is, what it can and cannot do for you, and how to plan a visit so you do not waste a half-day in Zona 10 traffic.

All addresses, phones, and procedures should be cross-checked against the official Government of Canada page for Guatemala on travel.gc.ca before you act on them. Embassies move, hours change, and appointment systems update — this article gives you the practical orientation, the official site gives you live confirmation.

Embassy Location and Contact

The embassy occupies the 8th floor of a commercial high-rise. There is no embassy parking — take an Uber or use the building’s paid lot. Bring photo ID for the building security desk.

For 24/7 emergencies you do not need to wait for embassy hours. The Government of Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa is available around the clock. Save +1 613-996-8885 in your phone before you arrive in Guatemala.

Consular Services for Canadians

The embassy delivers a defined set of consular services. Knowing what is and is not on that list saves time and frustration.

Services the embassy provides

• Passport applications and renewals for adult Canadians (forwarded for processing).
• Emergency travel documents — limited-validity travel papers issued same-day or next-day in genuine emergencies (lost passport with onward flight, stolen documents, etc.).
• Notarial services — statutory declarations, certified true copies, witnessing signatures.
• Citizenship applications — limited support; most are processed in Canada.
• Children’s services — applications for citizenship of children born abroad, simplified passport for minors.
• Voting — registration as a Canadian elector residing abroad and ballot facilitation during federal elections.
• Distress assistance — visits to detained or hospitalized Canadians, family communication, list of local lawyers and doctors, victim-of-crime support.
• Information and referrals — local laws, Guatemalan visa rules, evacuation guidance during crises.
• Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) — free voluntary registration so the embassy can reach you in an emergency.

Services the embassy does not provide

• It does not act as your travel agent or pay for flights home.
• It does not pay medical bills, hospital deposits, or post bail.
• It does not provide legal representation in Guatemalan courts.
• It does not interfere with Guatemalan judicial or immigration proceedings.
• It does not replace residency advice from a Guatemalan lawyer.
• It does not store luggage, money, or valuables.
• It does not give Canadian tax advice — for that, see our Canadian taxes emigrating to Guatemala guide and consult a CRA-licensed accountant.

Passport Services

Passport processing for Canadians abroad has shifted to centralized handling through Service Canada and designated consular missions. Practically, that means:

Bring originals of all supporting documents (current/expired passport, proof of citizenship, ID, photos to Canadian specifications, fees in cash or by accepted means). The embassy publishes the up-to-date document checklist on its travel.gc.ca page — confirm it within 48 hours of your appointment.

Notarial Services

The embassy provides standard notarial services for Canadians:

• Statutory declarations (e.g., to send to a Canadian institution)
• Certified true copies of Canadian documents
• Witnessing of signatures
• Authentication of certain Canadian documents

Notarial services require an appointment and a per-act fee (typically CAD $50 per service, payable in equivalent local currency or as the embassy specifies). Bring the original and any copies you need certified.

For Guatemalan documents you need to use in Canada, the chain is different — Guatemalan documents must be apostilled in Guatemala first (see our apostille guide via MINEX and contact a local notary), then translated into English or French in Canada.

Emergency Assistance

The embassy is the right call for any of the following while in Guatemala:

• Death of a Canadian
• Serious injury or hospitalization
• Detention or arrest by Guatemalan authorities
• Victim of violent crime, sexual assault, or kidnapping
• Disappearance of a Canadian
• Major natural disaster, civil unrest, or evacuation
• Lost or stolen passport with imminent travel

For after-hours or weekend emergencies, do not wait for office hours. Call +1 613-996-8885 (collect) immediately — the Ottawa Emergency Watch and Response Centre will alert the duty officer in Guatemala.

For day-to-day safety planning, our Guatemala safety guide covers neighborhood-level risk in Guatemala City, Antigua, and Lake Atitlán, plus practical advice on transport, ATM use, and what to do if stopped by police.

Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA)

ROCA is a voluntary, free registration that lets the embassy contact you during an emergency — earthquake, volcanic eruption, hurricane, civil unrest, or pandemic-related travel restrictions. Register at travel.gc.ca/roca.

Update it whenever you:

• Change address in Guatemala
• Change phone number
• Travel to a new region of Guatemala for an extended stay
• Add or remove dependents
• Leave Guatemala for good

In recent years ROCA has been the channel through which the Canadian government coordinated COVID-era repatriation flights, hurricane evacuation alerts in the Caribbean coast, and election-period security warnings. Five minutes to register can be the difference between hearing about a crisis and learning about it from the news.

How to Plan a Visit

1. Check the official site. Confirm address, hours, and appointment requirements on travel.gc.ca.
2. Book the appointment. Most consular services are appointment-only. Walk-ins are usually only for genuine emergencies.
3. Prepare documents. Bring originals plus photocopies. Photo ID is required for the building.
4. Plan transport. Take an Uber to 13 Calle 8-44, Zona 10. Allow extra time for Zona 10 traffic, especially 7-9 AM and 5-7 PM.
5. Bring payment. Notarial and document fees are typically payable in cash (USD or GTQ) or as the embassy specifies. Confirm in advance.
6. Allow a half-day. Even with an appointment, security screening and processing add up to 1-2 hours.

If you are flying in from Canada, our moving from Canada to Guatemala hub covers what to do in the first week, including registering with ROCA, opening a bank account in Guatemala, and understanding the exchange rate between CAD and quetzales.

What the Embassy Cannot Do for Residency

If you are settling in Guatemala for more than 90 days, the Canadian Embassy is not the right office for your residency or visa work. Guatemalan immigration is handled by Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración (IGM). The relevant trámites:

• IGM extension of stay (prórroga) — extends a tourist entry for an additional 90 days.
• IGM temporary residency — the path most Canadians take after committing to live in Guatemala.

The embassy will give you general information on these processes but will not file paperwork for you, intervene with IGM, or guarantee the outcome. Use a Guatemalan immigration lawyer for residency.

For Canadians Travelling Outside Guatemala City

Canada does not maintain consulates in other Guatemalan cities. If you are in Antigua, Quetzaltenango, Lake Atitlán, or Petén:

• For non-emergencies, plan a trip to the embassy in Zona 10 of Guatemala City.
• For genuine emergencies, call the Ottawa 24/7 line (+1 613-996-8885) or the embassy switchboard.
• For lost passports, contact the embassy and they will guide you on whether to travel to Guatemala City or whether an emergency document can be arranged remotely.

For Canadians settled in Antigua specifically, our Antigua for Canadians guide covers the local Canadian community, healthcare options at Hospital Hermano Pedro, and Spanish schools.

Tips Specific to Canadians

• Carry both passports if you are Canadian-Guatemalan dual citizen, but enter Guatemala on the Canadian one if you want unambiguous Canadian consular protection.
• Save embassy contacts in your phone before landing. The Wi-Fi at La Aurora airport is unreliable and roaming on most Canadian carriers in Guatemala is expensive.
• Bring a Spanish speaker if your appointment involves notarizing or legalizing a document for use in Guatemala — embassy staff speak English and French, but the receiving Guatemalan office will need Spanish.
• Photocopy your passport bio page and entry stamp and keep copies separately from the originals. If your passport is lost, having a copy speeds up emergency document issuance.
• Time appointments to your bank visit. If you are in Zona 10 anyway, the major banks (Banco Industrial, BAM) are walking distance — handle paperwork in one trip.

Other Useful Embassies in Guatemala

The Canadian Embassy maintains formal cooperation with several other diplomatic missions. If you need consular services and are a dual citizen, or you need a visa for an onward country, see our directories for the US Embassy in Guatemala and other embassies in the embassies hub.

Keep Reading

• Moving from Canada to Guatemala (hub) — full pre-arrival and first-week checklist.
• Canadian Health Insurance in Guatemala — provincial coverage gap and private alternatives.
• Canadian Taxes Emigrating to Guatemala — CRA, RRSP, TFSA, departure tax.
• Antigua for Canadians — community, weather, Spanish schools.
• IGM Extension of Stay — 90-day prorroga after the visa-free entry.
• IGM Temporary Residency — the residency document for long-term moves.
• Banking in Guatemala — opening accounts, ATM fees, currency.
• Today’s Exchange Rate — live USD/GTQ for budgeting.

Address, hours, and procedures are summarized for convenience. Always confirm details on travel.gc.ca and via the embassy switchboard before relying on them.