Passport

[boogienights]

Well, you can knock me over with a feather. My son mailed in his passport application on June 15. His card was charged on July 11 and he received the passport yesterday. It only took 5 weeks! Are things improving or is this just an anomoly? He's former military so maybe that makes a difference? We were so worried but now a huge weight has been lifted. Last obstacles are avoiding covid before we leave and flight delays/cancellations. I'm still freaking out and stressed but somewhat less so now.

 

[mort1331]

The big stress is done...get in vaca mode now

 

[azrivest]

:O

I'm happy for your son, not so happy for mine. It's been almost 13 weeks for us.

Based on this, they seem to be prioritizing the June/July applications, which is completely stupid and unfair:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/passport/statistics.html

 

[boogienights]

:O

I'm happy for your son, not so happy for mine. It's been almost 13 weeks for us.

Based on this, they seem to be prioritizing the June/July applications, which is completely stupid and unfair:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/passport/statistics.html

I'm crossing all appendages for you! I'm sorry you are having to experience this frustration and worry. I don't understand why some applications are processed "quickly" and why others are dragging through system. Have you been able to get an update?

My son's application wasn't a renewal as his old passport expired years ago. Technically it was a new application but he sent back the old passport one anyway. I don't know if that helped or not. He waited a few days to mail the application in after filling it out and every day we went over it closely to make sure it was perfect.

 

[azrivest]

I'm crossing all appendages for you! I'm sorry you are having to experience this frustration and worry. I don't understand why some applications are processed "quickly" and why others are dragging through system. Have you been able to get an update?

Thanks Didn't want to appear ungrateful, as it's great for your son

I'll try calling this week if we don't get it.

 

[tlcdoula]

:O

I'm happy for your son, not so happy for mine. It's been almost 13 weeks for us.

Based on this, they seem to be prioritizing the June/July applications, which is completely stupid and unfair:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/passport/statistics.html

Did you finally receive yours? My daughter sent her newborns and husbands in mid May and have not seen either of them. The dropped them off at the service canada office in our town. Getting nervous its time to buy tickets for December but if we have to drive to the passport office a couple hours away and stand in line with a baby we may just cancel...

 

[azrivest]

Did you finally receive yours? My daughter sent her newborns and husbands in mid May and have not seen either of them. The dropped them off at the service canada office in our town. Getting nervous its time to buy tickets for December but if we have to drive to the passport office a couple hours away and stand in line with a baby we may just cancel...

Yeah we got it after 16 weeks, 4 days before our planned departure.

Our mp asked that it be transferred to our local Service Canada office for pick-up

 

[tlcdoula]

Yeah we got it after 16 weeks, 4 days before our planned departure.

Our mp asked that it be transferred to our local Service Canada office for pick-up

How stressful... I am happy you got it before your trip!!

 

[Jennkneefir]

Whoah! All of those super long wait times are horrible. If you don’t mind me asking, where does everyone live?
I’m in Edmonton and my renewal took less than two weeks.
I booked an appointment to go in, had all my paperwork ready to go, paid for the standard non-rushed passport, and i received it within two work weeks. Maybe the Edmonton passport office isn’t overloaded? Maybe because it was just a renewal?

 

[tlcdoula]

Whoah! All of those super long wait times are horrible. If you don’t mind me asking, where does everyone live?
I’m in Edmonton and my renewal took less than two weeks.
I booked an appointment to go in, had all my paperwork ready to go, paid for the standard non-rushed passport, and i received it within two work weeks. Maybe the Edmonton passport office isn’t overloaded? Maybe because it was just a renewal?

We are in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. My daughter dropped theirs at the Service Canada office which basically is like mailing them in but they check them over before sending them off. I have a friend who applied for his passport April 29th and just got it today in the mail. He ended up contacting the local MP by email to see what was taking so long and a couple weeks later his showed up in the mail.

I am hesitant to buy park tickets before we get the passports. Having to stand in line in Victoria just before our trip is way to much stress for me..

 

[Chickinvic]

Well, you can knock me over with a feather. My son mailed in his passport application on June 15. His card was charged on July 11 and he received the passport yesterday. It only took 5 weeks! Are things improving or is this just an anomoly? He's former military so maybe that makes a difference? We were so worried but now a huge weight has been lifted. Last obstacles are avoiding covid before we leave and flight delays/cancellations. I'm still freaking out and stressed but somewhat less so now.

That is an anomaly for sure. It is so weird. The odd person this is happening with, while others (most) are waiting forever and going through huge stress.

 

[Chickinvic]

Whoah! All of those super long wait times are horrible. If you don’t mind me asking, where does everyone live?
I’m in Edmonton and my renewal took less than two weeks.
I booked an appointment to go in, had all my paperwork ready to go, paid for the standard non-rushed passport, and i received it within two work weeks. Maybe the Edmonton passport office isn’t overloaded? Maybe because it was just a renewal?

We are in Victoria, BC where it is a complete nightmare with people lined up overnight outside the passport place downtown and only so many getting seen per day, etc. We handed my partner's application in at a Service Canada centre (I didn't want to take the chance of mailing in his citizenship certificate since those are taking 17 months to replace these days, sigh) in late July (waited 2 months for the appointment). We were told he wouldn't likely get it before our mid-November trip so we should start calling the phone number they give you about 3 weeks prior in order to get it transferred to the Victoria passport office. He also told us you probably have to try hundreds of times to actually be able to get through to this number. Sigh again.

 

[tlcdoula]

We are in Victoria, BC where it is a complete nightmare with people lined up overnight outside the passport place downtown and only so many getting seen per day, etc. We handed my partner's application in at a Service Canada centre (I didn't want to take the chance of mailing in his citizenship certificate since those are taking 17 months to replace these days, sigh) in late July (waited 2 months for the appointment). We were told he wouldn't likely get it before our mid-November trip so we should start calling the phone number they give you about 3 weeks prior in order to get it transferred to the Victoria passport office. He also told us you probably have to try hundreds of times to actually be able to get through to this number. Sigh again.

So stressful, I hope you get it back in time for your trip. What happens when they transfer it? do you have to pay for the expedited service?

 

[Glynis4]

Here is my passport experience so far! Both my kids need new passports so I got all the paperwork ready last month and booked an appt (the soonest available was 2 weeks later) at my local passport office (Saskatchewan). Went to the appointment on Tuesday. Even though I had booked, I still had to wait in line/wait for an officer for 2 hours. But, everything went well and they said I should receive the passports by the end of September! Fingers crossed!

 

[mackaylc]

My experience... so far! I submitted my son (12) and daughter's (16) applications on July 12 at a Service Canada office in Bedford NS. Over 45 business days until travel so I followed that process. I paid and received a file number for both and the service standard would be for the passport to be mailed on August 10. My son's previous passport (expired) was returned to us by mail two weeks later. I have heard nothing at all since so I submitted a request online for an update for both. Nothing was received as an update. I just got off the phone (waited only about 25 minutes) and was told they are both under review (not sure if that is the correct terminology but they are looking to make sure they are correct). I was told that if I had not received them by Sept 8 (20 business days before travel), I should call again and have the files transferred to my local office. No guarantee it will be received in time. Frustrating since I have done everything as requested. I am trying not to panic but all I can find is horror stories. Next will be a call to my MP.

 

[mackaylc]

My experience... so far! I submitted my son (12) and daughter's (16) applications on July 12 at a Service Canada office in Bedford NS. Over 45 business days until travel so I followed that process. I paid and received a file number for both and the service standard would be for the passport to be mailed on August 10. My son's previous passport (expired) was returned to us by mail two weeks later. I have heard nothing at all since so I submitted a request online for an update for both. Nothing was received as an update. I just got off the phone (waited only about 25 minutes) and was told they are both under review (not sure if that is the correct terminology but they are looking to make sure they are correct). I was told that if I had not received them by Sept 8 (20 business days before travel), I should call again and have the files transferred to my local office. No guarantee it will be received in time. Frustrating since I have done everything as requested. I am trying not to panic but all I can find is horror stories. Next will be a call to my MP.

So to keep updating, I contacted my MP and we filled out the consent forms and provided proof of travel on September 7. I had not heard anything so I followed up on September 9. On September 12, I received an email from the MP assistant who confirmed they had requested the transfer to the Halifax office. My daughter and I both received emails on the same day from EServiceCanada saying that the transfer request was made. My daughter also received a phone call (not sure why they called her and not me) and the voice mail said that the Halifax office had received the requests and were waiting for the applications to come to them virtually. They won't even look at it before October 4, so hopefully there are no issues. I travel October 6. I think that is the norm though right? I will have to pick it up on October 5? But why wait to the very last minute. My eye is twitching from the stress of it all! Any reassurances?

 

[youngdeb12]

So to keep updating, I contacted my MP and we filled out the consent forms and provided proof of travel on September 7. I had not heard anything so I followed up on September 9. On September 12, I received an email from the MP assistant who confirmed they had requested the transfer to the Halifax office. My daughter and I both received emails on the same day from EServiceCanada saying that the transfer request was made. My daughter also received a phone call (not sure why they called her and not me) and the voice mail said that the Halifax office had received the requests and were waiting for the applications to come to them virtually. They won't even look at it before October 4, so hopefully there are no issues. I travel October 6. I think that is the norm though right? I will have to pick it up on October 5? But why wait to the very last minute. My eye is twitching from the stress of it all! Any reassurances?

This annoys me so much. Close friends that we are travelling with submitted theirs beginning of June, credit cards charged June 29th, called on Friday (September 9th) and they say they are in processing and waiting to be printed basically and to call back on the 19th if they haven't received them to have it transferred to a passport office. We are 8 hours away from the nearest passport office. I'm not sure how they expect people to travel to passport centres to pick up "rush" passports that were sent in 4 months before planned travel.

 

[mort1331]

It is sad and rough on all the families. Hey I only live less than an hour away and lined up at 330am,,,but that is easy compared to 8 hour drive or some of the stories I heard in line.
Best of luck to all of you. If there is one sense of hope,,,I have not heard of them not issueing within 48hours,,,but one girl in line with us had to come back the next day to get hers,,,and she had a 3 hour drive and was supposed to work the next day. |They do not take that into consideration.

 

[tlcdoula]

This annoys me so much. Close friends that we are travelling with submitted theirs beginning of June, credit cards charged June 29th, called on Friday (September 9th) and they say they are in processing and waiting to be printed basically and to call back on the 19th if they haven't received them to have it transferred to a passport office. We are 8 hours away from the nearest passport office. I'm not sure how they expect people to travel to passport centres to pick up "rush" passports that were sent in 4 months before planned travel.

so frustrating!!! My daughter has also contacted the MP to see if they can help. We don't travel till early December but she sent in her sons and boyfriends passport applications in early May and still have not heard anything. The MP said they will let her know but because our trip isn't till December they prob won't be able to do much yet.

 

[azrivest]

But why wait to the very last minute. My eye is twitching from the stress of it all! Any reassurances?

Everyone I know who had this issue were sent their passports in the week before travelling (or almost). I got in on the Monday before our Friday departure. They really seem to want to wait until the very last minute.

The pessimistic in me says they're "punishing" us for travelling. The optimistic says they're still prioritizing demands cause they have too many. I don't know which side of me to believe