Canadian Passport - Mail-In Application Timelines

[Klamm]

Final update: Received my passport today Apr 21
Hope everyone receives theirs soon! My journey since I applied May 2020 for citizenship now ends.

Timeline:
Applied Feb 21
Delivered Feb 24
CC Charged April 12
Certificate received April 13
From BC to Mississauga office

This is great to hear a fellow BC applicant received the passport! Congrats!

So you received the certificate a week before the passport! I was actually curious if this happened because we also received certificates last week and this one with no passports. Actually the certificates for two applicants in our family were returned more than a week before even credit cards were charged!!

Anyway. With your timeline, I am hoping we will also receive passports sometime next week.

For everyone's reference:
3 applications mailed from BC to Mississauga in separate envelops: Feb 28
All applications delivered: Mar 2
2 certificates returned: Apr 8 and 10
CC charged for everyone: Apr 19
Last certificate returned: Apr 20

 

[Sly1]

Please does anyone know if an agent call to confirm your address before your passport is being mailed out to you?

 

[PumpkinJack]

Please does anyone know if an agent call to confirm your address before your passport is being mailed out to you?

No they don’t call usually.

 

[adnim2]

I submitted passport applications for me and my kids a while ago and today I received a voicemail message from passport office asking me to contact them regarding my child passport application. They gave me a reference number and asked to contact this phone no 1-800-567-6868
The only problem is, I tried a 100 times at different times of the day during week and I can't get through. I only get the recorded message that all lines are busy and it automatically disconnects. How do you get through to speak with someone?

 

[Radium]

Can anyone tell if filing at Service Canada location is better than mailing the app yourself to Gatineau?

 

[delray55]

Can anyone tell if filing at Service Canada location is better than mailing the app yourself to Gatineau?

Yes.
1.The application is reviewed by service canada employee. so any mistakes in the form can be corrected there itself if possible
2.All originals are verified and returned, so originals are not having chance of being misplaced or lost in transit

 

[Invicta]

Can anyone tell if filing at Service Canada location is better than mailing the app yourself to Gatineau?

I did that just so I would not have to mail out my citizenship certificate. The officer read through and double-checked my application form, which I thought was helpful in catching any errors that I might have made.

 

[PumpkinJack]

Here is a tip to save others time when they call Passport helpdesk.

1)Select language by pressing 1 for English and 2 for French

2) If it takes you to the pre recorded message that gives instructions on where and how to apply for passport, just disconnect the call as it will play for a minute and disconnect itself.

If it asks if you’re applying from Canada or Outside Canada, it means you will get a spot in the queue. Stay on the call and select options as prompted.

This is new in the IVR options apparently to keep the queue small around 200 + people. It takes a while to get into the queue as you have to keep trying again and again but the wait time would be an hour or less once you get into the queue.

I called today with both of my phones (kept the second phone as backup if the first call disconnects) and reached out in less than an hour started with 240 people ahead of me.

 

[PumpkinJack]

Hey all,

I called them today to learn that they sent my passport this morning and got the tracking number.

Passport Application sent: March 2nd
Application delivered : March 3rd (Ottawa mailroom)
CC charged : March 25
Citizenship certificate returned : April 6 (on request)
Passport mailed out - April 22
Passport received : TBA

 

[Corgi]

Here is a tip to save others time when they call Passport helpdesk.

1)Select language by pressing 1 for English and 2 for

2) If it takes you to the pre recorded message that gives instructions on where and how to apply for passport, just disconnect the call as it will play for a minute and disconnect itself.

If it asks if you’re applying from Canada or Outside Canada, it means you will get a spot in the queue. Stay on the call and select options as prompted.

This is new in the IVR options apparently to keep the queue small around 200 + people. It takes a while to get into the queue as you have to keep trying again and again but the wait time would be an hour or less once you get into the queue.

I called today with both of my phones (kept the second phone as backup if the first call disconnects) and reached out in less than an hour started with 240 people ahead of me.

Thank you so much for this. Still haven't got through to the queue but I will keep trying.

Edit: Tried 78 times, finally got through! (well into the queue)

 

[Corgi]

Hey all,

I called them today to learn that they sent my passport this morning and got the tracking number.

Passport Application sent: March 2nd
Application delivered : March 3rd (Ottawa mailroom)
CC charged : March 25
Citizenship certificate returned : April 6 (on request)
Passport mailed out - April 22
Passport received : TBA

Awesome news

 

[cheire]

Hey all,

I called them today to learn that they sent my passport this morning and got the tracking number.

Passport Application sent: March 2nd
Application delivered : March 3rd (Ottawa mailroom)
CC charged : March 25
Citizenship certificate returned : April 6 (on request)
Passport mailed out - April 22
Passport received : TBA

How do you find out when they mail it?

 

[tamilvanan3]

How did you come to know that passport issued was on April 11th? Was it the date on your passport?

Yes, its dated on Passport

 

[Radium]

Thanks @delray55 and @Invicta
Yes, that’s a huge bonus not required to send original certificate and If there’s any mistake they can tell on spot.

My appointment is this coming Monday at service canada, i went there today as walk-in, there was a long queue so i came back.
I asked the lady at door how much time is it currently taking for non-urgent passport and she said it’s taking upto 5 weeks.
Is it right?

 

[PumpkinJack]

How do you find out when they mail it?

I called them today to check status. They said it’s mailed today and gave me the tracking number