Canadian Passport - Mail-In Application Timelines

[Deedle]

I’m just home after standing in line since 5am at the downtown Toronto location asking for a transfer. All my stuff was scanned in and ready to go so they gave me a pick up date of July 8th which is two days before I travel.

Original app sent April 12th to Gatineau, charged cc May 8th with a travel date of July 10th. I phoned last week and they told me no chance of it arriving via mail so to ask for a transfer. I didn’t want to chance a phone transfer so opted to wait in line instead. Fingers crossed this is it!

 

[nasif]

Guys quick question, if a request for transfer is denied, will they let you know?
Thanks

 

[GuyanaGirl]

Kitchener is no longer a sure shot in. Lined up from
4:00am today to apply urgently since travel is two days away and I never got a call back about my transfer . I was number 20 in line at 4am …imagine that ! I was done at around 10am .

 

[anjanettem]

Guys quick question, if a request for transfer is denied, will they let you know?
Thanks

No, they don't even let you know if it's approved. LOL

 

[anjanettem]

Kitchener is no longer a sure shot in. Lined up from
4:00am today to apply urgently since travel is two days away and I never got a call back about my transfer . I was number 20 in line at 4am …imagine that ! I was done at around 10am .

I lined up since 12midnight on wednesday at North York location. Of course, I was the first one in line. It was crazy. my travel date is on June 26th and I am picking up my passport tomorrow.

 

[GuyanaGirl]

I lined up since 12midnight on wednesday at North York location. Of course, I was the first one in line. It was crazy. my travel date is on June 26th and I am picking up my passport tomorrow.

It sounds similar to what Kitchener is getting to be like now. The first person in line was there from 2am . By 6am the line wrapped around the block . Happy you’re getting to pick up tomorrow !

 

[anjanettem]

It sounds similar to what Kitchener is getting to be like now. The first person in line was there from 2am . By 6am the line wrapped around the block . Happy you’re getting to pick up tomorrow !

I just called the 1800 number and asked them the status of my application, and it's still under examination. not even printed. I really hope it's ready by tomorrow.

 

[scuba ken]

It will never end if you keep voting for the same INCOMPETENT people over and over, just because they claim to be on the side of immigrants!

As Einstein said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result!

like any of us can be blamed, as none of us had the right to be part of the solution until very recently, I personally wouldn’t buy a bag of chips from trudope or any of the current candidates

they ALL stink !

 

[CLLC]

Has anybody run into something like this?

I mailed in my application on March 28th and it's delivered on 30th. Credit card charged around the end of April then nothing happened.
My flight is this Saturday (June 25th) so I requested a file transfer on June 10th and I just got a call from an agent telling me my file transfer hasn't been completed and if I don't hear anything from them this week it means all good and I can pick it up on 24th, otherwise they will call and propose another date....

The agent didn't ask for credit card info or proof of travel - does it sound right? Other than just waiting till 24th what else can I do? Really want to avoid any last minute surprise... this is a really nerve-wrecking experience.

update: after getting my local MP office involved earlier this week, this morning I received another call from the passport office saying I can come and pick up the passport this afternoon (not sure if it has to do with the MP office involvement tho). When I went to pick up just need to show my ID and it's quite smooth - in and out within 5~10mins. This is finally over and good luck everyone!

 

[GuyanaGirl]

I just called the 1800 number and asked them the status of my application, and it's still under examination. not even printed. I really hope it's ready by tomorrow.

I also have my doubts mine will be ready tomorrow . The lady at the counter that I dealt with said she will call if it’s not ready - which is unusual to hear considering I have to travel on Saturday due to a death in the family . She seemed skeptical that it could be true because I have mentioned several very legitimate travel needs coming up in the next few weeks …..as if I need to justify to her satisfaction my worthiness for a passport.

 

[Farnorthtrader]

Just an update, called the toll free line again today to check on status. Bit more of an issue as it took 83 calls today and just about an hour on hold, but they did confirm that the file has been transferred to Edmonton and is currently "under examination" and there are no notes to indicate that there is any problems with them, so they suggested that I should be able to go in on Thursday to pick them up. Again, no promises, but reassurance that everything is going as it should be. Fingers crossed, we will be to travel on Saturday

Good thing they aren't promising anything because anything they have told me has been proven wrong. Arrived at passport office at 7:30 this morning, put one kid in the main line up and went to the pick up line up with the other kid. Office opened at 8:30. Got in to see pick up agent by about 9. Pick up agent had no passports for us. Went into the back, presumably to talk to people who knew what they were doing. Came back and gave a us a priority line number (PR001!) to talk to a transfer officer. Called my kid out of the main line (she was just about to the door to go in to be sorted). Sat waiting for an hour for our priority number to be called. Hurrah, there it is! Excitedly rushed up to the window, show her my papers. She says "is this a transfer?" Why yes, yes, it is. She does not handle transfers and she can't have anyone who handles transfers deal with me. I have to go stand in the line that my other kid was in that I pulled her out of. Nobody cares that they have given us the run around for the last hour and a half. Go back to the main line again, wait another hour and a half. Get a number for transfers (98). Get taken to a large windowless room in the basement. Wait another two hours. Get taken back up to the main floor to another large windowless room. Wait another 2 and half hours, last numbers called are in the low 50s. Everybody else has to come back tomorrow. We get return tucket number 31. Theoretically, we will get in and get passports produced tomorrow in time for our departure on Saturday. Starting to lose faith (and my sanity)
Seems like they are mostly just trying to make sure that no long lines are apparent for the media to see by hiding us in various rooms around the building, rather than trying to actually make the system work better

 

[ReyZar]

Hi everyone, how did you send your passport application? Canada Post with tracking? I want to send my documents next week and wondering what's the safest and fastest way.

Thanks!

 

[CaptBasil]

Hi everyone, how did you send your passport application? Canada Post with tracking? I want to send my documents next week and wondering what's the safest and fastest way.

Thanks!

I sent mine via Xpresspost for tracking number and I added a signature option. I think it was 19 dollars total. Very fast. But this was back in April….

 

[LoganInTheSpaxe]

Hey guys! Anyone know how many transfer are passport office doing everyday? If I have an appointment and going there at 1pm next week, do I have any luck to get my application to be transferred? Thank You

 

[Farnorthtrader]

Hey guys! Anyone know how many transfer are passport office doing everyday? If I have an appointment and going there at 1pm next week, do I have any luck to get my application to be transferred? Thank You

They got through 67 numbers at Edmonton office today. I would guess that would be somewhere between 80 and `100 passports