Canadian Passport in person timeline

[afelixrg]

I became a citizen in April and I applied on May 18th in Ajax, ON, for my first Canadian passport. So far I haven't heard anything back.

According to the website https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/passport/statistics.html, they haven't worked on any application from the backlog in the last couple of weeks. Why?

 

[afelixrg]

I applied in person on May 4th and nothing yet!!

It seems they are not processing the passports from the backlog.

 

[ProntoTiny]

Hello, new to passport forum. I have a booked appointment with Vancouver Sinclair Office at a designated time. It asked me to arrive no more than 10 minutes early.

Questions:
1. when I arrive, do I just jump ahead of the queue and check in?
2. how long does it take for the interview roughly?

 

[callmebyyourname]

Hey guys,

A little update on my end.

Finally, I got my passport on Aug 26 after 2 weeks of waiting.

When I arrived at 3 PM, there is a long line of 20 people in the waiting room.
By 3:30 PM, they brought us to the pickup counter.
I was out by 3:40 with the passport.
And lastly, I requested a full refund for the paid Air Canada ticket earlier.

Thanks god, finally, the painful journey has been fully completed.
Good luck everyone.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sharing my experience as a walk-in one at North York Passport Office (4900 Yonge St) on Aug 12, 2022.

Mine was an adult application for me only.
- Application
- Driver's license.
- Citizenship certificate
- 2 photos
- 1-way 100% refundable ticket with the travel date on Sep 15, 2022. (I will refund this after receiving my passport.)


On the board notice, they said to prioritize those who are traveling on Aug 19, 2022.

• Lined up at 5:30 am and was the 20th in line.
• Around 7:30 am, a security guard opened the main door and allow us to line up on the 2nd floor. There are around 60 people in line at that time.
• Around 8 am, they brought the first 25th on the line to the 3rd floor to the waiting room. At the waiting room entrance, the agent gave us a numbered paper token and verbally asked us whether all required documents are with us. And he didn't check any documents.
• Around 8:15 am, they brought us to another room where they would check our documents. There are only 2 counters for checking-up and 1 for returning in this room.
• By 8:30, 2 staff showed up.
• I waited until 9:10 for my turn. Then they checked and clipped on all required documents, after that, they gave me another numbered ticket (mine is N015) and asked me to go straight to the passport service room.
• In the passport service room, there are 17 counters but only 7-8 opened. The guards were so nice, that he went around and asked if you need water.
• Around 9:45, they called my number. They checked my documents and returns everything except the application.
• I was out around 9:55 with the receipt for a pick-up on Aug 26.

It was mostly 4.5 hours but I finally got it.
Can't wait to see the passport in the next 2 weeks.

 

[inameiname]

Hi Everyone

My wife submitted Canadian passport request, in-person @ Service Canada on April/20/2022. Unfortunately, Since then we haven't heard any updates from service Canada. We submitted for update using the tracking # on the receipt but it just says " we will get back to you". Can you please help/guide on what to do now. Its been over 17 weeks and still no update.

I am confused, some people mentioned to contact MP others says to go to Service Ontario with the proof of travelling like ticket or room booking.

We are in the same boat as you. April applicants, who have heard nothing. Had we known Passport Canada will backlog even in-person at Passport Office applications to 20+ weeks, we would have done things differently. Hopefully, the waiting alone would eventually warrant them speeding up the processing, with or without travel plans.

As for the possibility of speeding things up, both ways you mentioned have proved helpful for others in this thread. You will probably need travel plans regardless, and could try both options if you wish. There are template emails on this thread you can use to email your local MP. They will probably ask if you have any travel plans to warrant expediting the processing of your application, so better to have something lined up. Also, you could try contacting a Service Canada/Ontario again and ask them to expedite processing due to the updated travel plans. Given the time you have already waited is well beyond their normal processing times, they should not charge you for the updated urgency on the processing of your application. At least, that is what they had written on their website.

 

[Tommy2581]

Hello Everyone, Can I apply for passport in-person on behalf of my spouse and kid (family application)? or do they need to be present with me to apply? I am planning to apply in-person and go early to stand in the queue so if they don't have to stand long hours, that would be great.

 

[Kashmira89]

ii All,

For fresh passport application, the photo studio has stamped behind the picture snd the stamp has sentence” I certify this to be true likeliness of “ . Is it okay if I just type the name and my guarantor signs it with date. Or do I have to rewrite that sentence?

 

[flystar2]

Officer at a reception desks are so weird.

I went to a Passport Canada in person 3 times and denied for submitting application by reception after 2 hours waiting.
I wasn't even able to submit application, because of the reception officer pointing out at what they think it's an error.

At the first visit, I showed them my foreign passport and medicare card and they asks more ID.

the second, They blocked me for the reason that the relation with my references are friend. not boss from work or teacher from university.
(Reference can be anyone who knows me for 2 years, except relatives or guarantor, not need to be a boss or professor. can be friend)

the third, even the officer who arrange appointments for application didn't accept my proof of travel asking me,

"Where are you sleeping? Do you have hotel reservation? Where is your return ticket?"

I answered

"A ticket for departure is not enough as proof?" and they who just make appointment for application in person strongly said "No."

I told them that once I get my passport then I will decide where to stay. (Why do I have to pay while they don't let me in, they want me in bankrupcy??)

I cannot even reach the officer who will process my application, there are so many agents to go through putting additional conditions to
my eligibility!!

Looks like I've been trapped in Canada. They want me to give up my citizenship

hold On hold on - this sounds waaaay too ludicrous even for Canada. Because let’s face it Canadian workers at federal locations have indeed lost their minds but this takes it to a new level. The application CLEARLY states the reference can be someone you know for at least two years. What if you don’t work or don’t go to university? Then how can this reference be a teacher or a boss?? And the ID you presented was again within the exact rules and requirements of the application.
So either you are spreading misinformation, or this is a situation where you need to lodge a formal complaint on this dickhead who did that to you unjustifiably might I add

 

[asm314]

Has anyone been to the Vancouver Service Canada Centre at the Sinclair building recently for a passport application? Curious about the wait times there.

 

[asm314]

In

Officer at a reception desks are so weird.

I went to a Passport Canada in person 3 times and denied for submitting application by reception after 2 hours waiting.
I wasn't even able to submit application, because of the reception officer pointing out at what they think it's an error.

At the first visit, I showed them my foreign passport and medicare card and they asks more ID.

the second, They blocked me for the reason that the relation with my references are friend. not boss from work or teacher from university.
(Reference can be anyone who knows me for 2 years, except relatives or guarantor, not need to be a boss or professor. can be friend)

the third, even the officer who arrange appointments for application didn't accept my proof of travel asking me,

"Where are you sleeping? Do you have hotel reservation? Where is your return ticket?"

I answered

"A ticket for departure is not enough as proof?" and they who just make appointment for application in person strongly said "No."

I told them that once I get my passport then I will decide where to stay. (Why do I have to pay while they don't let me in, they want me in bankrupcy??)

I cannot even reach the officer who will process my application, there are so many agents to go through putting additional conditions to
my eligibility!!

Looks like I've been trapped in Canada. They want me to give up my citizenship

What location did you apply from?

 

[Swift Turtle]

Hello everyone,

I submitted a mail-in passport application on August 10, 2022 and I noticed that the application processing fee was applied to my credit card on August 30, 2022.

Does the fact that they've already charged my credit card suggest that Service Canada has already started processing my application? Can anyone please tell me how much longer the process may take at this stage?

Thank you very much in advance .

 

[ashbak]

ii All,

For fresh passport application, the photo studio has stamped behind the picture snd the stamp has sentence” I certify this to be true likeliness of “ . Is it okay if I just type the name and my guarantor signs it with date. Or do I have to rewrite that sentence?

Just have your gaurantor sign it. You don’t need to type a name or rewrite the sentence again. It already should have the date so don’t need to add date again. And do it only for 1 picture.

 

[ashbak]

Sharing my experience as a walk-in at Whitby Passport Office on Aug 30,2022.

2 adult applications, travel date Sept 30,2022: Lined up at 9 am and there were around 30 people ahead of us. The security guards came and told everyone in line to have proof of travel ready otherwise their applications will not be entertained. The proof of travel had to be before Nov 4 for applying on that day.
Around 10:30am, they brought us inside where they checked our documents and gave us a waiting number. They also highlighted our travel date on the form. They were sending back anyone who dint have a travel document. There were only 3 counters open at that time and were processing applications. We waited until 11:45am for our turn. They checked our documents including only one way flight ticket and returned everything except the application and photos. We were out around 12:30pm with the receipt for a pick-up on Sept 14 (standard pickup, paid 20$ extra).
It was mostly 4 hours but atleast we get to collect the passport in the next 2 weeks.

 

[asm314]

I can share my experience for Vancouver, Sinclair Building.

1 adult application, 10 year validity
Driver's license for ID
Travel date: October 2nd - October 6th

Lined up at 5.45 AM outside the building. When I arrived 8 people were ahead of me.

They let us in at 7AM. The guards were really nice. They handed out face masks, water bottles and additional paper applications in case anyone needed them. We had to wait outside the waiting room for Triage Process.

Then the triaging process begins, where an agent will rank you into groups based on travel dates. They do ask for a proof of travel document to be shown, but it doesn't look like they are very strict in checking the documents (at least for me). During the triage, the agent will give you a token and assign you a category. I was put under "Dropbox" category - don't know what it means. Urgent cases seemed to fall under "White Paper" category. After the Triage, the guard takes note of my token number and I was seated inside the waiting area around 8AM.

Some folks can use the washroom and grab a coffee if they like during the wait. As long as you have the token, you can go outside and get refreshed. It won't affect your order in the queue.

At 8.30AM sharp, they started taking groups of 15 amongst the Dropbox category. They take you to the passport service waiting area (where the agents are). The agents will call you by queue order. I was first so I started my process at 8.35AM and was out by 8.40AM by the time the agent had verified my application (just checked citizenship cert and driver's license, phots and application details) and payment was done. I opted for the priority mail option to receive my passport.

Overall a smooth process.

 

[inameiname]

Looks like they are processing April applicants.

We are April 25th applicants who finally received our passports (separately, yesterday and today). Glad to have that over.