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Canadian Passport - Mail-In Application Timelines

rajkamalmohanram

VIP Member
Apr 29, 2015
15,803
5,786
Replying to my own post.

I have an official response now from Passport Canada that References can be in our outside USA or Canada. So, I'm not sure why an agent has rejected it with a handwritten note saying exactly the opposite. I will be filing an official complaint.
Yeah this sucks. I'm sorry. Please do file a complaint - this is just a waste of your time.

Also, try to find a center that accepts walk-in applications and submit the application in-person. It is so much better than submitting the application by mail.
 
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bellaluna

VIP Member
May 23, 2014
7,405
1,781
Replying to my own post.

I have an official response now from Passport Canada that References can be in our outside USA or Canada. So, I'm not sure why an agent has rejected it with a handwritten note saying exactly the opposite. I will be filing an official complaint.
Lazy, ignorant agent. Indeed, there is no instruction anywhere that the references have to be in the US or Canada only. Good luck with the complaint.

Bad luck with you there. Not as lucky as the friend of a poster who got their passport without any guarantor or declaration.
 

lifein360

Hero Member
Jan 23, 2016
799
208
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
AOR Received.
Jan 17, 2017
Med's Done....
Feb 20, 2017
Passport Req..
Mar 20, 2017
VISA ISSUED...
Mar 24, 2017
LANDED..........
Apr 23, 2017
You'll have to fill this form up =>

https://eservices.canada.ca/en/service/

Under "Passport Services", check "If you would like to apply in person, select this option. A representative will contact you to schedule an in-person appointment." option. Someone will contact you within 2 business days and they'll be able to book an appointment for you!
Did that already. I was wondering if they give you options for when/where you can go based on your schedule and availability or do they just dictate a time/place themselves?
 

devse

Member
Mar 3, 2017
13
4
Lazy, ignorant agent. Indeed, there is no instruction anywhere that the references have to be in the US or Canada only. Good luck with the complaint.

Bad luck with you there. Not as lucky as the friend of a poster who got their passport without any guarantor or declaration.
This whole process of applying for a Canadian passport has been a terrible experience. This requirement of a guarantor and references makes absolutely no sense when they have granted citizenship through an application and conducted all checks and have our photographs on file. Even more ridiculous is the requirement for references when renewing a Canadian passport, does it really make any sense that some third party needs to vouch that we are who we are when we already hold a valid Canadian passport which we want to renew?

I am a dual citizen and hold nationality of an EU country as well. My other citizenship country's process is so well organized and even when renewing our passport here within Canada, we don't even need to send in new photographs or references, we just go to the embassy and they take our picture themselves and fingerprint us and verify our identity on site.

Hoping for the best now, I have received responses from Passport Canada's Twitter handle and they seem to be quick to respond actually.
 

masood8

Hero Member
Oct 3, 2013
722
161
Toronto
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
LONDON
NOC Code......
3131
App. Filed.......
10-01-2011
Doc's Request.
20-03-2011
IELTS Request
Along File
Med's Request
05-11-2013
Med's Done....
10-12-2013
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
PPR1 05-10-2014 & PPR2 17-11-2014 (Submitted: 18-02-2015)
VISA ISSUED...
13-02-2015
LANDED..........
29-June-2015
Submitted walk-in application at Service Canada Gerrard square.
Application date: August 20, 2021
Was told 4-5 weeks to receive by Canada post.
 
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issteven

Hero Member
Jan 2, 2014
673
201
This whole process of applying for a Canadian passport has been a terrible experience. This requirement of a guarantor and references makes absolutely no sense when they have granted citizenship through an application and conducted all checks and have our photographs on file. Even more ridiculous is the requirement for references when renewing a Canadian passport, does it really make any sense that some third party needs to vouch that we are who we are when we already hold a valid Canadian passport which we want to renew?

I am a dual citizen and hold nationality of an EU country as well. My other citizenship country's process is so well organized and even when renewing our passport here within Canada, we don't even need to send in new photographs or references, we just go to the embassy and they take our picture themselves and fingerprint us and verify our identity on site.

Hoping for the best now, I have received responses from Passport Canada's Twitter handle and they seem to be quick to respond actually.
I believe a British passport also needs a guarantor. mainly quite a lot ISIS fighters captured hold UK or Canada passports :)
 

devse

Member
Mar 3, 2017
13
4
I believe a British passport also needs a guarantor. mainly quite a lot ISIS fighters captured hold UK or Canada passports :)
Maybe true, however, I do not think this requirement is actually something which has been introduced because of this specific problem. They probably need to introduce more secure measures on the passports (like biometrics on passports) if this is the case, because, renewals, for example, require only references and not a guarantor, and references, don't really have to be Canadian citizens. So, this actually means a non-Canadian's "word of mouth" is accepted over a Canadian's request for passport renewal when holding an existing passport. I still don't get it, but my understanding is probably not that important for whoever has created this requirement.
 

nathaniel_d

Star Member
Jul 29, 2020
168
101
Hi All,
Happy to share. Finally collected passport from st catherine office. Thanks to Raj and Everyone for helping, to achieve this milestone during long journey. I am yet to follow up with CIC for my wife's application. Not sure, where it is, and we have similar travel history. But, Still CIC is CIC. Her application is in process from June 2020.

On the otherside, I am happy at least, the process for myself and children were completed. Again, thank you everyone.
 

rajkamalmohanram

VIP Member
Apr 29, 2015
15,803
5,786
Hi all,

Is there a way to track the progress of your passport application after submission?
For mail-in applications - NO (but I think if you call them, they might tell you something). For In-Person applications, pickup date is mentioned on the pickup slip if you submitted it at a passport office and chose a pickup service.
 
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Jakev

Champion Member
Sep 22, 2017
1,261
639
NOC Code......
0114 and 0125
AOR Received.
14-11-2017
I submitted a complaint yesterday via the form, and the outcome was overly positive- they called us back in a couple of hours, and apologized profusely on the delay. They updated us that the credit card has been now charged, and we should receive the passport in a day or two. Yay !

Background: Newborn passport application delivered on 13 July. Document sent was just the long form birth certificate.
 
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Daps

Full Member
May 12, 2012
31
12
Hello Peeps,
I posted out passport applications yesterday but only realized this morning that we did not sign the parent or legal guardian sections of our child's application. Anyone got this experience before?

Thanks.
 

bellaluna

VIP Member
May 23, 2014
7,405
1,781
Hello Peeps,
I posted out passport applications yesterday but only realized this morning that we did not sign the parent or legal guardian sections of our child's application. Anyone got this experience before?

Thanks.
Not a direct experience, but signatures are a huge deal. I think it’s likely you’ll get that application without signatures returned.