I know it sounds superficial, but I really love the old passport design with larger coat of arms. Also I love the fact that the old one doesn't bend from humidity and just looks very tasteful. Are they still being handed out by any passport offices? How can I attempt to get the older design? Thanks!
Are old passport designs still being handed out?
- Thread starter wizardofwest90210
- Start date
That doesn't seem likely:
" As of June 18, 2023, we started to issue the new passports. Until we finish installing the printers for the new passports in all offices, you may still get the current passport when you apply. By spring 2024, we’ll only be issuing the new passports. "
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/new-passport-features.html
" As of June 18, 2023, we started to issue the new passports. Until we finish installing the printers for the new passports in all offices, you may still get the current passport when you apply. By spring 2024, we’ll only be issuing the new passports. "
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/new-passport-features.html
Meaning if they only issue the new ones after June 19, 2024 (summer starts on June 20), they are on time.
However, the Government of Canada has an odd way of keeping time. They promised online renewals "by fall 2023", however online renewals are still not available and they haven't updated that announcement by providing a new date. Accordingly, if will be fall 2023 whenever they get around to upgrading all printers and phasing out the old passport stock. Interestingly, they originally wanted to launch online applications in November 2015 but put that on hold indefinitely.
There is a chance, they might continue issuing the old design randonly for a ahile longer until they completely run out of existing stock.
One thing that is forgotten is to never forget the speed of bureaucracy. Canada was supposed to have online passport renewal by now, it's still missing in action with no updated time of arrival.
(Not a jab at Canada - online passport renewal was 5+ years in the US, and even in the US it was a limited pilot that they've now "paused"; similarly, mobile driver's licenses in New York are in limbo with no ETA).
Anyways, looking at a reddit thread from 11 days ago, various people report applying Mid March, receiving in April, and it seems to be about 50/50 on whether the person got the old or new design.
I'd say it doesn't really matter unless you really want the new polycarbonate data page for durability on that end, but I've also heard that the cover is much more prone to curling/damage in the newer passport design because the biometric electronic chip was moved out of the cover (as it was in the old design) into the polycarbonate data page (new design). Or you really prefer the art in one design or the other...
(Not a jab at Canada - online passport renewal was 5+ years in the US, and even in the US it was a limited pilot that they've now "paused"; similarly, mobile driver's licenses in New York are in limbo with no ETA).
Anyways, looking at a reddit thread from 11 days ago, various people report applying Mid March, receiving in April, and it seems to be about 50/50 on whether the person got the old or new design.
I'd say it doesn't really matter unless you really want the new polycarbonate data page for durability on that end, but I've also heard that the cover is much more prone to curling/damage in the newer passport design because the biometric electronic chip was moved out of the cover (as it was in the old design) into the polycarbonate data page (new design). Or you really prefer the art in one design or the other...
The old one definitely looks more "passporty" and tasteful the new one looks like a booklet. My two pennies worth hah!
My pic of the new design is just front and back of the cover together. It's still the classic passport size.
Most of the objection to the new design comes with the reduction of the size of the coat of arms and the reduction of color especially the photo on the bio page being black & white.
So this is what one guy at photo center was saying the new passport looks more black and whiteNew:
Old:
The data page is similar to the US NextGen passport and the New York Driver License/State ID - it's laser etched polycarbonate. Some lament the lack of color, but it's extremely secure, tamper proof (you can't mess with existing identification to alter it), and incorporates advanced security features. Even with knowledge of the security features the equipment isn't openly available and it's $$$$ which deters fraud. Issuing authorities of ID will also point out that the photo being black and white means people pay less attention to things like hair color (if it changes or one changes/starts dyeing it) and more on general facial appearance.
The real win is a polycarbonate ID page is extremely hard to damage - yes, at extremes, you could crack it, but in general the handling of inserting it into a passport kiosk or bending the corner in your pocket or having rain droplets get on your ID page won't damage the bio page. Yes your passport is still a sensitive document that should be handled with care to avoid damage, but the page most likely to get damaged is your ID page. While it's less colorful, the new passport design having a polycarbonate ID page makes damage to that page far less likely...
Quick Question - Are they giving passports with the new design throughout canada or still the old design is being given ?
It's been well over a year. At this point, the old stock should be depleted. But there is never any guarantee and the likely reason we still kept seeing the old design for so long was that the old printers were a lot slower than the new ones and could each only print a few dozen passports a day.
Do we get a choice to pick the new vs old while applying for the passport? I mean, if the old one is supposedly more durable, then I'd most certainly prefer it!
No, there is no choice and never was. Unless some office still has a few of the old books and the old printers, no one is going to get the old ones anymore.
Also, the old was is/was not more durable; its thicker cover just made it was less likely to bend due to humidity (no big deal, you can bend it back). The new polycarbonate bio page is much more durable than that the paper one of the old.
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