Canadian Passport in person timeline
- Thread starter rhi
- Start date
No neither were contacted, except one reference had a missed phonecall that may have been from the office
Oh that’s great ! What’s the address for the sundance office and can you go in if you’re travelling within one week ?
Thank you
I recently got a passport under the new triage system and my experience is different than what a few users above said so you decide yourself who you would like to believe. Note that my first-hand experience is in Montreal so there is a possibility that it might be different in your area.
Basically, with the new triage system, you will be sent to a service canada (non-passport office) if you do not have a proof of travel for the next 14 days even if you have a reservation.
Thank you very much for your contribution. This is exactly my fear as well (being directed to a non-passport office Service Canada). Do you know if those processed by Service Canada (under the direction of passport office) gets processed on time or is it the months long wait like for every other Service Canada applicants? I really don't want to cut my passport application so close (i.e. the 48 hours) to my travel and it seems I have no choice in the matter.
This whole ordeal is hot mess.
When the passport office redirects an individual to Service Canada (non-passport office), the individual will receive a "ticket" so that he/she can bypass a queue at Service Canada. However, I believe (and I don't have first-hand experience here) that the processing time will be the same as normal Service Canada applicants (i.e., similar to mail-in applicants).
Note that there are a few things you could do if your trip is more than 14 days from your reservation date. You could book a refundable air ticket and show it as a proof of travel within 14 days. Alternatively, you could provide a self declaration letter attesting that you will travel within 14 days by car (and have a refundable hotel reservation as a support document). I heard that some passport offices don't even look at the proof of travel, but they examine it in detail when I applied for my passport.
Thank you for the suggestions. I will book a refundable hotel as a back up. Thanks once again.
-I did ours about a month and a half ago (?), which I think was before this new triage system but not certain.
Note, this experience WITH some proof of travel.
-Short form: I think if you go and line-up early in morning you have a very good chance of having your file taken that day. Not sure how it works with appointments.
-That said, I do not read the announcement the same as you do: it says, for those travelling between 3 and 45 days, that -
"Clients will be triaged on a first come, first-served basis, after those with urgent travel needs have been served, and as daily office capacity allows. Proof of travel is required for new application and status requests.
Clients that are not travelling urgently but within 45 days may be offered an appointment at a specified Service Canada Centre based on availability of appointments."
So the first part of this, that those not travelling within a few days, are served on a first-come, first-served basis. Which is basically how it worked before, that those that could show they're travelling soon 'jump the line'.
When I did this (travelling within 25 days as per the triage then) this basically meant that those who lined up very early were split, the perhaps half-dozen urgent were taken right away, about two-thirds travelling within 25 (now 45) days lined up, and those remaining (not travelling soon) were sent to service Canada. (I noticed that people were still showing up at eg 11 am and being told they could line up but may not make it in that day).
So again - sounds to me like this is less of a change than it sounds.
So the "may be offered an appointment at Service Canada" seems like a bit of a pressure valve if far too many people on a given day - or possibly for people who show up from out of town or something and can't return. (I admit I have no idea whether those files will be handled in time to get passports for their travel...)
Anyway, as above: I'd still say lining up early (eg 6.30 or 7 am) is best chance of getting it done with minimal time in line and getting your passport in about two weeks.
Thanks, @armoured for your detailed take on this. Like you said, you submitted yours about a month ago. However, the "new" triage protocol was implemented on the 26th/27th of June after the Montreal passport office debacle made the news and the new triage comes with the following cautionary note:
"We have new measures to help manage wait times at passport offices in Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. We’ll prioritize those who need a passport within 48 hours. We’ll make arrangements for people with longer term travel plans to be served at other locations"
I was on the Service Canada website every evening just so I can get an appointment because lining up at the passport office at 6-7 am is not viable for me. It just saddens me that all the time wasted to get an appointment will be for nothing if I end up being served at a regular Service Canada (as good as mail-in application) because I need the passport before the 15th.
Thanks once again for your suggestions.
Well, good luck. I stand by my comment that I think this is less of a change than it sounds, but the lack of appointments is an issue (understatement of the year). Unfortunately also the specifics of this policy are unclear and the communications a hot mess in general.
I note that when I did the morning line-up, we were done by about 9.30 am. So while it is inconvenient, it was actually not all that much in terms of a total time commitment.
It's for the busy passport offices like mississauga. For normal passport offices like London Hamilton they will entertain you even if it is more than 14 days but less than 45 days.
Current wait time for Toronto (estimate)
Client demand for passport services is currently high in this area.
Service Canada has added staff, streamlined procedures and increased processing capacity to help deal with this situation.
In this area, Service Canada has implemented new triage measures to provide a more intensive, client-specific approach for Canadians waiting in line for passport services. Staff are focused on clear communication to clients, prioritizing service to those with urgent travel needs within the following 24 to 48 hours. They will also be directing clients with longer term travel plans to the most appropriate service channels.
In the Greater Toronto Area, the triage is separated into three groups:
Travel within 24 to 48 hours
Travel within 3 to 45 days
Travel beyond 45 days (or with no specific travel date)
Travel within 24-48 hours as a priority
For travel within 24-48 hours, clients arriving on site will receive a ticket for service at one of the specialized passport sites in the Greater Toronto Area. Clients are prioritized for service related to their travel date. Proof of travel or need is required.
Please note: offices may adjust intake procedures depending on operational pressures that day.
Travel 3 to 45 days
Clients will be triaged on a first come, first-served basis, after those with urgent travel needs have been served, and as daily office capacity allows. Proof of travel is required for new application and status requests.
Clients that are not travelling urgently but within 45 days may be offered an appointment at a specified Service Canada Centre based on availability of appointments.
Proof of travel is required for new application and status requests.
Client demand for passport services is currently high in this area.
Service Canada has added staff, streamlined procedures and increased processing capacity to help deal with this situation.
In this area, Service Canada has implemented new triage measures to provide a more intensive, client-specific approach for Canadians waiting in line for passport services. Staff are focused on clear communication to clients, prioritizing service to those with urgent travel needs within the following 24 to 48 hours. They will also be directing clients with longer term travel plans to the most appropriate service channels.
In the Greater Toronto Area, the triage is separated into three groups:
Travel within 24 to 48 hours
Travel within 3 to 45 days
Travel beyond 45 days (or with no specific travel date)
Travel within 24-48 hours as a priority
For travel within 24-48 hours, clients arriving on site will receive a ticket for service at one of the specialized passport sites in the Greater Toronto Area. Clients are prioritized for service related to their travel date. Proof of travel or need is required.
Please note: offices may adjust intake procedures depending on operational pressures that day.
Travel 3 to 45 days
Clients will be triaged on a first come, first-served basis, after those with urgent travel needs have been served, and as daily office capacity allows. Proof of travel is required for new application and status requests.
Clients that are not travelling urgently but within 45 days may be offered an appointment at a specified Service Canada Centre based on availability of appointments.
Proof of travel is required for new application and status requests.