Canadian Passport - Mail-In Application Timelines

[princecharles77]

Today is exactly one month since they received my application. Called them yesterday and they said it is still under process!!! CC charged on 20 Nov. Is it normal?

yes, that's perfectly normal. you may want to check the status every 5 business days just to keep track of any changes. you're likely nearing the end since it looks like they charged you towards the end of your processing.

 

[princecharles77]

their online status request system must be overwhelmed, they just answered mine from 11 NOV today...

 

[rhi]

Oh jeez …. I called yesterday passport call centre and guy said your passport will take 6-8 week time to receive as our staff is busy. Even though he repeated that 6-8 week time is not confirmed and may take more than that. Call centre person also added that applying in person at Service Canada will be most delayed incomparable to all other ways to apply…
You cant trust even the service canada clerk as he printed on my receipt that expected mail out date is Dec 2 as I applied on Nov4.
Bloody waiting game starts again for me…..

 

[princecharles77]

Oh jeez …. I called yesterday passport call centre and guy said your passport will take 6-8 week time to receive as our staff is busy. Even though he repeated that 6-8 week time is not confirmed and may take more than that. Call centre person also added that applying in person at Service Canada will be most delayed incomparable to all other ways to apply…
You cant trust even the service canada clerk as he printed on my receipt that expected mail out date is Dec 2 as I applied on Nov4.
Bloody waiting game starts again for me…..

oh wow, sorry to hear that. I guess the only silver lining is that they tend to be very wrong about timeframes... so only time will tell for you, but I'm betting it'll be way faster than that.

 

[vatscm]

Hello all,

I filled our Passport applications without waiting for the delivery of Citizenship Certificates and therefore, while I have everything typed in the application (which auto generates the QR code on first page of the PDF), Citizenship Certificate field is empty.

I also got these signed by the guarantor. Will it be okay to fill up the citizenship certificate number by hand, once I get the certificates?
Or will Passport office (or Service Canada) say that either the entire application should be typed (so it can be scanned by them) or entire application should be hand written?

Has anyone been through this? Partially typed, partially handwritten application for Passport?

Please advise.

 

[princecharles77]

Hello all,

I filled our Passport applications without waiting for the delivery of Citizenship Certificates and therefore, while I have everything typed in the application (which auto generates the QR code on first page of the PDF), Citizenship Certificate field is empty.

I also got these signed by the guarantor. Will it be okay to fill up the citizenship certificate number by hand, once I get the certificates?
Or will Passport office (or Service Canada) say that either the entire application should be typed (so it can be scanned by them) or entire application should be hand written?

Has anyone been through this? Partially typed, partially handwritten application for Passport?

Please advise.

yes, that's fine as long as the handwritten info is legible. mine was also a combo of both as are most. good luck!

 

[vatscm]

yes, that's fine as long as the handwritten info is legible. mine was also a combo of both as are most. good luck!

Such a relief to know this. Thank you so much for sharing!!

 

[keypad]

I am preparing my passport application and need some clarification on the following.

1. Page 3 - Section 7(B) - Is it mandatory to provide the employer's telephone? Is it okay if we left this blank?
2. Page 3 - Section 9 - The form says that the emergency contact information is optional. Does anyone have any experience of leaving this blank?
3. Do we need to print all pages of the application including guidelines or just the first three pages will suffice?

 

[bluecheese123]

well everybody, today was the day! I finally got my passport! so here's my timeline for anyone applying by mail from the US...

10/23/2021: Mailed off app to my guarantor in Canada.
10/28/2021: Guarantor mailed off my app to Passport Canada via Canada Post Xpresspost.
10/29/2021: App was delivered to Passport Canada Gatineau office.
11/03/2021: CC was charged.
11/11/2021: Submitted an online status request. [this was never answered]
11/12/2021: Phoned Passport Canada. Agent said it was too early to obtain the status. Agent said it could take 3 months to get a passport.
11/17/2021: Phoned Passport Canada. Obtained my file number and they said they needed my physical work address and this was delaying the processing of my application. I gave them the information and they said this would start the clock for my application; i.e. 20 business days or new due date of 12/15/2021.
11/19/2021: Phoned Passport Canada to check my status again to ensure that everything was on track for completion. They said that no new information would be needed and the agent processing the app would call if there were any other questions or concerns.
11/24/2021: Phoned Passport Canada to check my status. My passport was approved and sent for printing. They said I could call in a week to check on the tracking numbers.
11/25/2021: My passport and proof of citizenship were sent to me via Canada Post / FedEx to my US address.
11/26/2021: Phoned Passport Canada for my tracking numbers and received them.
11/29/2021: Received my passport and proof of citizenship.

total time: 20 business days after they received my app in their mail room.
total phone calls: 5 calls to Passport Canada

lessons learned:

1. Be sure to phone as soon as it has been 10 business days since your app was delivered to their mail room for a status report. You will learn about any missing information that you can correct. And if it is info you have to fax it will take around 5 business days for it to show up in the system... so good to be ahead on this and early; as I've seen with a family member who applied at the same time and is still dealing with this issue.
2. Phone 5 business days after each time you have corrected something to ensure that there is nothing else and that the item you corrected has been resolved.
3. Despite their promises of phoning you to ask about missing info or clarification they don't seem to do that and your app will be delayed unnecessarily; as has been my experience.
4. Phoning at the moment they open is fantastic because you get right through to someone immediately; i.e. at 7:30am Eastern time.
5. My app probably would have been finished and my passport have been delivered to me by 14 days if I had not had that initial physical work address issue that I did not know about for 9 business days after they charged my CC and never called about.
6. Agents will give you some pretty bad information about timeframes. As you can see, if I had listened to them and waited a week I never would have gotten tracking numbers and with my proof of citizenship in the packet I wanted to know where it was at all times; paranoid I guess. *smile* Also if I had listened to them initially, the first agent told me it could take 3 months for a passport. They all said an agent would phone if they had questions or issues and they never did, even when they saw there was an issue when they charged my CC. So, follow your instincts and phone them more than you think you should to find out what you need to know sooner rather than later.

I hope all this helps you all have smooth experiences! Overall it went pretty smooth, just that one hiccup for me and a lot more phoning to stay on top of it than I had planned, but it all worked out and I finally have my infallible proof of citizenship and am so grateful! Oh and as far as I am aware, none of my references nor my guarantor were contacted.

Hi, when mailing from the US, I understand the guarantor must be a Canadian citizen but can the two references be of someone from the US?
I assume you didn't select urgent processing, correct?
Assuming you are in the US on some visa and I-94, how did you update the I-94 after receiving the new Canadian passport?

Thank you!

 

[M_Bd]

In that case you can go on passport canada website and request for an in person appointment also mention you have flight ticket. They will call you within 2 business days to book an appointment and you get to select whichever location is closest or convenient for you. This way you dont waste your time going to an office to see if they accept to let you in or not as many of them act differently and might suddenly change their process.

Well, I applied in-person for my passport as walk-in, so walk-in works. Thanks

 

[Ace2000]

Hello all,

I filled our Passport applications without waiting for the delivery of Citizenship Certificates and therefore, while I have everything typed in the application (which auto generates the QR code on first page of the PDF), Citizenship Certificate field is empty.

I also got these signed by the guarantor. Will it be okay to fill up the citizenship certificate number by hand, once I get the certificates?
Or will Passport office (or Service Canada) say that either the entire application should be typed (so it can be scanned by them) or entire application should be hand written?

Has anyone been through this? Partially typed, partially handwritten application for Passport?

Please advise.

Hi,
I did exactly the same and recently have received my Passport, so nothing to worry.
Good Luck!

 

[Tobyvan94]

After they charged your credit card that means you passport application is approved/completed and send it to print? Or that means that they just started reviewing your application and still might have some requests/problems?

 

[mandhaata]

Hi,
I did exactly the same and recently have received my Passport, so nothing to worry.
Good Luck!

thanks for sharing.

 

[vatscm]

Hi,
I did exactly the same and recently have received my Passport, so nothing to worry.
Good Luck!

That’s great. Thanks for letting know.

 

[Ace2000]

After they charged your credit card that means you passport application is approved/completed and send it to print? Or that means that they just started reviewing your application and still might have some requests/problems?

As per my conversation with the agent over the phone, once the credit card has been charged they will not return the application but they can still ask for some missing information or if they need any clarification.