Passport Expired

[rucy]

Hi

I'm wonder if anyone can help me. I just received a letter which says my application has been transferred to the CIC in Etobicoke for further assessment on March 3 2012. And my passport and extended visitor visa will expired on March 26 2012.

My questions are:
-How long does it take for them to contact me?
-Should i send my passport to my country to extend it now, but it takes more than a week to send to my country, and take time to extend it, and send it back here. So if i send it now, and if the CIC contact me during that time, what should i do if i don't have my passport with me?
-If I get my passport extended, but the CIC hasn't contacted me before my extended visitor visa expires, how can I extend my visitor visa?

It would be wonderful and I would be very thankful if someone can give me some advices!

 

[sakamath]

You have not mentioned what type of application you have made. Is it for PR or just extending the visitor visa?

First - You have to extend/renew your passport. If you are planning to extend the visit visa, the validity of the visa would be limited to the expiry date of your passport (if that is less than 6 months). To extend/renew your passport, first try to contact your country's consulate/embassy here in Canada. They may be able to extend/renew your passport here itself - without having the need to send your passport to your home country. As soon as you receive your renewed passport, send a copy of it to CIC Etobicoke - since this passport would have a different number.

Not sure what happens if you do not hear from CIC before your visa expires. You may contact the CIC Call Center and get more specific answers from them.

 

[robrod]

I got my expired passport renewed here in Canada at the Consulate.
Yours can't be renewed here?

 

[computergeek]

Depending upon the country, you can renew at your countries Embassy/Consulate OR you can engage the services of an expediter. I travel extensively for work, so the last time I renewed my passport I sent it to an expediter - sent it on Monday, had it back on Wednesday. I paid extra for it (something like $200 extra) but as far as I'm concerned that's cheap in comparison to the hassle of not having my passport. Last year I needed to send my passport out for a visa (15 BUSINESS days to process) which would have left me in a difficult situation because I was also traveling back and forth between the US and Canada at the same time, so I ordered a second US passport (good for two years). Again, I used an expediter, so I had my second passport back two days after I send them all the paperwork.

Not all countries will do that, but the US does, at least.

Renewing almost anything on a soon-to-expire passport is problematic, so I'd renew my passport as quickly as possible (I generally renew when there's less than 6 months to go, as many countries won't even allow you to enter unless your passport is good for 3-6 months into the future.)

Good luck!

 

[sakamath]

Renewing almost anything on a soon-to-expire passport is problematic, so I'd renew my passport as quickly as possible (I generally renew when there's less than 6 months to go, as many countries won't even allow you to enter unless your passport is good for 3-6 months into the future.)

+1 on that

 

[rucy]

Thanks sakamath

Now i'm under spouse family class sponsoring. I came from Cambodia. I came here as a visitor, and then got married with my husband here in canada last year. And hung in the sponsoring application, and Change Conditions/Extend Your Stay in Canada application(visitor visa form, coz my visitor visa was expired after i got married) since last year. they received my application on 1st april 2011. Few months later i got my extention visitor visa. On March 3nd 2012, they sent my application to CIC in Etobicoke for further assessment.

-Now i don't know how long does it take for CIC in Etobicoke to contact me? Is there anyone under spouse sponsoring, and got this letter too?
-I've searched on internet, and found out there is no Cambodia embassy or consultant, only in Washington, D.C. So i think i'll send to my country is better.
-But now i don't know should i send my passport to my country now, or waiting for the CIC in Etobicoke to contact me first?But when will they contact me?Will they contact me before my vistor visa expired? My visitor visa and my passport expired at the same day which is 26th March 2012.

 

[sakamath]

While I do not have answers to all your questions, here's what I found:

Cambodian Embassy in Canada:
North Vancouver
903 - 168 Chadwick Court
North Vancouver,
British Columbia, V7M 3L4,
Canada
Telephone (604) 980-1718
Fax (604) 988-1765

I got this address from http://w03.international.gc.ca/Protocol-Protocole/Consular-Consulats.aspx?lang=eng#
which claims to update the data on a daily basis, so it should be fairly accurate. Try calling the number above and ask them if they can help you renew your passport. Sending the passport to BC (or even Washington) would faster than sending it to Cambodia for several reasons (a) Embassies deal with a smaller subset of applications than the home country hence their turnaround time would be quicker. (b) mail would faster, more reliable and perhaps cheaper too.

My view is, living in a foreign country with an expired passport is a very risky choice to make. I would keep a copy of the application to renew the passport along with the copy of the passport (which is due to expire), so that I could include that if CIC Etobicoke contacts me before I get my passport back. Having a valid reason and proof to support it would convince the visa officer about your situation and may take it into consideration while processing your file.

 

[leo77]

I had exactly the same problem,

i sent away for my passport right away (u.k)

on my online application to update my visitor visa i put that i was waiting for my new passport to return

the nice lady at the processing office phoned and left my application unprocessed for a certain time and told me to fax my updated passport as soon as a recieved

after lots of worry and faxing her the updated passport she gave me 2 years on this visitors visa to sort out my pr sponsorship.

hope this helps