My Experience at the Kitchener Passport Office

[dsneygirl]

I know there have been many threads about long waits etc so I thought I would post my experience this morning. I got in line about 8:30 for an 8:45 opening. I was probably at least the 75th person in line. Before they opened the doors a woman came down the line saying to have all your info out and they would do a brief check as you got your number to avoid waiting in line and being turned away. Then she says "If you are travelling more than 6 weeks from now and can pay by Credit Card we can take you in this line..." So I jump over there and become the 6th person in line. I was out by 9:05. I saw people in line behind me were just getting in the door to get their number. I imagine my wait would have been 60-90min. However they had 17 windows open and were flying through the applications.

I have no idea if this is standard procedure or they only do it right at opening but I was ecstatic. Even happier when DS's only cost $22.

 

[son3disfan]

I know there have been many threads about long waits etc so I thought I would post my experience this morning. I got in line about 8:30 for an 8:45 opening. I was probably at least the 75th person in line. Before they opened the doors a woman came down the line saying to have all your info out and they would do a brief check as you got your number to avoid waiting in line and being turned away. Then she says "If you are travelling more than 6 weeks from now and can pay by Credit Card we can take you in this line..." So I jump over there and become the 6th person in line. I was out by 9:05. I saw people in line behind me were just getting in the door to get their number. I imagine my wait would have been 60-90min. However they had 17 windows open and were flying through the applications.

I have no idea if this is standard procedure or they only do it right at opening but I was ecstatic. Even happier when DS's only cost $22.

?????
How can they charge $22 for something that costs $37 ?
That would worry me. Was it a renewal?
It would be a shame if you did not receive your childs passport due to an error on their part.....

 

[dsneygirl]

No it was $22. It's $22 for under 3 and $37 for 3-5.
http://www.ppt.gc.ca/forms/pdfs/pptc046.pdf

 

[soupy11]

Wow, nice to hear that they are so pro-active and actually seem to have a sense of customer service. How odd!

 

[disneyfan2]

If only all the offices would do this would save alot of time. I hear some offices had over 600 people in line before 7AM , glad to hear you got through fast, did they tell you long until you receive it??

 

[dsneygirl]

If only all the offices would do this would save alot of time. I hear some offices had over 600 people in line before 7AM , glad to hear you got through fast, did they tell you long until you receive it??

Minimum 6 weeks which is why I was able to scoot the line. I assume the other 100 people were leaving in less than 6 weeks.

 

[NikP]

I know there have been many threads about long waits etc so I thought I would post my experience this morning. I got in line about 8:30 for an 8:45 opening. I was probably at least the 75th person in line. Before they opened the doors a woman came down the line saying to have all your info out and they would do a brief check as you got your number to avoid waiting in line and being turned away. Then she says "If you are travelling more than 6 weeks from now and can pay by Credit Card we can take you in this line..." So I jump over there and become the 6th person in line. I was out by 9:05. I saw people in line behind me were just getting in the door to get their number. I imagine my wait would have been 60-90min. However they had 17 windows open and were flying through the applications.

I have no idea if this is standard procedure or they only do it right at opening but I was ecstatic. Even happier when DS's only cost $22.

Can you please tell me where the Passport office in Kitchener is. I would like to go on Friday. Also, do all people that you are applying for need to be present? Did you fill out your forms on line first?

NikP

 

[RoyalCanadian]

The Passport office is in the Frederick Galleria office building at the corner of Frederick St. & Weber St. You do not need to have all applicants with you.

 

[dsneygirl]

But make sure you have their ID. The woman in front of me was trying to do her husbands and she did not have his ID. The website still lists it as being on the 6th floor but it is on the ground floor. There were many signs on the wall. I would be there by 8am.

I did not fill out the forms online as I was doing my infant son and you cannot do it online.

 

[alohamom]

We went Monday to Kitchener and had a good experience. We got there at 11:30 and were out by 1:30. So approx 2 hours including having to leave and come back because there were shadows on my husband's photo and it was "rejected". The person who helped us was great-she allowed us to just bring back a new photo and hand it to her, so long as it was that day. I spoke with the greeting officer and she said that people line up as early as 6:00am in order to be served first when they open at 8:45! I guess those are people trying to get it done before work. There was a young mom there with a toddler who got antsy, she eventually was allowing him to do just about anything to entertain himself-at one point he was licking the bottom of his boots!!!! Bottom line, bring a good book or magazine and pretend you are on the plane to Orlando!

 

[wee-haggis]

I went to the Whitby office last September and was thoroughly amazed at the speed courtesy and efficiency of the government staff. In and out in about 30 mins.The passport arrived in 10 days (exactly when they said).
the only reason folk are now standing in humungous lines and getting frustrated with the delivery time is because they are leaving it too late to apply ....its that simple !
There was ample warnings all over the newspapers .

 

[damo]

My daughter's boyfriend applied for his at the London office on Jan. 9 and got notice today to come and pick it up in the mail. They told him it would be ready on Feb. 1 and they were dead on.