New Passport Through Mail

[azrivest]

It does speed the process if you choose pick or choose the express option. Basically the turnaround time on average is 7 business days from when you submit the application in person if you choose the pick up option. They say ten days but doesn't usually talk that long. Really the worst case scenario is you pay 100 dollars and get it the next day if you happen to be in a rush

Is this in normal times or right now?


A colleague had to renew his DD's passport for their flight 7 days later, and they were warned they would only get it 2 business days in advance, even if the passport was ready.

 

[bcwife76]

Well finally got to submit my DD(13)'s application today at my local Service Canada office. Boy was I glad to have an appointment! Long line waiting outside to get in, got a few withering stares as I stood in the "appointment only" line lol Apparently today the wait was about 2 1/2 hours with no appt and 5 hours yesterday!

 

[wdwmom3]

Well finally got to submit my DD(13)'s application today at my local Service Canada office. Boy was I glad to have an appointment! Long line waiting outside to get in, got a few withering stares as I stood in the "appointment only" line lol Apparently today the wait was about 2 1/2 hours with no appt and 5 hours yesterday!

Kind of like the states you get as you walk by everyone in the standby line when using fast pass lol.

 

[bcwife76]

Kind of like the states you get as you walk by everyone in the standby line when using fast pass lol.

Totally!!! That's exactly what it felt like, like we had a fast pass!! Even once we were inside, there were 3 people ahead of us but only one had an appt at 2:30 like us so at 2:27 myself and this other person got to move ahead of the first person in line since we both had appointments. She was NOT happy and voiced it to the security guard helping everyone. Sorry, lady lol

 

[cndkanga]

Update: We sent our passport applications in and used the Canada Post tracking so the passport office received them Feb. 17th. We have called twice to see if we can get an update after the 20 days passed and were told that all our paperwork was in order and no notes were on the file. Yesterday's call we were told to call back April 22nd if we hadn't heard anything. This morning, March 30th our credit cards were charged so it looks like they are being processed now -- phew!

 

[speedyreb]

Update: We sent our passport applications in and used the Canada Post tracking so the passport office received them Feb. 17th. We have called twice to see if we can get an update after the 20 days passed and were told that all our paperwork was in order and no notes were on the file. Yesterday's call we were told to call back April 22nd if we hadn't heard anything. This morning, March 30th our credit cards were charged so it looks like they are being processed now -- phew!

Have you got your passport yet? We sent in the application on Feb 28 they charged the credit card March 26 and no passport yet, I wonder how long it takes, we are flying out April 29! Arggg getting worried. We only had the option of mailing the thing in at that time, no in person.

 

[Jiminyfan2020]

We sent in two passports on March 7. Both received on March 8 but a few hours apart. One arrived March 31. No news on the other yet. Second hasn’t been charged yet either.

 

[youngdeb12]

Have you got your passport yet? We sent in the application on Feb 28 they charged the credit card March 26 and no passport yet, I wonder how long it takes, we are flying out April 29! Arggg getting worried. We only had the option of mailing the thing in at that time, no in person.

I would call if you are travelling April 29th. They can give you an update or escalate your application. I believe you can inquire about the status if they’ve had it for 20 business days.

 

[cndkanga]

Have you got your passport yet? We sent in the application on Feb 28 they charged the credit card March 26 and no passport yet, I wonder how long it takes, we are flying out April 29! Arggg getting worried. We only had the option of mailing the thing in at that time, no in person.

We have not received them yet. My daughter sent hers after us and after calling the office they sent the file to a nearby passport office and did an express process. She leaves on Thursday for her trip and she is picking it up today (it was ready last week). I think our main problem was we had no date of travel filled in as we are not leaving until the end of May so it didn't seem urgent, as the time ticks by though it is feeling more urgent! The person we spoke to on the phone said that they were processing based on travel dates and since we didn't fill that part in ours would be lower in priority.

 

[Jiminyfan2020]

For those of you who have called in, does it have to be the applicant parent who calls? My husband was the applicant for our dd’s passport. Can I call ?

 

[mort1331]

For those of you who have called in, does it have to be the applicant parent who calls? My husband was the applicant for our dd’s passport. Can I call ?

If you were the guarantee you should be able to ,,,but I am not 100%

 

[cndkanga]

For those of you who have called in, does it have to be the applicant parent who calls? My husband was the applicant for our dd’s passport. Can I call ?

No, only the applicant can call. At least that's what I was told. You could send an email through their website to find out the status, the email back that I received (over two weeks later even through the website says 3 days for a reply) was not helpful but others might get more information.

 

[speedyreb]

I would call if you are travelling April 29th. They can give you an update or escalate your application. I believe you can inquire about the status if they’ve had it for 20 business days.

I'm going to call tomorrow! Arggggg

 

[gisele2]

You can go in person to your local point of service and an agent review with you all the documents and post it. My husband went today and they said we should have the passport around mid-May.

 

[speedyreb]

I would call if you are travelling April 29th. They can give you an update or escalate your application. I believe you can inquire about the status if they’ve had it for 20 business days.

Oh man, I got up and called at 0500 this am, BC time of course, I was 629 in line!! It took 6 hours and when my daughter got thru of course I was already at work and they were not helpful! Told her to call back at the 10 day mark, which is tomorrow for business days! Bang my head!!

 

[speedyreb]

We have not received them yet. My daughter sent hers after us and after calling the office they sent the file to a nearby passport office and did an express process. She leaves on Thursday for her trip and she is picking it up today (it was ready last week). I think our main problem was we had no date of travel filled in as we are not leaving until the end of May so it didn't seem urgent, as the time ticks by though it is feeling more urgent! The person we spoke to on the phone said that they were processing based on travel dates and since we didn't fill that part in ours would be lower in priority.

So she called today, not helpful, they told her to call back at the 10 day mark, which is tomorrow. When your daughter got hers, they transferred it to the nearest passport office, I can ask for that? Kelowna is closet and it says on the website that that office can do expedited but I'm wondering if I should just ask for Vancouver which does the full meal deal?

 

[cndkanga]

So she called today, not helpful, they told her to call back at the 10 day mark, which is tomorrow. When your daughter got hers, they transferred it to the nearest passport office, I can ask for that? Kelowna is closet and it says on the website that that office can do expedited but I'm wondering if I should just ask for Vancouver which does the full meal deal?

They transferred the whole file to the Vancouver office and we picked it up from there. She went yesterday to pick it up and the line was long but she was just there to pick it up so it went quickly. Her friend did get hers done really quickly from the Kelowna office but I'm not sure how long it actually took to get it back but I feel like it was about 10 days.

 

[speedyreb]

They transferred the whole file to the Vancouver office and we picked it up from there. She went yesterday to pick it up and the line was long but she was just there to pick it up so it went quickly. Her friend did get hers done really quickly from the Kelowna office but I'm not sure how long it actually took to get it back but I feel like it was about 10 days.

When you asked to transfer the file, how did they notify her that the passport was actually ready to pick up in Surrey? Did they call her? We will have to drive down from Kelowna to Vancouver so I just don't want to wing it. Also, did they charge your credit card when they transferred it, at least that way I would know that something is been done on the file? They charged me the original $160 back in March already but have done nothing on the file yet according to the lady on the phone. Also, when you go to pick it up in Surrey, is there a different line to stand in for pick up as opposed to dropping off a new application. I was there once a long time ago and it was a zoo!

 

[cndkanga]

When you asked to transfer the file, how did they notify her that the passport was actually ready to pick up in Surrey? Did they call her? We will have to drive down from Kelowna to Vancouver so I just don't want to wing it. Also, did they charge your credit card when they transferred it, at least that way I would know that something is been done on the file? They charged me the original $160 back in March already but have done nothing on the file yet according to the lady on the phone. Also, when you go to pick it up in Surrey, is there a different line to stand in for pick up as opposed to dropping off a new application. I was there once a long time ago and it was a zoo!

The pick up was in downtown Vancouver at the Sinclair Center not Surrey. The office called and said that the passport was ready to be picked up and because she works she had to wait about a week until she had a day off to go and pick it up. There was a line just for pick-ups but there were no signs so she had to ask at the front as the lines were very disorganized and most people didn't know which line they should be in. Once in line it moved quickly.

I should clarify that we didn't ask to transfer the file she just said that she could pick it up if necessary so they transferred the file to Vancouver.

 

[speedyreb]

The pick up was in downtown Vancouver at the Sinclair Center not Surrey. The office called and said that the passport was ready to be picked up and because she works she had to wait about a week until she had a day off to go and pick it up. There was a line just for pick-ups but there were no signs so she had to ask at the front as the lines were very disorganized and most people didn't know which line they should be in. Once in line it moved quickly.

I should clarify that we didn't ask to transfer the file she just said that she could pick it up if necessary so they transferred the file to Vancouver.

thank you for all the advice! much appreciated