Canadian Passport in person timeline

[karan321]

Strongly recommend going to the passport offices - there's a reason the service standards are faster there.

Instead of signing up for an appointment, just go to a passport office and line up. Depending on office it might take a couple hours but is worth it. At some offices you might have to go early in morning, or you might have better luck heading there later in day and taking your chances.

If you do this and select the 'pick up' option instead of receiving by mail, you have removed most of the potential delays or snags.

Thank you for the info. Do you know passport pick up can be done after office hours? I consumed all my vacation days for the year, lol.

 

[armoured]

Thank you for the info. Do you know passport pick up can be done after office hours? I consumed all my vacation days for the year, lol.

No, I don't know, but I don't think so. Mail is pretty reliable so while pick up is nice, probably not strictly necessary.

Or if passport office close to you, try to do in morning or eg lunch time. The passport pick-up is separate from the general application line-ups, and it's quick since only a pick-up - I think only took me 20-30 minutes, and that was with 15 or so people ahead of me (at a VERY busy time for passport office, a few years ago when they were having almost their worst backlogs).

 

[adstarscream732]

Thank you for the info. Do you know passport pick up can be done after office hours? I consumed all my vacation days for the year, lol.

No, I don't know, but I don't think so. Mail is pretty reliable so while pick up is nice, probably not strictly necessary.

Or if passport office close to you, try to do in morning or eg lunch time. The passport pick-up is separate from the general application line-ups, and it's quick since only a pick-up - I think only took me 20-30 minutes, and that was with 15 or so people ahead of me (at a VERY busy time for passport office, a few years ago when they were having almost their worst backlogs).

In addition, you can delegate/authorize someone else to go and pick up your passport - there is a space on the receipt for you to do so (I think only a family member with a valid ID can be added). The pick up cost is $20.

I know this info because I picked up my and spouse's passport from Hamilton Mountain Passport Office. When I went to pick up - there was no one there except me.

 

[adstarscream732]

Strongly recommend going to the passport offices - there's a reason the service standards are faster there.

Instead of signing up for an appointment, just go to a passport office and line up. Depending on office it might take a couple hours but is worth it. At some offices you might have to go early in morning, or you might have better luck heading there later in day and taking your chances.

If you do this and select the 'pick up' option instead of receiving by mail, you have removed most of the potential delays or snags.

Well said!

 

[armoured]

In addition, you can delegate/authorize someone else to go and pick up your passport - there is a space on the receipt for you to do so (I think only a family member with a valid ID can be added). The pick up cost is $20.

Good point, I forgot about the pick up option.

I know this info because I picked up my and spouse's passport from Hamilton Mountain Passport Office. When I went to pick up - there was no one there except me.

Also a very good point: when I had to pick up was an EXTREMELY crazy time for the passport offices (the post-covid boom as everyone realized their passports had expired.) I don't follow that closely but have heard from time to time from friends and acquaintances that they literally did not have to wait in line for pick-up at all, although that may also vary by location.

 

[swan0206]

Strongly recommend going to the passport offices - there's a reason the service standards are faster there.

Instead of signing up for an appointment, just go to a passport office and line up. Depending on office it might take a couple hours but is worth it. At some offices you might have to go early in morning, or you might have better luck heading there later in day and taking your chances.

If you do this and select the 'pick up' option instead of receiving by mail, you have removed most of the potential delays or snags.

By any chance are you aware how long would they actually hold the passport for ?? Lets say my pickup date is today and then how long its the minimum time they hold ? Or they hold it till we go collect it??

 

[swan0206]

I amssuming these are 20 june and 25 june.. so it took days more to mail your passport out? Wow they need to give partial refund

How do we actually apply for Partial Refund??

 

[adstarscream732]

By any chance are you aware how long would they actually hold the passport for ?? Lets say my pickup date is today and then how long its the minimum time they hold ? Or they hold it till we go collect it??

It usually says how long they will hold it for on the receipt if you choose to pick up.

 

[adstarscream732]

How do we actually apply for Partial Refund??

You can't, it is system generated and automated.

 

[armoured]

By any chance are you aware how long would they actually hold the passport for ?? Lets say my pickup date is today and then how long its the minimum time they hold ? Or they hold it till we go collect it??

I'm not really clear what you're concerned about. If you don't pick it up the day it's ready, they keep it for some period of time . As someone else stated, it's printed on the receipt - I don't recall but at least a few weeks, or a month, perhaps a couple months. I think if not picked up, they mail it to whatever address was given.

Easiest probably to ask when applying. Honestly if that's a concern - have it mailed.

 

[Aishaadi]

Passport EXPRESS pick-up Question : We have submitted our application5 days ago and have opted for Express pickup for later next week. Just wanted to check if we can directly walk in on the mentioned date of Express Service ? I would like to hear from this forum if you got passports on mentioned dates if you chose EXPRESS Pickup service ?

 

[armoured]

Passport EXPRESS pick-up Question : We have submitted our application5 days ago and have opted for Express pickup for later next week. Just wanted to check if we can directly walk in on the mentioned date of Express Service ? I would like to hear from this forum if you got passports on mentioned dates if you chose EXPRESS Pickup service ?

If you mean "is passport pickup a separate line-up than applying for a passport?", the answer is yes. Typically there may be no line-up at all or a very short one - and you go straight to the passport pick-up desk.

I believe they check you have a passport pick-up receipt but don't recall exactly.

 

[adstarscream732]

Passport EXPRESS pick-up Question : We have submitted our application5 days ago and have opted for Express pickup for later next week. Just wanted to check if we can directly walk in on the mentioned date of Express Service ? I would like to hear from this forum if you got passports on mentioned dates if you chose EXPRESS Pickup service ?

Isn't that date mentioned on your receipt as "Date of Pick Up"? What info are you trying to get from this forum?

I went to pick up after 11 am as told by passport office employee and picked it up in no time.

 

[Aishaadi]

Isn't that date mentioned on your receipt as "Date of Pick Up"? What info are you trying to get from this forum?

I went to pick up after 11 am as told by passport office employee and picked it up in no time.

Thank you, I was trying to check if the online status of the application matters as its not changing. I will go on the date of pickup as indicated then.

 

[crossiwre]

Just went to service canada yesterday for partners new passport and was told around 4-5 weeks for mailing out which is fine for us. Didn't want to spend hours in line at passport office either. Service Canada gave the date of sept 5 to be mailed out. They did say there is a backlog at passport office and timelines might be longer. This was at the Allen and Lawrence location Service Canada. Wait time was 45 mins around 2pm to be called.