Jun 12, 2011

Passport renewal!

Our passports are due for renewal mid July and I have just discovered that there is a new simpler form.  It came into law about a month after our current passports were issued.

Here is a copy paste of the ins and outs of the process.  I have just realized that many do not know about this as I have been asked to be a guarantor for 3 people over the past year.  This new form does not save money but time.  Unfortunately it is still almost a 28 day wait for your new passport to be sent to you via Canada Post, that is unless you drop it off in person, pay an extra $10.00, and then pick it up 10 days later.  Until a few years ago we did not have a Passport Canada office here in Kelowna and had no choice but to deal via the postal service.  Things are changing for the better.  You can even download the from from the internet.

Simplified Passport Renewal Program

The Simplified Passport Renewal Program will be available as of August 15, 2007, and is part of a broader effort to modernize Canadian passport services.

It will allow Canadian citizens who meet certain eligibility criteria to renew their passport using a shorter form and without submitting documentary evidence of citizenship, supplementary identification and a guarantor declaration. Under the renewal program, passport applicants will only be required to submit the shorter form along with two new photos, the application fee and their last passport.

Canadians who meet the following eligibility criteria will be able to benefit from this program:
They must be residing in Canada at the time they apply.
They must have resided in Canada at the time of their previous application.
They were 16 years old or over at the time of their previous application.
Their previous passport:
Must have been valid for five years,
Must have been issued after January 31, 2002,
Was never damaged or reported as lost or stolen, and
Must have been issued under their current name.

This program will yield benefits to both passport applicants and Passport Canada. Applicants will save time and will not have to surrender important documents such as their birth certificates or citizenship cards for an extended period of time. Passport Canada’s productivity will increase, as fewer steps will be required for the entitlement and screening of each file. Renewal applications are still subject to all current security verifications.

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8 responses so far

8 Responses to “Passport renewal!”

  1. Gotta love the newer and quicker way to do things, except when they lost our applications and pictures last time. We went back to pick them up and sorry we can’t find them, need new pictures again! But they reimbursed the extra photo charge to us and we had our passports less than a week later!

    • contessa says:

      George, that is too bad but at least they did reimburse the new photos and you got your passports quickly

      Marty….sounds exciting, when are you planning the trip to Mazatlan? I don’t think we’ll be there before Nov.1st.

  2. Marty says:

    The passports issued in Montana are processed in Seattle. We have a friend who works there. Seems to go pretty fast-ours (4 years ago) came in 5 weeks, Jim and Millie’s came in three. We want to take the grandkids and the rest of the gang to Mazatlan this fall, so some parents hopefully are starting the process for the passports!

  3. Ena says:

    The simple forms are indeed a great improvement, except we dropped ours off May 24th, paid the extra $10/each and were given a June 21st pick-up date…not quite the 10 day turnover you are promised and also somewhat hard to understand, given that the passports are issued here in the city. Ah well…

  4. Mar says:

    I just read your blog, and we too have to renew our passports thanks for the info.

  5. Zoe Jussel says:

    Just caught up on your blogs and had to cackle at the “lists”. Funny, how we do that to ourselves as though we are working for a very strict boss and are likely to get laid off or fired if we don’t do our jobs and complete everything on the list. Forgetting that HEY!!!!! We are the boss of us and can do whatever the heck feel comfortable and remember, there always a tomorrow. (or will be until we are laid away)
    The stairs and railing really do look nice and that new recycled material will probably pay for itself in the long run. Hubby is in AZ for a week, and a friend is coming over for cold avocado/cucumber soup this evening on the balcony over the ocean. Life is good..hmmmm, what shall I do tomorrow. Oh..that’s right, the wine tasting group. ‘-)

    • contessa says:

      Thanks Zoe, oh how I wish I was there on your balcony now and most especially at tomorrows wine tasting!! Have fun!

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