OTTAWA – Some travelers looking to get their passports will now be able to request that their mail be forwarded to one of Canada’s more than 300 local processing centres.
They can also now do so even if their need for a passport is slightly less urgent, such as for those planning to leave the country in the next few weeks instead of a few days.
Until now, applicants in the queue could only request a transfer by visiting one of Canada’s 35 dedicated passport sites or by contacting the call centre.
The new policy will apply to anyone who completed their application by post more than 20 working days ago, allowing enough time for it to be entered into the system, and has proof of travel within 20 working days of the who requested a transfer.
The change comes after months of stressful waits for Canadians to renew their passports and long, hectic lines at passport offices as workers try to expedite the necessary documents.
Social Development Minister Karina Gould says that depending on when the person plans to travel, the application will either be expedited and their passport will be mailed, or their file will be transferred to a local print and receive service.
She says the change will speed up processing times for overdue passports and shorten the backlog at passport offices.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 29, 2022.
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