| If you are planning to apply for a Canadian passport, | | | | Have you filled in the date of travel box on the |
| you need to know the application procedures and the | | | | application form? Since this filed cannot be left blank, |
| time required to get a passport in order to get it | | | | you must either enter your date of travel or mark it as |
| before your upcoming trip. With hightened international | | | | "unknown". |
| security passports are required for travel into territories | | | | Before submitting your form, make sure that your |
| that once only required valid I.D. | | | | personal and citizenship information has been filled. |
| While in-person applications are usually processed in | | | | Often, people forget to fill up important details such as |
| two weeks (this excludes delivery delay), your | | | | height, weight, hair color, and phone number(s). |
| applications sent via mail or through a receiving agent | | | | When applying for your Canadian passport, you need |
| (Canada Post or Services Canada) may take up to | | | | to attach a legal document to prove your Canadian |
| ten weeks. While this is best case scenerio, passport | | | | citizenship. While enclosing documents, please be |
| application requests are at an all time high and you | | | | aware that you cannot send a photocopy of the |
| need to ask your local issuing office what the | | | | documents. |
| turnaround time is. | | | | One reason why passport application may not be |
| For applications sent through mail from the U.S. will | | | | accepted is that the photos furnished are not identical. |
| require about twelve weeks to process them. | | | | Make sure that you get your photos from commercial |
| Sometimes, there may be a delay in getting your | | | | photographers who understand the specific |
| passport due to the rapidly growing volume of | | | | requirements. Before submitting the photographs, make |
| passport applications that the passport office receives | | | | sure that your guarantor signs the back of one photo. |
| each day. | | | | Your passport photo must be clear and must show a |
| It is obvious from the time frame mentioned above | | | | neutral facial expression. |
| that you wouldn't want a further delay in getting your | | | | Another important document to be enclosed with your |
| Canadian passport, which you may badly require to go | | | | application form is the identification document. You |
| on a holiday or a business trip. | | | | need to either send an original copy of your |
| Use the checklist listed below to rule out the possibility | | | | Identification documents or send clear and legible |
| of making common errors that lead to delay in getting | | | | photocopies (of both the sides) of the documents. If |
| your Canadian passport: | | | | you are planning to send photocopies, your guarantor |
| Have you sent your application well in advance before | | | | must certify them. It is important that the name on the |
| your scheduled trip? | | | | identification documents matches the name you have |
| It's your responsibility to ensure that you have filled the | | | | mentioned in your passport application form. |
| Canadian passport application form correctly. | | | | You need to ensure that your guarantor has |
| Incomplete or incorrect forms can be rejected and ruin | | | | completed the section 2 (Declaration of Guarantor) of |
| your chances of going abroad. | | | | the application form before you submit your passport |
| If you are applying for a new passport because you | | | | application. |
| lost your old one or it was stolen, you need to submit a | | | | And last but not the least, don't forget to sign the |
| Statutory Declaration form (PPT 203) along with your | | | | application form and enclose the fees with your |
| application. You can download this form from the | | | | Canadian passport application form. |
| website and avoid delay in processing your application. | | | | |