Applying for a new passport - suggestions

Given the travails that I have been going through in getting renewed passports for myself and my spouse, here are some pointers that may help others in avoiding the same frustrations.

- call your local Canadian consulate, speak to passport services and obtain a list of photographers they recommend for Canadian passport pictures.
- get your pictures taken by one of them, include a note in your application that these pictures were taken by a photographer recommended by the Consulate (of course, there is no guarantee that they will not be rejected anyway).
- remove eyewear for the photo - though the form does not specifically indicate this, they are rejecting pictures if you are wearing glasses even if they are clear enough to look right through your pupils into your soul

There is NO "official" way of expediting passports for Canadians not resident in Canada except traveling to Canada for the in-person $70/48-hour expedited process. Regardless of the nature of the emergency. All applicants have to present themselves; so you cannot carry your families applications with you. And no, they do not reimburse you for the additional costs incurred in travel, lodging for doing this!

Keep your application absolutely clean - they will turn back applications if the writing is 'unclear' in their opinion. Ensure that signatures are contained within their boxes - not even a hint that the signatures are flirting with the edges of the box.

If any of you have success in application acceptance by inadvertently slipping in some greenbacks with your applications, please be sure to let us all know.