New Canadian Passport Rules

[stephaniehoffman]

If you have a second nationality, it is advisable to use the passport of a second nationality especially if it is not from a developing country, ie. USA. Those who are US dual nationals should be considerate of those standing in line who have only Canadian nationality and need that passport. To go to the USA, you can use a passport of a country such as Japan or PRC passport, if you also have a Canadian citizenship card also. So do not line up needlessly to go to the USA to make a passport as showing your Canadian citizenship card with your passport from a second country is sufficient.

[CanuckAbroad]

So I bit the bullet and got up at 5 AM to head to the passport office here in Victoria.

I looked into going to Vancouver's passport office but heard the lines were just as long.

Got into the line at around 5:30 AM and it was already almost around the block. Sat in my chair and froze for a little while (should have brought a blanket). Got to talking to the other people in line who almost all had been in lineups the previous days and didn't get in. One guy had been there since 8 AM and still didn't get through by 4:30 PM.

Finally at around 7:45 the line started moving as people were let into the building. Then a crappy local radio station (KOOL fm. It's just not cool to spell cool unless you put a 'k' in it) shows up and started blaring Shania Twain. Isn't freezing outside in the early morning torture enough?

So after we heckled the radio station, the line moved up some more. At least the radio gave some people free coffee. Though most agreed they'd rather trade the coffee to turn off their music.

8:30 and the office officially opens, so the line moves up more. A woman comes around and hands everyone tickets, which don't seem to mean anything. I asked the woman "So does this mean I can leave and get breakfast, come back, and my place in line is still good?" - "No".

So what the point of the numbers are I don't know. But then a few minutes later a guy comes over and says "Hey, I'm at the front of the line but I have to leave. I'll sell you my spot for $50"

So I give him $40 and we call it a deal. I get into the elevator right away, up into the office, and 20 minutes later I'm done. Definitely the best $40 I've spent in a while. Apparently the woman in front of me paid someone $100 to get to the front of the line.

Another guy had paid a bum the night before since he was sleeping on the street anyays.Just asked him to sleep in front of the passport office. But when he showed up in the morning, the bum was gone. No big surprise!

Anyways so my passport adventure is over, for hopefully another 5 years. I paid the extra $5 for the fatter passport so I don't have to worry about this again.

[oohmercyme]

LOL-great story Matt! Glad you are settled! Good idea about getting the extra pages!

Sadly, I cannot seem to find my Canadian passport at the moment! My Dutch one isn't much help to go to North America!

[CanuckAbroad]

Uh oh!

You'd better find it or apply for a new one quick. I wonder what the wait is for passports abroad!

[oohmercyme]

Matt- I think it is my punishment for mocking you!

It must be somewhere- I used it at Christmas.

*sigh*

[mmck]

Here in Edmonton my Sister recently went down and got in line at 5 am She was the last one to get in that day at 3:30 pm.
SAD !

As for mailing in your Documents I wouldn't suggest it they told her that they had not opened an envelope since the beginning of December.

The Good news ? They hired 300 more staff to help out , I wonder how long it will take to get them trained ?

Here in Alberta we have 3 offices one in Fort McMurray, one in Edmonton one in Calgary.

I guess McMurray gets one cause they have the BIG BUCKS up there ?

[mmck]

Here in Edmonton my Sister recently went down and got in line at 5 am She was the last one to get in that day at 3:30 pm.
SAD !

As for mailing in your Documents I wouldn't suggest it they told her that they had not opened an envelope since the beginning of December.

The Good news ? They hired 300 more staff to help out , I wonder how long it will take to get them trained ?

Here in Alberta we have 3 offices one in Fort McMurray, one in Edmonton one in Calgary.

I guess McMurray gets one cause they have the BIG BUCKS up there ?

[oohmercyme]

Welcome to the board mmck!

PS- Passport found!:D