Online passport renewal expansion to all Canadians in 2025
Service Canada expects to receive 5.74 million passport applications for 2024-25 and one way it plans to help deal with growing demand is with a money back guarantee: get your passport within 30 days or it’s free.
At some point “later this year,” Citizens’ Services Minister Terry Beech promised, completed applications — submitted in person, by mail or online — will be processed within six working weeks.
Mailing time is not included in the 30 days.
What’s the latest on online renewal applications?
Beech also announced the gradual expansion of online passport renewal to all Canadians in 2025.
Beech said about 1,000 people successfully availed.
The initiative aims to reduce costs and free up Service Canada resources while making it so people no longer need to find time to apply in person or via mail.
“They will be able to go through the application process at the time that works best for them.”
Why is Service Canada making efforts to speed up?
The agency’s passport service was taken to its knees by repeated COVID-19 pandemic-related blows. First, in-person liaising with clients, then the predominant method used by Canadians, was all but out of the question. Then, as travel restrictions eased, offices faced a 45 per cent increase in mail applications.
With an increased number of complex applications among them and COVID restrictions still limiting office and processing centre staff, it led to a “significant backlog.”
The number of passports issued since 2021 has increased by 315 per cent.
How did Service Canada deal with the backlog and expedite passports?
Given the expectation that passport demand will continue to increase and knowing the renewal phase is already underway for the first cohorts of people who purchased 10-year passports, the agency has been proactive in recent years to deal with surges.
Service centre capacity expansion began in 2022 and has resulted in 60 sites across Canada offering expedited 10-day service, most recently in Iqaluit and Yellowknife. A full-service office is promised for Charlottetown, P.E.I., “in the near future.”
The agency said 93 per cent of Canadians live within 50 kilometres of one of the 582 places offering passport service — 317 Service Canada Centres, 246 scheduled outreach locations, and 19 dedicated passport service sites.
While maintaining traditional mail and in-person services, Service Canada is also shifting to a digital-first model and introduced other online tools to streamline its efforts.
Online users can book a specific and convenient time up to 60 days in advance.
What are Canadian passport fees nowadays?
A five-year passport for a person 16 or older is $120, making the 10-year $160 option a far better deal for those who can swing it. For kids 15 and under, the cost is $57.
Tack on another $20 for standard 10-day pickup in-person, which is only available at one of the 60 sites mentioned above. Those in a hurry can choose express pickup (ready within 2-9 days) for an additional $50 or urgent pickup (ready by end of next business day) for $100.
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