Holding off on getting your passport? Now could be a good time to apply

If the thought of standing in long lines and waiting in the cold to get your passport isn’t your thing, now could be a good time to apply.

Karina Gould, the federal minister responsible for passports tweeted that last week to say Service Canada issued 71,210 passports and “have exceeded the service standard.”

According to the tweet, 99 per cent of new applications made at a passport office were delivered within 10 business days and 94 per cent of new applications through mail or Service Canada were delivered within 20 business days.

Last week Service Canada issued 71,210 passports.

We have exceeded the service standard.

99% of new applications made at a Passport Office were delivered within 10 business days. 94% of new applications through mail or a Service Canada were delivered within 20 business days. pic.twitter.com/PjNzTJCpGz

— Karina Gould (@karinagould) January 10, 2023

Last year, many people trying to get passports faced long lines and delays.

It was a much smoother experience at the Meadowlands office Wednesday.

“It’s actually good,” says Sally Mashally. “It’s better than I expected because online it says like two to four weeks, so I was expecting a longer time, like around four weeks, maybe even longer, but I was actually surprised it’s only two weeks.”

Maria Shillington was applying on behalf of her daughter and said it was a quick process.

“A lot faster than I expected,” she said. “I expected to be here for several hours, and I was only here for an hour.”

Bethany Lalande also said the wait wasn’t bad.

“I feel like it was under an hour. I mean, it went by fast; we were chatting,” she said.

Many of the people applying for a Passport tell CTV News Ottawa they’ve been given a guaranteed pickup or mail date within 10 business days.

“It will be mailed on the 23rd of January, they’ll mail it to my home,” says Chris Candow.

A few people did say there was confusion over what was needed to apply, which resulted in a longer time spent at the office.

“I don’t know, I just really felt like it was really slow, I didn’t like it at all. It was a bad experience. Apparently we got the wrong form, and they told us to go back in line,” says Angelo Abru.

A spokesperson with Minister Gould’s office tells CTV News Ottawa that since October, passport employees have been working to reduce the backlog and concentrate on new applications and they’ve been meeting service standards.

If you applied before October, and haven’t received your passport, the spokesperson says you should contact Service Canada or the passport office to have your application transferred.

You can also check wait times online.