Government: Canadian Passport Process to be Simplified
The Canadian government via the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Atlantic Opportunities Agency have announced that there will be new measures to simplify the passport issuance system. The aim is to both improve satisfaction among Canadians, and allow Passport Canada to cope with increased demand.
"Over the summer and fall, we will begin implementing a series of initiatives to simplify and improve the passport application and issuing process while ensuring the security and integrity of the Canadian passport," said Peter MacKay, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The new Canadian passport measures include a simplified Passport Renewal Program which will allow Canadians who currently hold a valid passport, and who meet eligibility criteria, to be able to renew it without submitting proof of citizenship or a guarantor declaration.
There will also be a Simplified Guarantor Policy which will allow most Canadian adult passport holders to act as guarantors for first-time applicants. To go along with that the government will also have a series of Passport Clinics across the country with a special focus on border areas and areas far from large urban centres. Canadian Passport officers will be on site to answer any questions from the public about applying for a passport, review passport applications to ensure they are complete, and they will accept completed passport applications for final processing.
The Canadian government has introduced further measures as part of a broader effort to modernize the Canadian passport services and to increase its capacity to better meet overall demand. These measures now include a staffing campaign to fill hundreds of new full-time positions, an extension of passport office hours in the busiest offices. There will also be 65 additional Receiving Agents in border and rural communities at participating Canada Post and Service Canada centres.
Canadians looking for a new passport or renewal can send their applications by mail, use Service Canada or Canada Post services, fill out their application using Passport On-line or they can visit a local office. A complete checklist identifying the steps in the passport application process, as well as the location of Passport Canada offices and Canada Post/Service Canada receiving agents, is available at www.passportcanada.gc.ca.
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