Is it going to be possible to get an urgent passport appointment?

[texanincanada]

Received citizenship certificate on March 21, I have travel plans on April 20, and so I filled out the web form on March 21 or 22 to request an appointment at a passport office since my travel is less than 25 business days away. The web form site says you'll be contacted within 2 business days, but I wasn't contacted.

I've called (800) 567-6868 - the line goes dead after 4-5 rings or I get an immediate "this customer is unavailable" message.

Has anyone made an appointment at a passport office? I'm getting worried that a. it'll be so expensive to get my passport by the time I need it and b. that I don't get an appointment before I need to travel. I'm going to the US to visit my mom for a few weeks (I'm American, too). Will I not be able to board my flight back to Canada? Can I use my citizenship certificate and US passport?

 

[navid2014]

Received citizenship certificate on March 21, I have travel plans on April 20, and so I filled out the web form on March 21 or 22 to request an appointment at a passport office since my travel is less than 25 business days away. The web form site says you'll be contacted within 2 business days, but I wasn't contacted.

I've called (800) 567-6868 - the line goes dead after 4-5 rings or I get an immediate "this customer is unavailable" message.

Has anyone made an appointment at a passport office? I'm getting worried that a. it'll be so expensive to get my passport by the time I need it and b. that I don't get an appointment before I need to travel. I'm going to the US to visit my mom for a few weeks (I'm American, too). Will I not be able to board my flight back to Canada? Can I use my citizenship certificate and US passport?

Webform is the best route at the moment, as last week when I called Passport/Service Canada on Monday with an Urgent PP request I got a call on Saturday.

If you are close to a PP Canada office why dont you just do a walk-in with the proof of travel and they will process your application in Express and charge you $50 extra, where as Urgent rule is applicable for someone who is travelling next day and it will cost $110 extra.

 

[mgnlky]

I'm in the same boat. This is what I've found (and was told about during my Oath Ceremony). Carry your certificate with you + US Passport and it should be fine. Getting on the plane isn't an issue- the American passport gets you on board. The Certificate gets you through CBSA.

Canadian-American dual citizens
To fly to Canada, you need

• either your valid U.S. passport or your valid Canadian passport
• to meet the basic requirements to enter Canada

If you travel with just your valid U.S. passport, you

• will need to carry identification that shows your Canadian citizenship
• may be asked to go through immigration screening

Even though you only need one of your passports to enter Canada, you should travel with both. Having both passports makes travel between Canada and the United States easier. Your passports prove

• your citizenships
• that you have the right to enter Canada and the U.S. without immigration screening

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/dual-canadian-citizens-visit-canada.html

 

[sinou3939]

I was on the same boat and I’m speaking of my recent passport application in Richmond, BC. The staff at the local Service Canada/Passport office were making exceptions for people with urgent travel plans to cut through the line. But you had to have proof of travel and a “valid reason” for urgent travel. If I heard them correctly, they were doing 2-business day passport pick up for these folks with valid travel plans.
I went through the regular line for a walk in appointment myself. So I don’t know all the details. The process may also vary from one location to another.
I’d say the least you could do is go for a walk in appointment (perhaps with proof of travel) to your local passport office. You’ll either go through the regular line or if you’re lucky you could get your passport in a couple of days if you’re able to pick it up in-person.
In my case (regular application with no imminent travel plans) they gave me an ETA of 5 weeks for passport delivery, I applied last week.

 

[texanincanada]

Thanks, y'all! I called CBSA after posting, and they said as long as I've got the US passport and the citizenship certificate, I'm fine. Gonna try to get a passport before I go, though. Best!

 

[mgnlky]

Thanks, y'all! I called CBSA after posting, and they said as long as I've got the US passport and the citizenship certificate, I'm fine. Gonna try to get a passport before I go, though. Best!

Please keep us updated on how this goes? I'm waiting my certificate (urgent processing) after the Oath on March 17th and planning to fly to the US on April 28th. I'll apply for urgent processing as soon as I get the certificate and want to do things "right" and have the Canadian passport to come home with, but fully prepared to use the Certificate + US passport to do so.

Also what city are you in?

 

[andulka]

Received citizenship certificate on March 21, I have travel plans on April 20, and so I filled out the web form on March 21 or 22 to request an appointment at a passport office since my travel is less than 25 business days away. The web form site says you'll be contacted within 2 business days, but I wasn't contacted.

I've called (800) 567-6868 - the line goes dead after 4-5 rings or I get an immediate "this customer is unavailable" message.

Has anyone made an appointment at a passport office? I'm getting worried that a. it'll be so expensive to get my passport by the time I need it and b. that I don't get an appointment before I need to travel. I'm going to the US to visit my mom for a few weeks (I'm American, too). Will I not be able to board my flight back to Canada? Can I use my citizenship certificate and US passport?

I submitted web form 4 days back but didn’t get call from them. Then decided to use walk in service in passport office in Toronto downtown today but wasn’t able to submit passport application. The reason is that my travel date isn’t within next 2 days. They accept applications from those who have appointment or travelling withing next 2 days. They asked me to come exactly 2 days before my travel date…so disappointed

 

[texanincanada]

Please keep us updated on how this goes? I'm waiting my certificate (urgent processing) after the Oath on March 17th and planning to fly to the US on April 28th. I'll apply for urgent processing as soon as I get the certificate and want to do things "right" and have the Canadian passport to come home with, but fully prepared to use the Certificate + US passport to do so.

Also what city are you in?

Niagara on the Lake, and my ceremony was out of Scarborough. While I was really happy to get the certificate so quickly, it's crazy how swamped passport offices seem to be. If priorities have shifted to helping those in war zones come to Canada, I am 100% on board with that, but the website needs to be updated to give people current information so they can plan accordingly. Best to you!

 

[texanincanada]

I submitted web form 4 days back but didn’t get call from them. Then decided to use walk in service in passport office in Toronto downtown today but wasn’t able to submit passport application. The reason is that my travel date isn’t within next 2 days. They accept applications from those who have appointment or travelling withing next 2 days. They asked me to come exactly 2 days before my travel date…so disappointed

Thanks for this information. It is disappointing, especially because mail in times are taking so long, and it seems like express is not an option, only urgent. Not everyone has the $ to pay these fee differences. Best to you!

 

[palak.pandya]

Niagara on the Lake, and my ceremony was out of Scarborough. While I was really happy to get the certificate so quickly, it's crazy how swamped passport offices seem to be. If priorities have shifted to helping those in war zones come to Canada, I am 100% on board with that, but the website needs to be updated to give people current information so they can plan accordingly. Best to you!

How long did it take for you to get the certificate after oath?

 

[texanincanada]

How long did it take for you to get the certificate after oath?

One week

 

[Amanbaanga]

Received citizenship certificate on March 21, I have travel plans on April 20, and so I filled out the web form on March 21 or 22 to request an appointment at a passport office since my travel is less than 25 business days away. The web form site says you'll be contacted within 2 business days, but I wasn't contacted.

I've called (800) 567-6868 - the line goes dead after 4-5 rings or I get an immediate "this customer is unavailable" message.

Has anyone made an appointment at a passport office? I'm getting worried that a. it'll be so expensive to get my passport by the time I need it and b. that I don't get an appointment before I need to travel. I'm going to the US to visit my mom for a few weeks (I'm American, too). Will I not be able to board my flight back to Canada? Can I use my citizenship certificate and US passport?

Just walk-in to a centre where they have urgent processing with a ticket. You’ll get it the next day.

 

[texanincanada]

Got a call today! My appointment is 8 days before I travel.

 

[bimmerm3m5]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but for the folks below, what was your experience as American's using only your US Passport to re-enter Canada before receiving your Canadian passport?

I'm expect my OATH certificate to arrive before departing to the US, but in general, I'd rather keep it safe at home vs. carrying with me. Do you think a non-original copy would suffice? I plan to bring my cut-up PR card, and perhaps some bills. As always, I'll have my Ontario Health Card, Ontario Drivers license to display.

@navid2014
@mgnlky
@sinou3939
@texanincanada

 

[mgnlky]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but for the folks below, what was your experience as American's using only your US Passport to re-enter Canada before receiving your Canadian passport?

I'm expect my OATH certificate to arrive before departing to the US, but in general, I'd rather keep it safe at home vs. carrying with me. Do you think a non-original copy would suffice? I plan to bring my cut-up PR card, and perhaps some bills. As always, I'll have my Ontario Health Card, Ontario Drivers license to display.

@navid2014
@mgnlky
@sinou3939
@texanincanada

My Canadian passport arrived prior to traveling. I would advise against trying to use your now-invalid PR Card for anything-- it doesn't prove anything. You are no longer a PR at that point and the instructions were to dispose of it. I would highly recommend taking the original certificate but if you are absolutely opposed (which IMO, understandable because it's a large document that you probably don't want to fold up and stick in your passport), definitely take a full colour copy of it. The bills will be useless- they do not prove citizenship and your health card/drivers licence & American passport can be used to establish identify. It's not your identity that would be in question, it's your citizenship. I would even suggest taking the form you sent in to confirm the Oath just for extra security.