Travel

Saved 3 hours at the Passport office

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  • Aug 27th, 2010 10:37 am
Deal Addict
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Dec 9, 2005
2088 posts
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I've been trying for several days to get into the online application and I keep getting the error message that it's too busy :(

I've been trying late at night, early in the morning (even got up at 4am to try, and it was still too busy!!!)

Guess I'm going to go and wait in line at the passport office :(
Sr. Member
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Sep 7, 2005
666 posts
6 upvotes
dhamilton wrote: I've been trying for several days to get into the online application and I keep getting the error message that it's too busy :(

I've been trying late at night, early in the morning (even got up at 4am to try, and it was still too busy!!!)

Guess I'm going to go and wait in line at the passport office :(
That's odd. When I did it a about a week and a half ago, I managed (at 11pm or 12 am though.)
Moo... or whatever it is camels do.
Member
Dec 26, 2005
298 posts
8 upvotes
Toronto
same thing here. I was trying to fill out the application online,but it has been busy all nite long.
Deal Addict
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Dec 9, 2005
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Funny...

I tried ONCE tonight and I got in....and I was able to fill out the entire application!

I then went back a couple hours later, and I got it again! I think they must have added some more servers or something...
Newbie
Sep 20, 2004
84 posts
Richmond British Columbia Office.

- did the application online. I was in and out of the richmond passport office in 5 minutes on December 22th. Got my passport on January 9th.

Thanks OP!
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Dec 9, 2005
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Called Passport Canada today because my application is messed up a little bit (employers name was too long)...now I have to try to log back in and reprint it, ugh

Apparently there is a 20 minute guarentee when you complete the application online and bring it to apply, which is why everyone gets bumped to the front of the lines :)

The rep also mentioned that there is only a small window in the day (morning/evening, it's different all the time) that the application system is open, apparently...which is why you can get in sometimes and other times you can't.
Newbie
Jan 7, 2007
56 posts
3 upvotes
By the way, get ready for a nightmare printing your application to their margin specifications if you update your software regularly. I work on a Mac and the only browser they'll support is an outdated version of Safari. Even the old PC in my office has overly up-to-date versions of IE and Firefox for the good ol' government. I am currently downloading Netscape (!!!) for it, hopefully that will work.

At this rate I would have been better served waiting in line!
Deal Expert
Oct 20, 2001
18709 posts
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Sauga
What exactly do they mean by "bond quality" for the paper that the applications must be printed on?
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Aug 9, 2003
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Toronto
Rehan wrote: What exactly do they mean by "bond quality" for the paper that the applications must be printed on?
I suspect it's just their way of saying "white". :)

Remember back a number of years ago when Revenue Canada started letting people print out their own tax forms as long as it was on blue paper?

When I did mine months ago, I just printed mine on plain white photocopy paper and eveything was fine.

They basically scan the barcodes and then OCR the printed pages (for the signatures, etc.) so I suspect they just want to make sure everything behaves itself.

Cheers,
--Pete
Remember: We elect the government we deserve.
Newbie
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Nov 25, 2005
56 posts
Canada
Is it still busy at the PP office in the GVA? Specifically the Richmond BC office?
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May 7, 2006
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I was one of the people waited in line. Damn it took like 7 hours... I didn't do the online application because I forgot my password. Oh well...
Member
Sep 8, 2002
384 posts
43 upvotes
Vancouver
dhamilton wrote: Called Passport Canada today because my application is messed up a little bit (employers name was too long)...now I have to try to log back in and reprint it, ugh

Apparently there is a 20 minute guarentee when you complete the application online and bring it to apply, which is why everyone gets bumped to the front of the lines :)

The rep also mentioned that there is only a small window in the day (morning/evening, it's different all the time) that the application system is open, apparently...which is why you can get in sometimes and other times you can't.
a friend told me that the line up was 3 blocks long at the surrey office when she got there 7:30am (1 hour before open). Does anyone know if an online application can eliminate this line up time to get in? or do you still have to line up to get in but save time afterwards?

thanks.
Newbie
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Nov 25, 2005
56 posts
Canada
That's what I want to know too. Do i have to wait in line even when I did it online? I have it signed and ready...
Deal Addict
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Jun 27, 2003
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North York
You'll still have to wait in line just to get a number (even if you filled it all out online) ...

BTW, someone mentioned about problem printing out the proper margins on a Mac... I had none of these problems whatsoever, using the Safari that comes with it, so long as you follow the instructions properly in setting the margin sizes.
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May 22, 2004
480 posts
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I'm planning on taking a cruise to Alaska this May. I don't think I can get a PP in time because of the rush. Do I need one for a cruise? would a drivers license and citizenship suffice?
Banned
Jan 11, 2004
19816 posts
572 upvotes
fidoguydo wrote: I'm planning on taking a cruise to Alaska this May. I don't think I can get a PP in time because of the rush. Do I need one for a cruise? would a drivers license and citizenship suffice?
you have time if you are only going in may. depending on where the cruise stops, you will most likely need one. also where/how will you get to the port for the cruise?
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Aug 20, 2004
1215 posts
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Toronto
We haven't yet attempted to get our family passports but got this from a friend this morning and, in view of this thread, thought it was appropriate -- gave me a good laugh!! Sad but oh so true! Apologies in advance for the "bleeped" words!

Letter from an Irate Canadian

Dear Mr. Minister,
I'm in the process of renewing my passport, and still cannot believe this.
How is it that Radio Shack has my address and telephone number and
knows that I bought a t.v. cable from them back in 1997, and yet,
the Federal Government is still asking me where I was born and on
what date.

For crying out loud, do you guys do this by hand? My birth date,
you have on my social insurance card, is on all the income tax forms
I've filed for the past 30 years, my health insurance card, my
driver's licence, on the last eight bloody passports I've had, on
all those stupid customs declaration forms I've had to fill out
before being allowed off the planes over the last 30 years, and all
those insufferable census forms that are done at election times.

Would somebody please take note, once and for all, that my mother's
name is Maryanne, my father's name is Robert and I'd be absolutely
astounded if that ever changed between now and when I die! ****!

I apologize, Mr. Minister. I'm really pissed off this morning.
Between you an' me, I've had enough! You send the application to my
house, then you ask me for my fu**in' address. What is going on?
You have a gang of Neanderthals workin' there?!
Look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin Laden? I don't want to dig up Yasser Araft, for crying out
loud. I just want to go and park my butt on a sandy beach.

And would someone please tell me, why would you would give a ****
whether I plan on visiting a farm in the next 15 days?! If I ever got
the urge to do something weird to a chicken or a goat, believe you me,
I'd sure as hell not want to tell anyone!

Well, I have to go now, 'cause I have to go to the other end of the
city and get another fu**in copy of my birth certificate, to the
tune of $60!
Would it be so complicated to have all the services in the same
spot to assist in the issuance of a new passport the same day??
Nooooo, that'd be too easy and maybe make sense.
You'd rather have us running all over the fu**in place like chickens
with our heads cut off, then find some ******* to confirm that it's
really me on the stupid picture - you know, the one where we're not
allowed to smile?! Hey, you know why we can't smile? We're FU**ING ticked off!

Signed - An Irate Canadian Citizen
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May 22, 2004
480 posts
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gilboman wrote: you have time if you are only going in may. depending on where the cruise stops, you will most likely need one. also where/how will you get to the port for the cruise?
The cruise takes off from a port in Vancouver.

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