Renewing Canadian Passports in the US.

[MissStacey 1]

I'm just curious about this. Has anyone here renewed a Canadian Passport in the US? I know you go to a Canadian Consulate for it, what about the Guaranteur (sp?) It is easy to find one when you are in Canada, but what do you do for one when in the States? Do you sent it to them in Canada, have them sign and send it back?

[cuci 0]

If you go to:

http://www.pptc.gc.ca/index.aspx?lang=e

and click on "Canadian living in the United States (or Bermuda)" , you'll get these five steps:

Obtain an application form.

Download a form.

Pick-up an application form at a Canadian Government office in the U.S. in person.

Complete all applicable sections of the application form.

Personal information

Proof of Canadian citizenship

Documents to support identity

Fees

Obtain two identical passport photos.

Have your guarantor complete and sign the "Declaration of Guarantor" section of your application form and sign at least one of your photos.

Submit your application form.

Hopefully this will help. We were just at the passport office in MtL today -- very busy!!

Good luck!

[antda 13]

Hi Stacey,

Likewise, I have similar concerns about renewing and/or getting a new Canadian passport.

See my message "Re: Canadian Passport and Name Change...(Jan 26, 2007)" for the specifics of my situation.

From what I've heard though, I think you can also file a "in lieu of a guarantor" form or get a US Citizen guarantor in the USA too. I don't understand why they make the process harder with the guarantor stuff, and yes, Canadian do get ripped of with a 5 year passport...Grr....

I can't wait until I become a US Citizen and get a US passport!

Ant

I'm just curious about this. Has anyone here renewed a Canadian Passport in the US? I know you go to a Canadian Consulate for it, what about the Guaranteur (sp?) It is easy to find one when you are in Canada, but what do you do for one when in the States? Do you sent it to them in Canada, have them sign and send it back?

[MissStacey 1]

If I am allowed to get get a US citizen to do it, that will be easy enough.

I looked for Canadian Consulates. The closest for us is probably Houston. That will work great, my mother in law lives there. We can plan a visit for when I need to renew.

I still have a few years left on my Passport, but I was curious about what we have to do.

Edited January 26, 2007 by Stacey33

[Our Mao 0]

I renewed my passport from the US. All I did was download the passport application on line (you have to find the right one, it should say passport application for applicants residing in the united states), fill it in, mail it in with your docs (citizenship card, birth certificate, etc, follow the instructions) and send it in. Easy peasy. The only tricky part was getting the picture notarized. Since I dont know any 'professionals' in my area for more than two years, I went to the local notary public, paid ten bucks for him to sign my picture and voila... sent everything in.. it took me a month.. and I did that around Dec, 2005.

One thing to note is, they will DEFINITELY call your references on your application. My friends told me later that they called and they were asked to describe me.. and what I looked like, glasses, long hair, short hair, etc etc.. which I thought was rather amusing....

[Saddle Bronc 124]

If I am allowed to get get a US citizen to do it, that will be easy enough.

I looked for Canadian Consulates. The closest for us is probably Houston. That will work great, my mother in law lives there. We can plan a visit for when I need to renew.

I still have a few years left on my Passport, but I was curious about what we have to do.

Stacey, don't waste your time going to the Canuck Consulate.

You can download the form from the site suggested and courier it to Ottawa or Gatineau (you have to send it to one of these places anyway--since at least 1997).

[misa 2]

I remember reading somewhere that the Cdn. Federal government was going to streamline passport renewals since they have all that information on file still (i.e., your birth date, guarantor, etc.). Not sure when they will implement it though because the guarantor thing is a pain in the ### if you are just renewing, same with showing your original birth certificate. Seems silly since you are renewing a federal piece of photo id, so why can't you use your current passport to prove it's still you? If that made sense...

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Actually, it is not considered 'renewal'. Canadian passports cannot be renewed - you get a whole new passport each time and the process is the same as if you had never had a passport before. Part of this is for the security aspects, as is the 5 year duration of the passport. You shouldn't have a problem 'renewing' your passport from the US as per the directions given in the posts above. Make sure you follow the photo guidelines exactly because that is the most common reason for a passport application to be sent back - the photo isn't a good enough quality or the exposure is wrong or the person has shadows on their face - and now, if they are smiling!

Edited January 26, 2007 by Kathryn41

[Marilyn. 340]

This application is for Canadian citizens living in the United States and/or Bermuda.

Canadian passports are not renewable. To prevent delays in processing your application, follow these five steps:

1. Obtain an application form.

* Download a form.

* Pick-up an application form at a Canadian Government office in the U.S. in person.

2. Complete all applicable sections of the application form.

* Personal information

* Proof of Canadian citizenship

* Documents to support identity

* Fees

3. Obtain two identical passport photos.

4. Have your guarantor complete and sign the "Declaration of Guarantor" section of your application form and sign at least one of your photos.

5. Submit your application form.

http://www.pptc.gc.ca/usa/index.aspx?lang=e

Eligible guarantors

Your guarantor must:

1. Be a citizen of Canada or the United States and must be accessible to Passport Canada for verification.

2. Have known you personally for at least two years.

3. Be one of the following:

* Chiropractor

* Dentist

* Judge

* Lawyer

* Magistrate

* Medical doctor

* Notary public (notarial seal must appear on the application form)

* Pharmacist

* Police officer

* Signing officer of a bank or trust company, or of a financial institution that offers the full range of banking services (cash withdrawals, deposits and savings)

* Veterinarian

A relative may act as a guarantor for passport purposes provided he or she meets the specified requirements.

Declaration in lieu of guarantor

If you have not known an eligible guarantor for at least two years, complete form PPTC 132 "Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor" available from any Passport Canada service location or Canadian Government office in the U.S.

The "Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor" form must be sworn to or declared before, and signed by, a person authorized by law to administer an oath or a solemn declaration. If completed outside Canada, a qualified official includes a Canadian or British diplomatic or consular representative, or a qualified local official.

http://www.pptc.gc.ca/usa/guarantor.aspx?lang=e

[misa 2]

Actually, it is not considered 'renewal'. Canadian passports cannot be renewed - you get a whole new passport each time and the process is the same as if you had never had a passport before. Part of this is for the security aspects, as is the 5 year duration of the passport. You shouldn't have a problem 'renewing' your passport from the US as per the directions given in the posts above. Make sure you follow the photo guidelines exactly because that is the most common reason for a passport application to be sent back - the photo isn't a good enough quality or the exposure is wrong or the person has shadows on their face - and now, if they are smiling!

No, I know what you mean, but there has been talk that people, who have a current passport, looking to get a new one (technically not a "renewal", but it is, because you know what I mean) will not need to jump through the same hoops since there is already information on file (and you need to tell them what your previous passport number is and they invalidate it when you bring it in). I know I read it on some government site... back in August, that they are going to reduce some of the requirements if someone already has a valid Canadian passport that is going to expire in the near future.

Edited January 26, 2007 by misa

[misa 2]

Now I'm just rambling!

[MissStacey 1]

All this is great! I'll have no problem getting a Guarantor. Mel is a Notary, but I know he can't sign for me. A few of his (our) friends are Doctors, and they'll have known me way over 2 years by the time I need it.

So I can send it? I was always confused about this- I thought you had to bring it in person. I'm not sure where I got this from.

[Reba 2]

You can just mail it to Canada, whichever office it is.

Or go home for a 2 week visit and get a new one while you're there.

[MissStacey 1]

After all this, Mel will never let me go back to Canada again. Ever.

[Reba 2]

My mental health finds it an absolute necessity to go back home at least once per year. I don't see my family otherwise. And I think my lungs go thru smog withdrawl er summat