Passport

[SENKA 0]

Does anyone know what is the procedure to renew Canadian passport and how long it takes? Also, I am using my married name now and how do I change it in Canadian documents.

Thanks everyone for your help in advance

Senka

[KandD 1]

Check this out

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/ren.aspx?lang=eng

[Mephys 2]

Check this out

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/ren.aspx?lang=eng

This wouldnt work as they say

apply using the same name that appears on the personal information page (page 2) of the previous passport

You will have to send a whole new application with the documents supporting your new name. For your guarantor you can use the new form or the old form, whichever works best for you. Look on this website:

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/form.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

[SENKA 0]

Check this out

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/ren.aspx?lang=eng

This wouldnt work as they say

apply using the same name that appears on the personal information page (page 2) of the previous passport

You will have to send a whole new application with the documents supporting your new name. For your guarantor you can use the new form or the old form, whichever works best for you. Look on this website:

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/form.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

Thank you for your reply. I don't understand why I need a guarantor?

[Steph0814 1]

Hi there.

I renewed my passport last August and it was very speedy. I got my Dr to be the guarantor and got my new passport within weeks of sending it off.

As far as the name change, you have to apply for an entire new passport....It sucks but that is the way it is. I am not going to change it as it was so recently done.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Check this out

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/ren.aspx?lang=eng

This wouldnt work as they say

apply using the same name that appears on the personal information page (page 2) of the previous passport

You will have to send a whole new application with the documents supporting your new name. For your guarantor you can use the new form or the old form, whichever works best for you. Look on this website:

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/form.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

Thank you for your reply. I don't understand why I need a guarantor?

You need a guarantor because it is a requirement of the Canadian Passport system. A guarantor is a person whose credentials they can check and verify and who can then 'verify' that you are indeed who you say you are. You would have required a guarantor for your first passport as well, although the pool of available guarantors has recently increased.

I got my passport renewed last February and it took 2 weeks to process and get back to me.

Edited May 24, 2008 by Kathryn41

[SENKA 0]

Check this out

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/ren.aspx?lang=eng

This wouldnt work as they say

apply using the same name that appears on the personal information page (page 2) of the previous passport

You will have to send a whole new application with the documents supporting your new name. For your guarantor you can use the new form or the old form, whichever works best for you. Look on this website:

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/form.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

Thank you for your reply. I don't understand why I need a guarantor?

You need a guarantor because it is a requirement of the Canadian Passport system. A guarantor is a person whose credentials they can check and verify and who can then 'verify' that you are indeed who you say you are. You would have required a guarantor for your first passport as well, although the pool of available guarantors has recently increased.

I got my passport renewed last February and it took 2 weeks to process and get back to me.

Thank you very much for your reply. Yes, I now remember that my boss was the guarantor when I had my first passport issued and they had to be a professional. I completely forgot about that, since it was easy to just get my boss to sign it.

[Stillness 0]

I found the application process for my passport to be pretty quick even while here in the US. Sadly if you want to change your name you have to completely reapply for the passport, however you can have the married last name added as an observation on your existing passport (unless they've changed something in the past few years). This is what I did on my passport as it was very new, I think it cost around $5 or so at the time and I of course had to send in a copy of our marriage certificate. Whether or not this is worth the trouble is a matter of opinion.

[trailmix 77]

I found the application process for my passport to be pretty quick even while here in the US. Sadly if you want to change your name you have to completely reapply for the passport, however you can have the married last name added as an observation on your existing passport (unless they've changed something in the past few years). This is what I did on my passport as it was very new, I think it cost around $5 or so at the time and I of course had to send in a copy of our marriage certificate. Whether or not this is worth the trouble is a matter of opinion.

Unfortunately they don't allow that anymore:

Married surnames

"You may no longer add your married name as an observation on a passport. If you wish to obtain a passport in your new name, you must apply for a new passport". link

[Stillness 0]

Unfortunately they don't allow that anymore:

Married surnames

"You may no longer add your married name as an observation on a passport. If you wish to obtain a passport in your new name, you must apply for a new passport". link

Ah well then the only option is to reapply. If it's a relatively new passport and you have other supporting ID with the married surname, you might just wait a bit then reapply later. I kept a copy of my marriage certificate tucked in with my passport even with the observation, and then had my next passport issued in my married name.

So long as you have all your supporting documents the passport application process is pretty easy, I've done it abroad both with and without a guarantor.

[Reneehao 0]

Unfortunately they don't allow that anymore:

Married surnames

"You may no longer add your married name as an observation on a passport. If you wish to obtain a passport in your new name, you must apply for a new passport". link

Ah well then the only option is to reapply. If it's a relatively new passport and you have other supporting ID with the married surname, you might just wait a bit then reapply later. I kept a copy of my marriage certificate tucked in with my passport even with the observation, and then had my next passport issued in my married name.

So long as you have all your supporting documents the passport application process is pretty easy, I've done it abroad both with and without a guarantor.

Stillness,

Sorry, I have some questions, need your help:

Do you mean you reapply new passport by using the application form and left the guarantor empty?

Did you send the application package from US and Canada sent your new passport back to you in the US?

Have you used the old passport travel abroad? And which name did you use in your airline ticket?

I live in the US, have married name on my US driver license, and waiting for I485 approval, but my canadian passport has my old surname on it. I can not go back Canada for guarantor signature as AP not approved yet.

I will have a business trip soon, do you have any suggestion?

Thank you,

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Unfortunately they don't allow that anymore:

Married surnames

"You may no longer add your married name as an observation on a passport. If you wish to obtain a passport in your new name, you must apply for a new passport". link

Ah well then the only option is to reapply. If it's a relatively new passport and you have other supporting ID with the married surname, you might just wait a bit then reapply later. I kept a copy of my marriage certificate tucked in with my passport even with the observation, and then had my next passport issued in my married name.

So long as you have all your supporting documents the passport application process is pretty easy, I've done it abroad both with and without a guarantor.

Stillness,

Sorry, I have some questions, need your help:

Do you mean you reapply new passport by using the application form and left the guarantor empty?

Did you send the application package from US and Canada sent your new passport back to you in the US?

Have you used the old passport travel abroad? And which name did you use in your airline ticket?

I live in the US, have married name on my US driver license, and waiting for I485 approval, but my canadian passport has my old surname on it. I can not go back Canada for guarantor signature as AP not approved yet.

I will have a business trip soon, do you have any suggestion?

Thank you,

I'm not Stillness but I can answer your questions. First, if you don't really need to renew your passport (if it is fairly new) why not wait until it gets closer to expiring? You can keep a copy of your marriage certificate in it to show the change of name. You shouldn't have a problem.

If you do want to replace your passport, you will need either a guarantor or a document from the Canadian Consulate that allows you to use a notary public 'in lieu of a guarantor'. This might add some delays to the process as well. You have two options in using a guarantor: You can send your completed application form along with the appropriate photographs (that will be the hardest part to get done in the US as the US passport photos are different sizes) and a copy of your photo ID back to Canada where an eligible Canadian guarantor can sign everything and then send it back to you. You then submit that along with your passport and birth certificate to the Passport Office in Canada. Or, you can go to the Canada Passport website, click on the link for Canadians in the US, and there is the option to use the OLD passport application form that allows you to use an eligible American professional as a guarantor. The problem with this is that you may not have anyone in the States who meets the 2 year requirement. As mentioned above, the other option is to obtain a form from the Canadian Consulate that allows you to go to a Notary Public in lieu of a Guarantor, and they complete the Guarantor part.

The easiest solution would be to just leave your passport in your maiden name for the time being and just book any tickets in the same name, then carry a copy of your marriage certificate with you to show the name change. You don't need to have your passport in your married name right away. Many people wait until it is close to expiring and then make the change. You do, need, however, to book any flight tickets in the same name as your passport for international flights. If you are flying internally, you can use your DL for identification and book tickets in your married name.

A complete application does take about 10 days for the Canada Passport Office to process (excluding time to get it there and back), but if there are problems (ie. photographs are rejected) and they send it back, it will cause delays. You also have to send your existing passport and original birth certificate back with the application. I sent mine by courier and the passport office returned it to me in the States by courier.

If it were me, I would wait until my passport was close to expiring and then re-apply with the new name, and in the meantime just carry a copy of my marriage certificate with me to show I am the same person as on my other identification.

If your upcoming business trip is internal in the US, then you don't need to use your passport - you should be able to use your DL. If it is international, then you have the additional problem because you don't have the AP yet - that is a bigger issue than the name in your passport.

Edited June 15, 2008 by Kathryn41

[Reneehao 0]

Kathryn,

Thanks for your good suggestion.

My passport is fairly new, so I am going to keep the copy of my marriage certificate in it, wait until it gets closer to expire.

My business trip is an international and just waiting for AP approval.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Another way to renew passport is to wait till you make a visit back to Canada (assumption: that you do so prior to expiry) and then do the renewal there.

[Mephys 2]

Another way to renew passport is to wait till you make a visit back to Canada (assumption: that you do so prior to expiry) and then do the renewal there.

That would be possible only if you stay for a long period (like 2 weeks or more) or pay the rapid processing fee, because they cut your old passport when applying in person. And then make sure your return flight is in your new name if you bought the tickets before you changed the passport...

I wanted to go in person when I went to Montreal but I was staying only 4 days, so mailing it was the easiest option for me. At least I got my pictures done and my guarantor's signatures.