Wife's Passport Expiring And Her Mother Is Ill

[Teddy B 17,252]

Hi Everyone,

My wife's passport is expiring in August, which under normal circumstances would be no big deal, we would just apply by mail and send her old passport back to Canada and wait a few weeks for renewal. But we have a bit of a situation in that her Mom has become ill and at age 84 we're not sure how long she may be around. The situation is that we don't want my wife stuck in the states waiting for her passport renewal and having her Mom pass away.

We are going to Canada next week for 9 days, this was a pre-planned visit before her Mom got ill. We were wondering if we were to drop off her current Canadian passport at a Passport Canada office and apply for a new one if there is any way to expedite the renewal so we can pick the new passport up before we leave. Or if she applies for renewal and turns in her old passport while we're in Canada and has the new one mailed to our US address, will she be ok to enter the US with just her greencard? I know that technically the law says all she needs is her gc, but we all know how that goes with CBP officers. Has anyone else entered with just their greencard without problems?

We're trying to limit the amount of time my wife will be without her passport, any input is appreciated.

[Flames9_RN 358]

http://www.pptc.gc.ca/info/service.aspx?lang=eng&region=Canada#urgent Appears 1 may be able to do the Urgent service for an additional fee

[Teddy B 17,252]

http://www.pptc.gc.ca/info/service.aspx?lang=eng&region=Canada#urgent Appears 1 may be able to do the Urgent service for an additional fee

Thank you Flames!

I wasn't aware they had a 24 hour express option. Hopefully with our itinerary and an explanation to the officer about her Mom, that will be enough to qualify for it. I'll let you know how we make out.

[AC&BS 23]

Been there and did that. Worked like a charm. I think we dropped early Tuesday morning and picked up Thursday. No real need for an explanation just need to pay the fee.

Just be absolutely sure that you have all of the information required and you get there early.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

I had one done in a matter of two hours in an emergency.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Been there and did that. Worked like a charm. I think we dropped early Tuesday morning and picked up Thursday. No real need for an explanation just need to pay the fee.

Just be absolutely sure that you have all of the information required and you get there early.

I had one done in a matter of two hours in an emergency.

That's good to know, thanks. Did either of you do a name change on your passport at the same time? We want to change my wife's last name on her passport to match her married name, but I'm not sure if it can be done on the expedite. I've been reading on passport Canada site and it appears doing a name change for the 24hr expedite might be a problem. The way I read the paragraph below, it says it can't be done, but it's confusing the way it's worded. Can anyone decypher this and let me know what they think, especially the part in red.

Name changes

All documentation, including your passport, should be issued under the same name. If you have changed your name on other identification documents, your passport should be in this same name.

For any name change, you must apply for a new passport using a General Passport Application:

• Submit a complete adult general passport application (you cannot use the passport renewal process for a name change), that includes:
  • the Adult General Passport Application form or the Child General Passport Application form completed in full;
  • proof of Canadian citizenship (birth certificate or citizenship certificate);
  • supporting identification in your new name (adult applications only);
  • two photos, one of which is signed by the guarantor;
  • the required fees; and
  • any valid Canadian travel document, if applicable.

Edited May 14, 2015 by Teddy B

[Udella&Wiz 325]

It doesn't say you can't expedite...it says you can't use the streamlined renewal process if you are changing the name. She is basically filling out a fresh Adult General Passport Application form due to the name change

[Teddy B 17,252]

It doesn't say you can't expedite...it says you can't use the streamlined renewal process if you are changing the name. She is basically filling out a fresh Adult General Passport Application form due to the name change

Ok, that makes sense now that I read it that way. Thanks!

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Mine was a fresh adult passport at a Toronto office that did expedited ones. The criteria is that your guarantor and references MUST be contacted in that time before they'll issue the passport.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Been there and did that. Worked like a charm. I think we dropped early Tuesday morning and picked up Thursday. No real need for an explanation just need to pay the fee.

Just be absolutely sure that you have all of the information required and you get there early.

This proved to be the case for my wife as well. We went to the Passport Canada office on Riverside Dr in Windsor at about 3pm on Monday afternoon with all of her paperwork, waited about 15 minutes for a window to open up and were out by 3:30pm. We picked up the new passport on Thursday morning at 10:30. The total cost for the 10 year passport including the expedite fee and new photos was just about $200 , but it all went very smoothly.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Great to know - I'm sure the peace of mind is worth it in her case

This proved to be the case for my wife as well. We went to the Passport Canada office on Riverside Dr in Windsor at about 3pm on Monday afternoon with all of her paperwork, waited about 15 minutes for a window to open up and were out by 3:30pm. We picked up the new passport on Thursday morning at 10:30. The total cost for the 10 year passport including the expedite fee and new photos was just about $200 , but it all went very smoothly.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Great to know - I'm sure the peace of mind is worth it in her case

Very much so. She got to spend some quality time with her Mom last week as well.