Details of successfully renewing my Cdn passport while back home

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Since this get's asked about a lot...here is my experience renewing my passport in person when I was back home in Canada.

I filled out the longer form since I wanted to renew my passport in my married name (instead of the simple form when you are not changing names)

- my guarantor was my younger brother

- my references were my best friend of 20 years and her husband

- got my photos done at a Cdn Walmart the day before...easy peasey

ID to show proof Cdn citizenship was:

- my Cdn birth cert (maiden name obviously)

- existing passport in maiden name

ID to show new married name:

- US greencard

- State id card (which has my new signature on it)

- certified copy of marriage cert (I brought this for nothing...they said they didn't need to see it all, they were more interested in a piece of id with my new signature)

Entered the office at 8:30...stand in line to get a number (a la montreal ) and the guy quickly looks over your form and id to make sure you have everything

- waited 10 minutes, was called to a wicket. Teller (for lack of a better word) looked over my stuff...had me sign my new signature while looking at my state id and then a couple minutes while she entered things into the system. She asked if I wanted the old passport back (yes please) and then cut the upper right corner off and stamped the first few pages with "CANCELLED" and handed it back. I wanted it back just in case tehy want more then my GC on the way back into the US.....not that I expect they will, but you never know. I also have the receipt for payment for renewing my Passport

- off to the payment wicket..paid with VISA....DONE!

Fabulous customer service....20 minutes total from start to finish. Come over prepared and it always works out in my opinion!

[AZKira 3]

Do you actually have the new passport or will they mail it to you at your U.S. address, and how long did they say it would take? Was there an option for expedited processing to be able to pick it up next day?

[TimandJoyce 1]

Sounds good! I hope to do that when I go up in October. I'm really hoping for a certain lady that works there to be able to help me...she seemed to remember me from time to time, and she's so helpful.

Thanks for the write up!

[OBX 51]

Do you actually have the new passport or will they mail it to you at your U.S. address, and how long did they say it would take? Was there an option for expedited processing to be able to pick it up next day?

I was wondering the same thing.

[Dan and Ali 3]

Thanks for posting your experience! I'm glad it went so well for you. My passport expires this December so I'm hoping to renew when I go home for Christmas.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I do not have the new yet. They said about 2 weeks and I should have it. It is being mailed to

my US address . I didn't ask about expedited service. They can be picked up in person but I wasn't staying long enough.

[She_Fitz 0]

I changed my passport from my maiden name to married name I needed my marriage certificate.

They also wanted something with my new signature but I had changed all of my ID within the same week and could not produce it. Since I had proof of up coming travel they let it slide.

[Pauley 2]

I do not have the new yet. They said about 2 weeks and I should have it. It is being mailed to

my US address . I didn't ask about expedited service. They can be picked up in person but I wasn't staying long enough.

They told my wife two weeks to her US address, and she had it in one. Depends how efficiently the postal systems are running at the moment.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I mailed my cdn passport application via snail mail from VA and had it back in like 19 days!! That was in April 2009