Key Takeaways:
- Canadians who want to travel globally will have to wait a long time for passports due to a surge in applications.
- Since April 1, 2021, 1.2 million passports have been issued, compared to 363,000 between April 2020 as well as March 31, 2021, according to the department.
- People will be looking to get out there again, according to Lorn Sheehan, a professor at Dalhousie University’s Rowe School of Business.
Due to a surge in applications, Canadians who want to travel internationally will have to wait a long time for passports.
The processing time for a passport is 5 business days for those trying to apply in person and 17 business days for those applying by mail, according to Employment and Social Development Canada.
“As travel resumes, Service Canada is seeing an increase in passport applications.” Clients with immediate travel needs are given priority for appointments, according to Maja Stefanovska, a spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada, who spoke to CTV News Atlantic.
According to the department, 1.2 million passports have been released since April 1, 2021, compared to 363,000 passports issued between April 2020 and March 31, 2021.
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According to data from CTV News Winnipeg, Service Canada processed 2.3 million passports between April 2019 and March 2020, which is still far below pre-pandemic levels.
Some travelers are scrambling as a result of the surge in demand.
Ambreen Haroon has a trip to the United States planned for next month, but she is concerned that her new passport will not arrive in time.
“She told CTV News Winnipeg, “I have to postpone my trip, and my parents are very old and stressed out by everything coming back to them.” “At this point, they were expecting a passport.” It’s incredibly aggravating right now.”
Meanwhile, Mark Robinson faced long lines at his local Service Canada location in Halifax as he attempted to renew his passport in time for a trip to Disney in two weeks.
He told CTV News Atlantic, “Now we’re in a panic to get it renewed before we leave.”
According to Lorn Sheehan, a professor at Dalhousie University’s Rowe School of Business, people will be looking to get out there again. With some travel restrictions lifting on April 1 — when vaccinated travelers will no longer be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result upon re-entry — people will be looking to get out there again, Sheehan said.
“There’s a lot of unmet travel demand,” he said. “Travellers have been stranded at their homes for the past two years.”
If you’re in a hurry, Service Canada says anyone who needs a passport within two business days can go to the nearest passport office, but you’ll need to bring proof of travel.
A travel ticket, a written declaration, an itinerary with proof of payment, or proof of a family emergency requiring immediate travel can all be used as proof of travel. The expedited passport comes with a fee of $110.
Source: CTV News
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