1) Flying to the U.S.
As of January 23, 2007 it became the law to have a passport when traveling in and out of the U.S. by air on an international flight. A lot of flights connect there so make sure you have your passport before making any arrangements. Passengers boarding U.S. domestic flights are not legally required to have a passport; however, all passengers must show proof of their identity.
2) Traveling to the U.S. by ground
Nothing has changed if you are traveling by ground without a passport but the U.S. is expected to change the ground passport rules somewhere between January 2008 and June 2009.
3) Applying online
You can save yourself a significant amount of time and effort by filling out the initial passport application form online. After you've submitted the form the information is stored in Passport Canada's database ready for your visit to the passport office.
You can also potentially secure a priority number in the process from
Passport Canada by going the online route.
This is only available to Canadians 16 years of age or over.
4) Emergencies
If you can't wait in lineups, deal with Public Works and Government Services' crashing server and you need your passport immediately, there are other options.
Urgent passport option: passport within 24 hours
Express passport option: passport within 2-9 days
These applications are measured on a case-by-case basis. There are no guarantees and it is up to you to prove your sense of urgency.
5) Children
When traveling in and out of the U.S. by air, children can no longer use their parent's passport.
Update: The U.S. government announced Thursday February 22, 2007 that children are exempt from the new passport law, which requires a valid Canadian passport to be presented at U.S. land borders when travelling to the U.S. by ground. The new exemption will not apply at airports, where children will still require passports. The passport law is already in effect for air travel, and will apply at land border crossings by June 2009.
6) Timelines
If you apply for a passport in-person expect a delay of up to 25 business days.
If you apply for a passport by mail expect a delay of up to 40 business days.
These delays are due to the high volume from winter travel season combined with the new U.S. passport requirements.
7) Don't take risks
Don't take risks and don't assume anything. Passport Canada is aware of the U.S. granting leniency to some situations that lack a passport but there are no guarantees and certainly no assurance that the same treatment will be given to you.
It is also up to the airline's discretion to let you on the airplane if you don't have a passport.
8) Be prepared
Passport Canada says that unlike a birth certificate or driver's license, a passport can be replaced if it is lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed or inaccessible on your trip.
A passport may be required for financial or legal transactions such as cashing travelers' cheques.
Passport Canada also advises that many countries require passports to be valid for a number of months beyond the date of a visitor's entry. For that reason, before traveling to a country, ensure that your passport will be valid long enough by contacting the consular mission of the country you plan to visit.
9) Visa requirements
According to Passport Canada, all countries have special entry requirements. Since those requirements may change consult the nearest diplomatic mission of the country you intend to visit. You may also consult the
Foreign Affairs Canada's Travel Reports. These provide general information on most countries as well as information on entry requirements.
10) Planning
When making travel arrangements without a passport take into account that Passport Canada gets 21,000 applications a day. This backlog coupled with an unreliable server that routinely crashes means that no one should book their flight unless they have their passport in hand.
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