Travelling this summer? Check out Service Canada's guide to passports

With a change in season and the school year coming to an end for many families, Canadians are planning their summer vacations, and this may include international travel.

Service Canada wants to encourage future travellers to have a valid passport before booking a trip.

Here are some timeline guidelines for anyone looking to apply for or renew their passport before catching an international flight:

• Canadians who do not have immediate travel plans can take advantage of 20-business-day passport service, available for applications submitted in person at most Service Canada Centres and scheduled outreach sites, and by mail. Wait times can be shorter at these offices than at passport offices. This 20-business-day processing time does not include mailing time.
• For those who need a passport sooner, 39 Service Canada Centres and all passport offices across the country offer 10-business-day service. This service does not include mailing time. At most of these sites, clients have the option to pick up their passport once it's ready.
• If a passport is needed in less than 10 business days, Canadians must visit an office that offers urgent or express pick-up services. For more information, visit the Get urgent, express or emergency weekend passport services website.

“Many Canadians will travel outside the country in the coming months and need a passport,” says Minister of Citizens’ Services Terry Beech. “Service Canada is ready to process applications and deliver passports to Canadians. We are focused on taking every measure possible to eliminate the need to wait in line and to ensure the best client experience for Canadians.”

Clients who want information on the status of their submitted passport application can visit the online Passport Application Status Checker.

This digital tool allows applicants to get updates on their applications without needing to call or visit Service Canada.

Those who applied in person will need the file or reference number from their receipt.

For mailed applications or those without a number, clients can request to receive the number at the email that was provided in the application.

The status for in-person applications will be available after five business days, and 10 business days for mailed applications.

Canadians are also reminded to check the destination’s entry and exit requirements, since the passport may need to be valid for a certain period once they enter or leave the destination.

For example, Canadians who are planning to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris this summer will need to have a passport that is valid at least three months beyond the date they expect to return to Canada.

Service Canada issued approximately 33 per cent more passports in the 2023-2024 fiscal year than the previous year and exceeded the performance target by processing 92 per cent of passport applications within service standards.

For all the details on Service Canada Centres, passport offices and scheduled outreach sites, click here.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.