Passports mandatory for US-bound Canadian flyers
Starting January 23, and following the United States-led Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), citizens of Canada, the US, Mexico and Bermuda must present a passport to enter the US when arriving by air from any part of the Western Hemisphere.
Due to the recent implementation of this initiative many Canadians are being faced with a longer wait to receive their passports due to the high volume of applications and passport offices across Canada are experiencing longer lineups and waits as well.
In November 2006, Passport Canada received more than 355,000 applications; a 33 per cent increase compared to November 2005.
Posted on a bulletin on their web site (http://www.pptc.gc.ca/), Passport Canada informs travellers of the increase in applications and extended wait period.
“Passport Canada is experiencing a sharp volume increase in passport applications in all of its offices by mail through its receiving agents,” the bulletin read. “We are also experiencing, up to 25 business day delays, in addition to our service standards when delivering your new passport.”
Passport Canada's Chief Executive Officer Gerald Cossette said that steps are being taken to meet the demand of the increased amount of applications.
“Passport Canada is making every possible effort to meet the increase in demand while respecting its service standards,” Cossette said. “We are taking steps to reduce waiting times without jeopardizing the security and integrity of the Canadian passport.”
Passport Canada is sharing their workload across every office in order to combat the increase in applications and have implemented several initiatives to help including, hiring new employees to meet clerical needs, having regular employees work overtime and adding an extra shift at print centres to maximize output.
To avoid congestion, delays and waiting times at its offices, Passport Canada strongly recommends that Canadians send their applications by mail or bring their applications to a Service Canada or Service Post receiving agent.
Passport Canada offers an assortment of different passport types for ranges of people including occasional travellers, frequent travellers and individuals who are faced with an emergency situation.
A regular passport is available to individuals over the age of 16 and is valid for five years. The cost of a regular passport is $87, which includes the passport fee ($62) and the consular fee ($25).
A Frequent traveller passport is also available to individuals who consistently travel and is identical to the regular passport besides the inclusion of extra pages that make traveling more convenient to people in this situation.
For individuals that become stranded abroad without a passport, emergency passports can be issued by Canadian Government offices on behalf of Passport Canada. Cost of an emergency passport is $70 plus a passport fee and can be available within 24 hours.
A checklist for the steps for the passport application process is available on the Passport Canada web site (http://www.pptc.gc.ca/), and individuals can visit the local London Passport office located at the York Street and Colborne Street intersection. The London Passport Office can also be reached toll-free at 1-800-567-6868.
Currently, travellers by land or sea can continue to use documents such as birth certificates and drivers' licenses to enter the United States, however by January 2008 the WHTI will implement that passports will be mandatory for this type of travel as well.
The WHTI was developed after the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act required that a plan be implemented to require all travellers to provide a passport or other document denoting their identity and citizenship when entering the US.
The goal of the WHTI is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the US by US citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure, and reliable documentation that will allow for quick, reliable, and accurate identification of a traveller.
Due to the recent implementation of this initiative many Canadians are being faced with a longer wait to receive their passports due to the high volume of applications and passport offices across Canada are experiencing longer lineups and waits as well.
In November 2006, Passport Canada received more than 355,000 applications; a 33 per cent increase compared to November 2005.
Posted on a bulletin on their web site (http://www.pptc.gc.ca/), Passport Canada informs travellers of the increase in applications and extended wait period.
“Passport Canada is experiencing a sharp volume increase in passport applications in all of its offices by mail through its receiving agents,” the bulletin read. “We are also experiencing, up to 25 business day delays, in addition to our service standards when delivering your new passport.”
Passport Canada's Chief Executive Officer Gerald Cossette said that steps are being taken to meet the demand of the increased amount of applications.
“Passport Canada is making every possible effort to meet the increase in demand while respecting its service standards,” Cossette said. “We are taking steps to reduce waiting times without jeopardizing the security and integrity of the Canadian passport.”
Passport Canada is sharing their workload across every office in order to combat the increase in applications and have implemented several initiatives to help including, hiring new employees to meet clerical needs, having regular employees work overtime and adding an extra shift at print centres to maximize output.
To avoid congestion, delays and waiting times at its offices, Passport Canada strongly recommends that Canadians send their applications by mail or bring their applications to a Service Canada or Service Post receiving agent.
Passport Canada offers an assortment of different passport types for ranges of people including occasional travellers, frequent travellers and individuals who are faced with an emergency situation.
A regular passport is available to individuals over the age of 16 and is valid for five years. The cost of a regular passport is $87, which includes the passport fee ($62) and the consular fee ($25).
A Frequent traveller passport is also available to individuals who consistently travel and is identical to the regular passport besides the inclusion of extra pages that make traveling more convenient to people in this situation.
For individuals that become stranded abroad without a passport, emergency passports can be issued by Canadian Government offices on behalf of Passport Canada. Cost of an emergency passport is $70 plus a passport fee and can be available within 24 hours.
A checklist for the steps for the passport application process is available on the Passport Canada web site (http://www.pptc.gc.ca/), and individuals can visit the local London Passport office located at the York Street and Colborne Street intersection. The London Passport Office can also be reached toll-free at 1-800-567-6868.
Currently, travellers by land or sea can continue to use documents such as birth certificates and drivers' licenses to enter the United States, however by January 2008 the WHTI will implement that passports will be mandatory for this type of travel as well.
The WHTI was developed after the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act required that a plan be implemented to require all travellers to provide a passport or other document denoting their identity and citizenship when entering the US.
The goal of the WHTI is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the US by US citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure, and reliable documentation that will allow for quick, reliable, and accurate identification of a traveller.
