These Canadian passport seekers were in line longer than it'll take for their trips
CBC
Maya Hirschman started lining up outside a Passport Canada office in London, Ont., hours before most people start their day jobs, but nine people were already ahead of her.
"I was there at 4:45, which was about half an hour later than I'd planned to get there," said Hirschman, who on Tuesday arrived in the parking lot of Cherryhill Village Mall with a cushion and a book.
Early last month, Service Canada returned to pre-pandemic service in hopes of meeting a surge in demand for passports, but the long queues and hours-long waits have not subsided.
Hirschman discovered people hoping to renew or apply for a passport had started lining up at 4 a.m.
She has plans to visit friends in Michigan in the coming weeks, and knew to arrive early at the passport office because her friend recently tried to apply for a passport, and after waiting hours, was told she wouldn't be processed and to return before 5 a.m. the next day.
"I took that to heart. And I pretended that I was lining up for a band back in 1997," said Hirschman, who like others shared her experience on social media.
In an emailed statement to CBC News, a spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) said, "Service Canada recognizes that an increase in demand for passport services has resulted in lineups and longer wait times for service."
The Passport Canada website offers guidance on how to approach the application process:
If you're travelling within 45 days, it's advised you line up at the nearest office with proof of your travel plans.
If the trip is more than 45 days away, you won't require proof of a trip and can book an appointment.
In May, Passport Canada hired 600 new employees to help process passport applications. The emailed statement from ESDC said, "Despite longer processing times than before the pandemic, for the week ending June 12, 2022, 72 per cent of Canadians who apply for a passport currently receive their passport within 40 working days.
On Thursday morning, Payam Ebrahim arrived at the passport office at the Cherryhill Village Mall in London at 2:30 a.m. to beat the rush. His cousin, Hassan Jamal, joined him at 3 a.m.
"I'm trying to go on vacation and my passport expired in March," Ebrahim said.
The two want to travel to Los Angeles in August.
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