Shit, my Canadian friend had planned to fly down this month around the 25th, but it turns out his passport expires on the 21st!
How long does a renewal take? Is there any way to expedite it?
I just had a crazy idea - my friend lives close to the border; since passports are not yet required to come into the US, would it be possible for him to drive to say, Seattle, then fly from there to California and back again? Would he require a passport if he’s already within the US, flying to elsewhere in the US?
From the Passport Canada site. See this section on how to get a rush passport (scroll down to Urgent Applications). It costs extra. Does your friend live in a city that has a passport office? It can take less time if the application is dropped off in person.
When i came to live in the US in 2000, i needed to get my Canadian passport renewed, and i was only in Vancouver for two weeks. I got all the paperwork together and took it into the passport office in person, and i had my new passport in 6 days. I can’t remember if it cost me extra, or how much it was. So it is, under normal circumstances, definitely possible to get a passport in less than three weeks.
But, as QG’s link shows, there currently seems to be delays caused by large numbers of applications, so your friend might have trouble.
Well, assuming you’re correct about not needing a passport at the border crossing (i thought i heard that passports were now required), it would be possible to do what you suggest.
Once you’re in the US, you don’t need a passport to fly. A driver’s license or some other form of ID should be sufficient. One thing though: i’m not sure if foreign driver’s licenses are accepted, because i always take my passport with me when i’m flying anyway.
Remember, even if checking passports at the border is not done with everyone, you still run the risk that you will be pulled over and asked for documentation. I’ve driven across the border at Peace Arch (between Vancouver and Seattle) a bunch of times back in the '90s, and most times we just got waved through. But twice (once entering the US; once entering Canada) we got asked to come into the office and show our documents.
If this happens and you don’t have a valid passport, you might find yourself in for a long wait (at best) and/or subject to some sort of charges. I certainly wouldn’t recommend it.
It is possible to get a passport in 5-6 business days. It does cost extra, around double the usual price. However, with the current crunch at passport offices across Canada it is not guaranteed that you’ll get it.
I was there a month ago and the lady beside me was asking if her son’s passport could be rushed. The official asked the purpose of the trip and she replied “vacation”. He said “no”. Apparently, they are limiting the number of rush orders because otherwise nearly everyone would be asking for one.
Two friends of mine each got passports in 2 days last October (it was a 6 week wait back then). They had to pay extra and hope everything went smooth.
Have all your paperwork, pictures, etc done properly. Dot I’s and cross T’s. Cross your fingers and be prepared to spend a significant amount of time in queues.
Happens with dog owners. Technically, a health certificate and rabies certificate are needed to transport a dog across the border. The majority of times they do not ask to see the documents. But, if they ask and you cannot comply, you can’t cross.
If he goes to the passport office with his e-ticket or paper ticket confirming when he is travelling they will issue a passport sooner. But your friend has to pay for the expedited fee. I got mine in a week but I had to show my ticket and paid I think $104 or $91 ( I can’t remember). The wait times were long. I got mine the week the law changed where Canadians were required to have passports to travel to the US (Jan 2007?) so the lines were extra long. I got mine in Toronto and I went in to pick up and drop off, (not mailed).
Mine and eldest son’s expire in June and July. We have to apply soon or we won’t get them in time. That’s fine, though, we usually drive rather than fly when we head North.
