[thumper]

I was wondering which Passport Canada office has the best service/shortest wait times?

I tried to go to the Vancouver office at 1pm today but after an hour and a half I had to leave because I didn't book enough time off from work.

Any tips/tricks are appreciated.

[Presto]

Depends on the day and time you go. Fridays are busy everywhere. People like to go on their days off, and most of them join those days with the weekend. I was at the Vancouver location on a Wednesday, at around 11:00AM. Wait time was 1 hour. You were going at around lunch time which is going to be busy any day.

[highfive]

Richmond. Only waited 30 mins last year to grab a passport for my son.

[evil_jigglypuff]

Surrey Central location. I have just renewed about a month ago and only waited less than 30mins. I came pretty early tho at 11am on a Wednesday. Got my passport not even two weeks later.

[Gnomes]

Spoke to the clerk at Richmond. He said Mondays and Fridays are busiest.

[MG1]

My son just went to the Service Canada location on Gilmore and Canada Way. He was second in line. He got called up in ten minutes, they looked over his application and that was it. It's supposed to take longer than going to a designated passport office, but it didn't. If you are not in a hurry to get it, it might be a better alternative?

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/passport.html



Service Canada is a "Receiving Agent." I think there's a few more around. Knight and Kingsway?

[Gh0stRider]

I got mine under 2 weeks from Surrey

[StylinRed]

Surreys been quickest for me but I've only been to the van and Surrey locations (van takes forever in my experience)

[fliptuner]

If you're just renewing, do it by mail.

[Harvey Specter]

Stay away from DT. Waited over a hour couple weeks ago and witnessed some guy trying to cut the line and go ape shit on a security guard when he was told to leave. Good news is I already received my passport in the mail. In comparison my mom went to the Richmond office last month and she said there was 10 minute wait.

[hchang]

+1 for Surrey

Last time I went was in and out in 20 mins and got passport in mail in 10/11 calendar days

Went on a Wednesday or Thursday though.

Time before I went to richmond iirc wait was close to an hour but shipping time was about the same.

A lot easier to park at Surrey one, and I felt slightly racially profiled at richmond one. Probably see too many Asians throughout the day

[Tegra_Devil]

.... Kelowna..

[josayeee]

+1 was in and out of this place in 10 min for a passport

My son just went to the Service Canada location on Gilmore and Canada Way. He was second in line. He got called up in ten minutes, they looked over his application and that was it. It's supposed to take longer than going to a designated passport office, but it didn't. If you are not in a hurry to get it, it might be a better alternative?

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/passport.html



Service Canada is a "Receiving Agent." I think there's a few more around. Knight and Kingsway?

[winson604]

I've had best luck in Richmond and W Broadway location.

[geeknerd]

Unless youre putting a rush on it, snail mail is the fastest. All you're doing is handing them an application anyways, and you get it in the mail. No point waiting in line for that.

[MG1]

Well, they do check the application over for you in case you missed something. If a photo looks wrong or you missed a question or anything, they will tell you. If anything is wrong with the application and you mail it in, not only do you have to start all over again, but you lose your fee.

Not to mention having to wait again.............


Just my two bits.

[N.V.M.]

why isn't North Van on that list?

just renewed and didn't know you could pay for a 10 year passport. so i did.

[Zedbra]

^ yeah, I just found out this year that we can renew here in Squamish - providing you don't need one-week or emergency service. Was quite handy versus going downtown and staring at the people.

[sam0m0]

+1 was in and out of this place in 10 min for a passport

Yep did it here twice now about 10 mins both times. Just need to wait 2 or 3 weeks to get in the mail.

[bcrdukes]

As mentioned above:

Time and circumstances permitting, snail mail is actually the fastest. My family got theirs all done in 7 business days, including day of mailing and weekends.

Richmond or Service Canada locations were pretty fast for me as well. Maybe a week and a bit's worth of turnaround time? Wait time was reasonable at Richmond and Service Canada locations.

My last passport renewal was done at the Downtown location at Sinclair centre. It took about almost 30 - 45 minutes of wait time, but received my passport in 5 business days. No rush service required. You will have to consider the wait times and it varies day to day.

They will also encourage you to apply for a 10 year passport and that is to reduce service/work loads and save you time and hassle of applying for one every 5 years.

[thumper]

thanks for the suggestions and advice so far everyone, and keep them coming... i'm not going to be able to do this for another week or two unless i do the suggestion of going to a service canada office (the one mentioned in burnaby is close to home for me).

[Alby]

i went to the one on knight and kingsway. showed up 5mins before opening and was in and out in 10mins. this was done on a weekday though.

[murd0c]

I mailed mine in with express post and received it back in two weeks.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Burnaby is not bad but I only went to renew the passport.

[fliptuner]

I mailed mine in with express post and received it back in two weeks.

Exactly. I did the same thing.

Why wait in line unless you really have to do it in person?

[Obsideon]

I went to the Service Canada office on W. Broadway a few weeks ago, as MG1 pointed out there are a couple of Receiving Agents around and they most definitely going to be quicker than the main branch.
Took about 40min but compared to Sinclair Centre where I had to pay stupid amounts of meter parking and ended up waiting over an hour it's a no brainer.
You could try the further locations but if you are driving 30+ minutes to get there to save 30min waiting in line it's kind of redundant lol

[dark0821]

Was just at Sinclair Centre today...

Took only about 30min, left Metrotown at 2PM, got back to Metrotown at 3:39PM (havn't taken the skytrain in ages... nostalgia!! and only used one ticket since it was within the time limit... the Asian in me was impressed LOL)

I guess it really just depends on your luck...

[Presto]

I received my passport in the mail on the 21st. 8 business days. Not bad!

[dapperfied]

Has anyone gone to the Surrey office early Friday morning?