Passport question

[giraffemd 0]

Going to Canada in June....yayy!! My passport expires in Oct, and so when I am there I would like to renew it. Can I do it when I am there and return to US without it as I will have to send it with the application, or do I need my Canadian passport to re-enter to the US, or is my greencard (10 yr) good enough? Also if I have my pic taken in Canada for my passport, how long is that picture good? And also how long before the passport expires can I apply for my new one.

Thanks for your help.

60+ sleeps before Timmies

[Marilyn. 340]

if you are flying you will need your passport to get back into the US...

but now that I think about it I think it was June or July when you will start needing your passport for driving across the border too..

yup, June 1, 2009

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Edited March 23, 2009 by *Marilyn*

[Bern. 3]

I don't think it'd be a good idea unless you plan to stay for over 2 weeks. Last I checked, it only took about 2 weeks as long as you filed for it in a government building. Such as the Harry Haze building in Calgary.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I had my passport renewed at the passport center in St. Catharines, ON and had it in my hand 10 days later... But when you're working with the government predicted processing times are no guarantee (don't we all know it!). What you can do, is request your old passport back when you send in your renewal forms. They just cut off the one corner of the passport to invalidate it, as you can't have two valid passports for the same country at one time. But I'm not to sure if that would be sufficient when crossing the boarder...

It may be safer to just do it by mail when you return to the US, unless you're going to stay for a couple weeks like Ber+Ter said. Getting your passport photos done in Canada would probably be smart though, that way you won't have to worry about getting the right measurements and all that from an American photo place (I've heard of people having big problems with that)

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Sorry for the double post, it won't let me edit my last one!

You can always pay to get the processing rushed. Check this out: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/urgent.aspx?lang=eng

[BermyCat 1]

My soon-to-stepmother is a Canadian living in Bermuda. She was in Montreal for four days in October, applied for the passport in person, paid the urgent fee and had her new passport before she left. She just had to show them her return ticket.

~ Catherine

Edited March 23, 2009 by BermyCat

[SapphireDreams 71]

My soon-to-stepmother is a Canadian living in Bermuda. She was in Montreal for four days in October, applied for the passport in person, paid the urgent fee and had her new passport before she left. She just had to show them her return ticket.

~ Catherine

Yeah same with me, I got my passport in 2 days, just had to pay extra and show them that I had a trip the next week. It was fine. It was even ready in 1 day and they called me early.

[giraffemd 0]

I had my passport renewed at the passport center in St. Catharines, ON and had it in my hand 10 days later... But when you're working with the government predicted processing times are no guarantee (don't we all know it!). What you can do, is request your old passport back when you send in your renewal forms. They just cut off the one corner of the passport to invalidate it, as you can't have two valid passports for the same country at one time. But I'm not to sure if that would be sufficient when crossing the boarder...

It may be safer to just do it by mail when you return to the US, unless you're going to stay for a couple weeks like Ber+Ter said. Getting your passport photos done in Canada would probably be smart though, that way you won't have to worry about getting the right measurements and all that from an American photo place (I've heard of people having big problems with that)

yes I think that I will do that...how long are the pics good for, and do you know if there is a limit on how long you can renew before your old passport expires?

[Krikit 1,164]

yes I think that I will do that...how long are the pics good for, and do you know if there is a limit on how long you can renew before your old passport expires?

Here you go: Passport Canada

[giraffemd 0]

yes I think that I will do that...how long are the pics good for, and do you know if there is a limit on how long you can renew before your old passport expires?

Here you go: Passport Canada

thx so much for that

[antda 13]

Hi Giraffemd,

When my Canadian passport (in my maiden name and with a married name paper notation) expired this year, I had to apply for a new one in my married name. You can read about my recent Canadian passport renewal experience on this message thread here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...c=180243&hl=

I got my Candian passport (in my married name) in the mail 2 weeks later, which you can read on this message thread here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...c=183063&hl=

In answer to your questions:

-I renewed my Canadian passport in-person in St. Catherines, Ontario, and had no problems doing that there.

-Yes, you can re-enter the USA with your 10yr green card while your passport is processing. Just in case though, you can bring along your expired passport (they give it back to you as a souvenier, when you apply for a new passport, but cut off the corner of it) and the sales receipt of your new passport application (they give you one of those too) when you cross back (by land, though I'm not sure about air travel). Lol..in fact, I crossed back over by land to the USA with an expired Canadian passport, and an expired 2 yr green card with extension letter, and the passport receipt, and had no problems there...

-I think passport photos are valid for 6 months (or at least Passport Canada wants passport photos taken within 6 months, as indicated on the instructions). So if you have yours taken in that timeframe, you should be ok there. Just make sure though, that they are "Canadian Passport Sized" (which is bigger) and not American sized if you ever do take your photos in the USA.

-You should be ok applying for a Canadian passport a few months before it expires. It's just when one applies for a passport renewal a few years before it expires (I think it says a couple of years) that one would have to explain that to Passport Canada.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your Canadian Passport renewal, and good luck with the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant (Still waiting for the I-751, Still waiting for Baby...)

Going to Canada in June....yayy!! My passport expires in Oct, and so when I am there I would like to renew it. Can I do it when I am there and return to US without it as I will have to send it with the application, or do I need my Canadian passport to re-enter to the US, or is my greencard (10 yr) good enough? Also if I have my pic taken in Canada for my passport, how long is that picture good? And also how long before the passport expires can I apply for my new one.

Thanks for your help.

60+ sleeps before Timmies