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Passport applications will be processed with '30 days or free' guarantee
The federal government is beefing up its accountability for processing passport applications.
As of April 1, passport applicants will get a full refund of their passport fee if it takes more than 30 business days to process their application, said Lena Metlege Diab, federal minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship in a statement on Wednesday.
The refund will be automatic.
The clock will start when a complete application is received by Passport Canada. It will end when the passport is printed and verified.
However, mailing time is not included . Neither is additional review time for complex applications or holds on an application while the passport office collects additional information.
A complete application includes a filled-out form, all the required supporting documents, passport photos and the full payment of fees. If anything is missing or the application has errors, the application will not count as complete until the outstanding issue is fixed.
The “30 days or free” guarantee will provide “a clear and consistent standard” for applicants, said Diab. “Most passport applications are processed within service standards, but applicants should be compensated when the government does not meet them.”
Service standards for passport applications vary between 10 and 20 business days plus mailing time, says the IRCC , depending on the Service Canada Centre where it is submitted. Applications can also be made at Canadian embassies, consulates or through the mail.
This policy does not apply to urgent and express services, which have separate, shorter timelines, according to IRCC. “If those timelines are not met, fees are refunded under existing authorities.”
Applicants can check on an application status using the Passport office’s online tool , by contacting the passport office handling your application or by telephone.
For people who applied in person or by mail, the refund will be sen t as a cheque to the mailing address on file. For online applicants renewing their passports, the refund will be sent to the credit card used for payment, or a cheque will be issued if the refund to the card doesn’t work.
Applicants whose applications weren’t processed within the service standard, and haven’t received a refund by July 1 of the fiscal year after they applied, are asked to contact Passport Canada about it.
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