Canadians applying for passports will soon see higher fees, processing deadline
· Toronto Sun
Time has almost run out to avoid being charged extra for a Canadian passport .
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada warned earlier this month that passport fees would be increasing for applications received after Monday with most only having to pay a few dollars extra.
The fee increase, set to go into effect on Tuesday, is the first since 2013 and is being made to ensure “reliable service and (to help) keep pace with rising costs,” the department said in announcing the changes on March 3.
“The adjustment reflects inflation and the growing cost of producing secure travel documents and supporting Canadians throughout the application process,” the department said in a news release.
Special services seeing biggest fee increases
The updated fees will see adults who are applying for a 10-year regular passport within Canada paying an extra $3.50, from $160 before Tuesday to $163.50 on that date or afterward.
Five-year regular adult passport fees are increasing by $2.50 from $120 to $122.50 if processed within Canada, while an extra $1.50 will be tacked onto five-year regular child passport fees, which are increasing from $57 to $58.50.
The fee schedule shows that those types of passports processed outside of Canada will be slightly more expensive, while special services like urgent pickups and weekend service will see the biggest increases from about $15 to nearly $50 more.
The department’s website also said the new fees will apply to passport applications received in the mail on or after Tuesday, even if they were mailed before that date.
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Processing must be done within 30 business days
“If you mail us your application, there’s a delay between when you send it and when we receive it,” the IRCC said. “Fees may change while your application is in transit.”
The department also said fees will now be updated on an annual basis to adjust for inflation and to “help maintain sustainable and consistent service over time.”
The good news, however, is that applications must be processed within 30 business days starting Wednesday or the fees will be waived.
“Refunds will be issued automatically if processing exceeds 30 business days, meaning no action is required by applicants,” the IRCC said.