My passport expires on January 20, 2009. One of the only sucky things about being a Canuck is that the passports are only good for five years. Considering how much we travel, when to get the passport renewed is ALWAYS a major issue.
As it turns out, a good time to renew it is RIGHT NOW!!!
According the embassy in Bern, it'll take about 15 days to get the new one. Last time it only took a couple of days, but the embassy in Bern printed it themselves and it was a NON-MACHINE READABLE passport. This time, a machine readable, biometric passport will come to me all the way from Canada. Hence, the longer processing time. Seeing that I won't be traveling again until December 19th (going to London to celebrate Mrs. TBF's birthday), I feel very confident that, if I send in the application by next week, I'll have my new passport in plenty of time.
I already had my "expressionless" pictures taken in Chicago last week, I've downloaded the passport application off of the embassy's website, and now I just have to fill the stinkin' thing out. That's going require aboot fifteen minutes of intense focus, eh?The attention span is not...quite...there...yet.
8 comments:
Yeah, we have triple the fun because I have to get the kids' passports renewed every 5 years as well and we're all on different times frames. I got a machine readable passport last time - didn't take long at all, considering that it went to Canada and back. They warned about lengthy wait times on the site, but I think I had it in under two weeks.
I just renewed my passport as well and I got it back in about 3 weeks - a record for the US!
Everytime I see that form, it seems to become longer. Am I a crimnal, or what?! And don't forget: When you put your signature in the box, make sure that it does NOT touch or go outside the lines! And tell that to whoever is confirming that you are really who you say you are, too.
Costco does a great job at passport pictures, don't they?
Are you starting to speaking Canadian eh? I've gotta renew mine in another year I think. I've changed a lot since my last photo and the US border guard actually questioned my identity... the nerve!
greg - Yes, Costco does. However, I can't get a Canadian passport photo at Costco unless I go to a Costco in Canada. Fortunately, I was able to find two passport studios in the Chicago area that could meet the Canadian passport photo specifications.
Canada does not issue biometric passports yet. I'm not sure of this completely, but the last updates of my passports were not biometric and there was no outlook on such application...
Don't be so disappointed if that's the case. :(
osky- No dissapointment. I'm actually just excited that I'll get a machine-readable passport. It's always a hassle when the passport control guy has to start typing in the information with my current passport.
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