DEVOLIN HOLDS THREE PASSPORT CLINICS

Devolin Column (Dec 30)

When winter’s full blast reaches our area each January, many of us begin dreaming about a vacation to warmer climates. For a growing number of destinations, this also means checking to ensure our passports are still valid.

From what many of you have told me, the process to obtain a passport can be more than a little stressful. That’s why I’ve decided to hold Passport Clinics around the riding. The first three will be held at:

·        the Lindsay Square Mall on Thursday January 6, 2005;

·        the Beaverton Legion on Wednesday January 12, 2005;

·        and the Haliburton Legion on Friday January 14, 2005.

Each clinic will be open from 10 am to 3 pm. If they are well received, I will hold clinics semi-annually (spring and fall) where my staff and I will go over passport applications in an effort to reduce unwanted complications. We will also have a photographer on site who will charge a small fee for their service.

Once your documents are complete, and you have a photocopy of your driver’s license and 2 identical photographs, it will be up to you to get a guarantor to sign them. Possible guarantors include police officers, dentists, doctors, chiropractors, judges, lawyers, mayors, ministers, pharmacists, postmasters, principals or chartered accountants. Your guarantor must be someone who is a Canadian citizen and has known you for at least two years.

Once your paperwork is completed, you can leave your forms to us and we will send them to be processed and then call you when they are completed.

My best advice to you is to apply for your passport as far in advance of your travel date as possible.  The Passport Office is now into its peak season. From now until March, up to 15,000 passports will be issued daily, compared to 8,000 during the rest of the year.

The processing time for a passport depends on the volume of the Passport Office, but on average it takes about 4-6 weeks.  If you find yourself in a crunch and require your passport in less time than that, there is a Passport Office at the Scarborough Town Centre where passports can usually be obtained in 10 days or less. (There are usually long lines in Scarborough, so I recommend going early.)

The passport fee is $20 for a child less than 3 years of age; $35 for children 3 to15; and $85 for anyone over 16 years of age.  Payment may be made by Visa, MasterCard or American Express or by certified cheque or money order made out to the “Receiver General for Canada”.

For more information feel free to call my office at (705) 324-2400, toll free at (866) 688-9881 or visit my website at www.barrydevolin.ca to find a link to the Passport Office under “Useful Links”.

I look forward to seeing some of you at our first Passport Clinics. My motto is “don’t wait until you need it – get your passport today!”