Toronto passport offices prioritizing applications by travel dates to slash wait times

Toronto passport offices have been swamped lately by travellers trying to get their documents in order. Now, they're starting to prioritize applications by immediate travel dates to combat those extremely long lineups.

According to the passport wait time list from Service Canada, offices across the city are implementing new triage measures to "provide a more intensive, client-specific approach."

To help manage lines and deliver passports more quickly, some specialized passport sites in the greater #Toronto area have started a new triaging approach based on travel plans.

More: https://t.co/0StFdapPEF pic.twitter.com/9qTArmSZ26

— Passport Canada (@PassportCan) June 29, 2022

Staff are prioritizing clients with "urgent travel needs within the following 24 to 48 hours," who will then be registered and told to come back to the office.

#passportcanada @PassportCan Toronto Yonge Street office. Today's priority Friday, July 15, 2022:. For new passports or renewals: Prioritizing those travelling by JULY 22. (If travelling later, no guarantee youll be entertained in person, no matter how early you line up!). pic.twitter.com/U4Yp7HWJAJ

— Jimmy Jimjim (@technophone) July 15, 2022

Those with travel dates further in the future will be directed to locations that have shorter wait times.

Currently, people are being triaged into one of three groups; travel within 24-48 hours, travel within 3-19 days and travel beyond 20 days.

For those who have vacations within two days, a ticket with an approximate wait time will be given out once they arrive at the office. They will then have to wait around until their ticket is called — usually more than three hours.

Vacation dates more than 48 hours in the future will be directed to other offices with appointments.

But don't think you can just pretend you have an upcoming vacay to bypass the lines; proof of travel is required.

In case you don’t already know, Service Canada currently predicts a six hour wait time at the 4900 Yonge Street office in North York and a four-hour wait at the 74 Victoria Street location.

Once you deal with these terrible passport wait times, you'll be a pro when you eventually arrive at Pearson — where the lines aren't much better.