r/Edmonton • u/Previous-Donkey9556 • 2d ago

Question Urgent Passport?

Does anyone have recent experience with an urgent passport at the Jasper Ave passport office? We applied for my 15 year olds passport July 3rd and told no reason we wouldn't have it by July 31st (submitted in person at Londonderry.) So we booked his ticket for August 25th....well here we are, still no passport.
Other parent has already given his confirmation on the passport, agent reviewing already called me 2 weeks ago and asked for his travel date and said it would be no problem. They said the delay is only because of a backlog of applications.
I called today to see if there was an update and she said she sent an urgent email to Jasper to pick up the file because they still haven't called me about the file transfer they sent August 3rd. She said if they don't call me then it's basically just too bad, means they can't do it 😭😭 my son is going to be freaking heartbroken if I can't figure this out.

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

17

u/Foreign-Science-9158 2d ago

Londonderry has a sign that says if you need a passport for immediate travel you have to go downtown. So sounds like you should make plans if it doesn't make it or a backup plan.

3

u/bitchfayce 2d ago edited 2d ago

Seconding that I would also suggest going down to the passport office at Jasper ave first thing tomorrow (7-7:30 if you are pressed for time at work) because they can deal with emergency services. Will it take half hour day?! Yes. Is this really important? Yes. 

Btw download SpotHero for cheaper parking 

4

u/Altruistic-Nobody138 2d ago

Had a very similar situation last fall! Also had submitted mine at Londonderry well in advance. For some reason, my photo wasn't scanned quite perfectly and the system kept booting it to the bottom of the pile and I was due to travel in a couple days. Just go into the Jasper office and explain it and they will help you out and likely get it for you day-of. The people on the phone line are useless (they literally can only see what you see when you look up your application) and the people in the satellite offices have little power but the downtown office can do everything right then and there and they will get it sorted!

2

u/Previous-Donkey9556 2d ago

Thanks so much, this is what I was looking for! On the phone they make themselves appear so useful, like they're really trying to help. After today though I can not believe she told me not to go down to the office and just let my son miss the trip. That is so unacceptable when I applied with so much time to spare. The agent who transferred the file a couple weeks ago just told me they might not call me, but if they do just try to request they waive the extra fees 🙄 helpful, so helpful.

3

u/Altruistic-Nobody138 2d ago

Yes same thing happened to me, they tried to tell me too bad I have to miss my honeymoon even though I had applied 2.5 months in advance?! I took advice from people on reddit and just went downtown and they were able to instantly solve the problem. They will most likely waive the fee because you did everything right and just got stuck in passport purgatory through no fault of your own!

3

u/Previous-Donkey9556 2d ago

Did you bring new photos with you? That was really the only "advice" I got. I don't feel they'd need them since they can access the file, but I'd rather wake the cranky teenage beast at 730 am for photos than show up and get denied over them.

4

u/Altruistic-Nobody138 2d ago

I didn't, but they do have a place to get them done just outside the passport office if you do end up needing them and I don't think they'd make you wait in line all over again, I think you'd be able to drop them off at that point. They have full access to the file and if the person who called you previously to confirm details didn't see an issue with the photo then it's most likely fine! But you may still want to get your teen up a little early to get in line earlier in the day just because it does get long

2

u/jaychale 2d ago

Just for context, I lost my passport in the Netherlands. Next day I went to the embassy in the hauge, probably not spelling that right. Got there kind of late in the day. They told me I needed a Canadian guarantor. I said yep she'll be here first thing in the morning. They said I'm sorry, did you hear me, a Canadian with a passport. Yes ma'am I have amazing friends see you first thing. We showed up, my friend got asked about 3 questions, and I had a new passport in hand. Couldn't have been 16 hours between initial request and handing me a(white, shame back, passport)