They sent Paige’s passport renewal application by courier in February, after seeing the approximate processing time of 20 working days on the Service Canada website. “We felt more than okay based on the information on their website,” said Father Shaun Rolfe. “I ended up seeing the payment processed on my credit card on March 23, so at that stage we realized we were all fine, we would receive it by the end of March, early April.” When Paige’s new passport had not arrived a week before their departure on April 14 from Vancouver, and after her parents received no response to many Service Canada emails, they began to panic. “We made the decision to get an emergency passport, something we heard you could do,” Shaun said. He took Page to the passport office in downtown Vancouver on Monday morning, and after waiting for hours, it was initially rejected because their trip was just outside the 48-hour emergency passport window. “I spoke sweetly at the door that day, and it finally saved us,” Shaun said. “The passport was received by us at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday and we were at the airport at 4 on Thursday morning. “ His advice for other travelers who need to renew their passports before spring and summer? Do not trust the estimated waiting time on the Service Canada website. “It’s completely misleading,” Shaun said. “I can say that almost everyone under this passport office had the same belief, either they were in the office with more than enough time to get what they needed, or they were in the same situation as us, where they had mailed and I did not see nothing back. “ Service Canada says it is facing a huge backlog of applications as Canadians letting their passports expire during the COVID-19 lockdown are starting to book travel again. Shaun strongly recommends that people make an appointment in advance, instead of posting a passport application or hoping to arrive at the last minute. “They made it very clear that they were so overwhelmed by the closed appointments at the moment that an appearance in the office does not guarantee anything,” he said. If they failed to get Page’s passport on time, the family would have been left with thousands on airline tickets and accommodation in Vegas. Her parents could not enjoy the alternative. “The only option we had was to travel without my daughter and I do not think we had the heart to do that,” Shaun said. Page’s passport did it in many hours. Now all four Rolfes are all in Vegas – a good place to feel lucky.
