A happy ending to a passport crisis

Wow, that is a good-news story....but still a little hard to believe. I am guessing the Service Canada person was well rested after the weekend.

Allan thanks for posting such a good news story. So glad it all worked out!!

I must admit I'm paranoid about my passport expiration. I know the date, but every so often we dig them out of our safe to check.

That's great, Allan! I'm so glad it worked out well for her!

She used me as a reference and I took a call at 10:09 from the passport people,

Just what did you testify to?

During a normal passport renewal process is this done?

Not sure if it is different for an an emergency renewal but we are always asked to provided the name of two guarantees. I have been one for friends in the past that never got a call but they ask if you agreed to be a guarantee, and if you signed the back of the picture ( which we need for new passports, not renewals) they may even ask what they were wearing in the picture. A friend always reminds me that a work she goes by her married name
But her legal last name is her non married name incase I get called. I have been a
Guaranteer about a dozen time and never called

Just what did you testify to?

During a normal passport renewal process is this done?

I believe it is. I've been called a couple of times in the past to vouch, but usually I just sign something on an application and never hear back. This time I was informally asked several questions:

How long have I known her?

What does she look like?

Where does she live?

When is her flight?

There were a coupe more but I can't remember them.

I've signed to vouch a few times but never been called.

Wow, that is a good-news story....but still a little hard to believe.
I am guessing the Service Canada person was well rested after the
weekend.

I agree, if I was going to place a bet I would have wagered on a rejection. Even on the website, the best case scenario is the end of the next business day. As I get more details from my wife I think the Service Canada office must live inside the Twilight Zone for it to have been so efficient. Before the office opened at 8:30, a Service Canada rep came out with a tablet and talked to each of the 20 people in line to make a list of who needed what and they were then put into various lines based on priority and type of service. Of the 19 in front of our friend, only 2 others needed passports and our friend was given priority because she was the one with the most immediate emergency. Long story short, within 2 hours and 25 minutes of the office opening, she had a new passport. Cost for the priority service was $270.

Before the office opened at 8:30, a Service Canada rep came out with a tablet and talked to each of the 20 people in line to make a list of who needed what and they were then put into various lines based on priority and type of service. Of the 19 in front of our friend, only 2 others needed passports and our friend was given priority because she was the one with the most immediate emergency.

Now the question is, does that rep get a commendation for making things work well, or a reprimand for 'working off the clock' and fostering an unreasonable expectation from the public that they will get service from their government employees. :-)