CTVNews.ca - Minister asks Canadians not to fake travel plans to skip passport application lines

This site is not an official Government of Canada website. It is not affiliated with the Service Canada Passport office. For official information, visit Canada.ca/passport

Travel advice and advisories by destination

Spencer Van Dyk – CTV News parliamentary bureau writer, producer – Aug 15, 2022

Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould is discouraging people from making fake travel plans just to skip the line of those waiting for passports.

Gould said she’s heard anecdotally that some people may be booking imminent travel in order to get their passport application bumped up the list, though she doesn’t believe the issue is widespread.

While passport offices are triaging applications and making their way through the significant backlog — caused by a wave of interest in international travel after more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic — those with imminent or urgent travel needs can show evidence of upcoming travel plans and get their passport expedited.

“That is not something we’ve heard happening across the board, but of course if it is, I discourage it entirely, because it exacerbates an already overwhelmed system,” Gould told CTVNews.ca on Monday. “I’d be very disappointed if someone decided to do that, because it’s very unfair to people who have done all the right things.”

The minister said one would need “considerable resources” to pay for a trip just to cancel it in the hopes of getting bumped up the line for a passport. She also said wait times at passport offices themselves have been drastically reduced and are largely back to normal.

“There really is no need to do something like this,” Gould said.

Still, many Canadians have reported waiting months to get their passport, with long wait times for those who mail in their applications.

“We’re making steady progress,” Gould said.

Kevin King, the National President of the Union of National Employees, Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents hundreds of passport officers, said he’s not sure how many people are trying to manipulate the system, but that “one is too many.”

“I think the vast majority of Canadians are not gaming the system,” he told CTVNews.ca on Monday. “But I do have a message for those who are: they are endangering the livelihoods of the passport officers we represent, and they’re endangering frustrated clients who are in line for legitimate reasons.”

source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/minister-asks-canadians-not-to-fake-travel-plans-to-skip-passport-application-lines-1.6028173

Saving in the wrong registered account can quietly destroy a low-income worker’s retirement setup. Read our guide on TFSA vs RRSP for Low Income Earners: Avoid the GIS Retirement Trap to discover why RRSP withdrawals trigger a hidden 50% benefit clawback—and how shifting to a TFSA protects your Guaranteed Income Supplement benefits.

Stop wasting money on monthly bank fees and missing out on valuable rewards! Discover how switching to Canada’s top no-fee bank accounts and zero-annual-fee cash-back credit cards can help you keep more money in your pocket. Read our article Best No-Fee Bank Accounts & Cash-Back Cards in Canada (2026 Guide) at Unemployment Canada to start saving today.

Discover how to maximize your tax-free government relief with complete CRA details on the newly launched Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB). Learn about updated 2026 eligibility rules, enhanced quarterly payout schedules, and maximum income limits. Read our article Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit 2026: Eligibility & Payment Schedule, at taxservicecanada.ca.

Never miss an Old Age Security payment by bookmarking our dedicated 2026 OAS Payment Schedule page today. Managing your retirement budget is much easier when you know exactly when your funds will arrive in your account. By saving this link, you’ll have instant, one-click access to the most up-to-date distribution dates and any schedule adjustments throughout the year.