10 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday January 24, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Clarkson If you need a passport quickly, be prepared to stand in line By David Lea had to pay a fee to change the time of his trip. Turner says the delay is costing Oakville travel agencies are telling many Canadians much more. clients without valid passports to head "We've got a lot of people in Halton for a government passport office who have put down up to $6,000 on a rather than mailing in an application family vacation and these are nonthat could take months to process. refundable deposits," he said. The delay is due to an avalanche of "So this money is lost unless these applications received by Passport people can get their hands on these Canada. passports. Not only is it not getting a The approach of the Jan. 23 dead- family vacation, but it's a huge finanline requiring Canadians to carry pass- cial hit." ports to enter the United States by air Wendy Harding, of Adventure is being blamed for the increased vol- Travel House, is advising her clients to ume. go to the passport "It's a disaster," "They might consider office in Mississauga said Halton MP going across the border or Hamilton. Garth Turner. "You'll end up in to Buffalo and taking the "Normally if you a bit of a line, but mail your passport flight. That's another way the turn around off you're told that of avoiding the problem." time is not that in 20 working days bad," she said. you will get your Bob Kerby, "People that have passport returned to of Bob's Cruises been getting them you," he said. "The in December were situation is so bad right now that peo- certainly getting them back within ple who mailed their passport applica- two weeks." tions in November, those passport Harding said the wait time has applications are just being opened increased somewhat since December, now." but it still beats the wait time for mailTurner said the Passport Canada ing, which has doubled to 40 business headquarters in Gatineau Québec days. received 355,000 passport applications For destinations in America, Bob in November alone. Kerby, of Bob's Cruises has another "For December we don't even have recommendation. numbers yet. It's probably double," "They might consider going across said Turner. the border to Buffalo and taking the At Egan Travel making customers flight. That's another way of avoiding aware of the approaching U.S. pass- the problem," said Kerby. port requirement has averted most For those who have already mailed problems. off their passport applications Turner "We've been reminding clients for has these words of advice. quite a long time now that they need "Call and get them mailed back." to have passports. We've had notices People who have mailed in their on desks so that when people come in application forms will have included and they're sitting down and dis- their birth certificates among the doccussing travel they see these notices uments, said Turner. and we have been verbally reminding Without a birth certificate they can them and putting it on invoices too," not apply at a passport office in persaid Irene Egan. son. Despite these efforts the delay has Once the birth certificate returns still led to huge inconveniences. Turner recommends a speedy trip to "We had an instance of someone the passport office after filling out the who booked a trip in October, they had application online. to go to the U.S. in January and he just "Then you may be lucky and you applied for his passport two months may get this thing back in about three later on Dec. 17, plus he mailed it in, weeks." which is probably the slowest way," Canadians who enter America by said Egan. means other than air should not delay "So needless to say with the in applying for passports as Jan. 1, Christmas break and the increased 2008 has been tentatively set as the demand for passports he didn't get his date when passport requirements passport back on time." extend to those entering by land and On this occasion the client only sea. OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF THE CITY'S BEST BRIDAL SHOW Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place Hours: Friday 5pm-10pm Saturday 10am-9pm Sunday 10am-6pm Show Admission: $15. JANUARY 26-28, 2007 FREE BRIDAL GOWN to be given away every 15 minutes from Sposabella & Ballett's, The Wedding Specialists DESTINATION WEDDING FASHION SHOWS Sponsored by Islands of the Bahamas Friday 7:30pm Saturday 2:00pm & 7:00pm Sunday 1:00pm & 4:00pm to any Sandals Resort in the Carribean DREAM HONEYMOON! $5000 THE BIGGEST HOME ACCESSORY BRIDAL GOWN SALE PRIZE PACKAGE from The Bay IN THE CITY! & Home Outfitters National Gift Registry brought to you by Sposabella HUNDREDS OF EXHIBITORS offering Services for your Special Day Sensational Fashion Show & Destination Wedding Ideas! Freixenet Sparkling Wine Garden! Everything for the Groom too! Visit the Brides Choice Photography Gallery for photo excellence & great ideas! www.nationalbridalshow.com For information or exhibitor opportunities 905-815-0017 or 1-800-265-3673