Service Canada Centre

For passport application, they don't publish it anywhere, but for the past 2 weeks they've only accepted walk-in for people who are travelling in the next 48 hours. I came 10 days before my travel date, waited 2 hours on a cold morning and I was turned away. they told me to come back 48 hours before my travel date (the 48 hours rules doesn't apply to weekend holiday, so if you have travel on a Sunday, you're considered to be travelling on Friday and you can come on Wednesday) Passport pick up is very slow, taking 1 hour in the line outside and another 30 mins inside. Regardless, i'm giving them 4 star because they're one of the nicer office out there. the security guard is great, very friendly and is very patient in explaining to us what is happening. I also went to the St. Catherines office, which treated me a lot worse.

After spending nearly 8 hours waiting in the sun in 36 degree heat, and suffering a nasty burn, I finally got my passport filed. The staff was very kind but how they are operating is extremely dysfunctional. There’s little to no regard for those waiting in intense conditions and it’s frankly dangerous. They need to find out a system that prevents people from waiting 8+ hours outside just to be turned away at the door and told to try again! If you are about to go and you read this be prepared for the weather conditions and standing for an extended period of time. Bring chairs, water, sunscreen etc… I wish I did ?

Went there early at :7:30 am got in line up. was told at 9 am by security guard they only take people traveling in 25 days or less. I said I didnt see that point on the website. Went home and checked and it still wasn't there. People really don't mind waiting. It is the poor communication and lack of consideration of peoples time and the $160.00 renewal fees that you have to pay that's grating on the nerves.. Hire more staff even temporary if you have to. They only have 2 offices for all of Hamilton. There use to be one downtown where we used to go. Not now. This makes it hard for people who live downtown to access these services.

Abysmal place waited outside for 4 hours in the blazing sun. Told by security "The people that are lined up here won't be turned away" only to wait 2 more hours get nice and burnt in the sun to be told I am in fact being turned away. Is this place a representation of how much our government cares about us? Not sure if it's the staffing at this location or a all around feeling of who cares. But this is by far the worst government office ever. Make the drive out to mississauga where they apparently have competent people and you will be served within 4 hours. And they also don't make you wait outside in the blazing sun with no shade only to tell you to go away.

Here's what's going on to get a new or renew your passport in Canada: you call the 1-800 number, and if you are travelling within the next 25 business days, they tell you to go to a Passport Office, that the offices HAVE to see you. Once you get to an office, and there are already tons of people in line, the reception ladies tell you that they can only see you if you are travelling within the next 48 hours. You explained that Service Canada called you and told you to go there. They asked when did they call, you give them the date, and they said, "oh, that's impossible, they don't call on Saturdays," when in fact they do (and as a customer, you sound like you are lying). I was at the Hamilton office today, following the instructions I received over the phone. They wouldn't see me, even though I'm travelling in 18 days. An older lady in front of me was in the same situation; however, they booked her right away because she's travelling on Saturday to Vancouver Island! She doesn't need a passport, but the receptionist didn't ask for proof of travel to this lady but asked for a young man a few minutes later. So do they randomly select who they see? What is this based on? I explained that I took the day off work, had my baby with me, and couldn't keep returning. The receptionist responded: "you don't HAVE to bring your baby here" (news for you: not everyone can afford babysitting). The security officer added: "since you took the day off, you can go to St. Catherine's, they will take you there." I replied: "I can't go to St. Catherine's with a baby, and do you know how much gas costs now?" Meanwhile, three people are waiting to be seen inside the office and around 80 outside. A clerk in booth one has spent the last 15 minutes on her phone, not seeing anyone! What kind of service is this? To end this story: I asked what I should do? And they suggested I come back 48 hours before I travel. And you want to know why? Because they are charging an extra CAD 110 for the urgent service! There is something suspicious about that.

I reached there at 9:30 am, there were like 50 people ahead of me. Let me tell you, the line moved after every hour, that too like a turtle. It was 38 degrees, so you can imagine how everyone was feeling. At the end around 2:30 the one of the women came out and announced that they cant take more people and it was upto us if we wanted to stay and so many people who were in line since 6:30 left and were not able to apply for their passport. I decided to stay and try out my luck because I already spent 5 years standing in the sun so might as well stay another hour. fortunately the lady came outside and 4 people who decided to stay till end were helped and their passports were applied. So I am glad I decided to stay! People inside are really nice and helpful, special thanks to the lady who tried helping as much people as possible BUT we need a better system, there is no way that this is what people should go through while applying for their passports. Also a tip, in the end when everyone left around 3:30 two people who came were let IN so if you live in Hamilton definitely try to do that, you never know you might get lucky! Goodluck

I went there to get the SIN for my parents, and the entire process was completed within 20-25 minutes. The security, and admin staff was very supportive and efficient, we were issued a ticket within 5 mins, waited for less than 5 mins for our number, and spent 10-15 minutes at the counter with Tabitha before leaving the center with SIN for my parents. Tabitha and rest of the staff was very nice, and I did not sense any rudeness in their behavior whatsoever like other reviews are suggesting. Hope you get the same experience!

Bert was the sweetest man and helped us get our passport situation figured out very easily. WE GOT THERE AT 7:30 AM AND LEFT AT 4:00 PM !!!!!! So if you need anything to do with your passport please be aware that it is brutally slow and people even got turned away after 7 hours of waiting in the rain with baby’s and no updates what so ever. People got there at 4am to wait to get in and they open at 8:30. If you want to even get in you have to be there SUPER EARLY and have LOTS OF PATIENCE Good luck <3