20070305/申请加拿大护照找担保人令新移民困惑

当局拟改变担保人定义 找担保人令新移民大感困惑

星报通讯社多伦多电/当美国施行航空旅客必须持护照入境新规定之后,加拿大人纷纷申请出国护照,加拿大护照局不堪重负,密西沙加的护照印刷厂每日24小时连夜运作,目前又值春假即将到来之时,情况可谓雪上加霜。申请护照过程并不简单,文件必须齐备,申请人尤其对担保人一项非常困惑。

试想请读者猜个谜语:甚么是阁下整脊医生母亲可以做的,而物理治疗师父亲不可以做的?甚么是一名童年好友暨律师可以做的,而另一名朋友、退休法官不可以做的?甚么是长年邻居暨谦虚的警官可以做的,而另一名长期邻居、经常在电视上露面的市议员不可以做的?答案都是同样的:在阁下申请护照、呈交政府个人信息时,他们可以作为保证人。

申请程序变化无常

担保人是在加拿大申请护照过程中的关键部分。担保人是社区中受人敬重的人士,他们认识护照申请人;而且,加拿大护照局很容易联络他们。护照局通常通过专业协会的名册联络他们。

甚么人可以作担保人,甚么人不可以,规则相当复杂,至少说,不合情理。例如,一些地方政客很有名望,但不可以作为担保人。担保人若退休便失去资格。另外,虽然整脊医生受到承认,物理治疗师却不是。

多伦多移民律师马曼(Guidy Mamann)认为,整个程序变化无常。试问一下护照办公室雇员,这类名单是何时制订或修订的,也许是几十年之前的条条框框了。

这种情况将有所改变。加拿大护照局表示,正在检讨担保人程序,将于不久的将来作出修改,以便减少混淆。

护照局发言人夏邦诺(Francine Charbonneau)表示,不会取消担保人的要求,但有可能改变对担保人的实际定义。

对于新移民来说,这一程序尤其麻烦。通常他们并不认识担保人最少两年。许多人有可能多年来不去看医生,或从未见律师,这种情况问题更大。对于他们来说,修改这种耗费时间的程序是再好不过的事了。一项调查显示,大部分加拿大人一般来说对护照服务感到满意,尽管最近,满意程度有所降低。

护照局检查证明文件时也非常严格。文件必须保存完好,如果是旧文件,很难保不会出现缺角损页的情况。下周便是春假开始,如果阁下准备出国旅行,尚未申请护照,时间将太仓促。

美国新规定,所有航空旅客必须出示护照,许多人因此措手不及。加拿大各地的护照办公室每天接到20,000份申请,而以往,即使在繁忙的日子,每天也只是13,000份申请。

这种情况造成申请护照过程延长,以往只需要几周时间,现在也许要两个月,这还不包括邮寄时间。

话你知

如果阁下申请护照,记住携带下列文件:
-证明加拿大公民身份的原件,而不是影印件,例如出生证明或公民证。
-至少一份有阁下签名的另一种文件,例如,驾驶执照或旧护照。
-两名推荐人,并不包括家属及担保人(担保人可以是家庭成员),推荐人能够证实阁下的身份。
-不要忘记带上87元。
-由专业摄影师拍摄的护照照片,其中一张需由担保人签名。

自2003年开始,照片有新规定,脸部不能有表情。

马曼表示,这对有些人来说很不容易。部分摄影师不大愿意为新生儿拍照,因为护照照片的要求非常严格,眼睛必须睁开、看着镜头、要能够显示两侧耳垂,还不能哭,新生儿很难做到。

1 Comment

  1. jackjia (Post author)

    Guarantor
    Retired guarantors are not eligible unless the guarantor’s name still appears on the listing provided to Passport Canada by the relevant association.

    The guarantor must complete and sign the “Declaration of Guarantor” section of the application form and be able to confirm your identity. In the case of a child, the guarantor must have known the applicant (parent or legal guardian) personally for at least two years and have knowledge of the child.

    Duties of a guarantor
    Your guarantor must perform the following tasks free of charge:

    Certify the information on the application form by completing and signing the “Declaration of Guarantor” section.
    Write on the back of one of your or your child’s photos, “I certify this to be a true likeness of (either your name or your child’s name)” and sign.
    If applicable, sign and date the photocopy of your supplementary documentation.
    Eligible guarantors
    Your guarantor must:

    Be a Canadian citizen residing in Canada and must be accessible to Passport Canada for verification.
    Have known you personally for at least two years.
    Be one of the following:
    Chiropractor
    Dentist
    Geoscientist
    Judge
    Lawyer (member of a provincial bar association), notary in Quebec
    Magistrate
    Mayor
    Medical doctor
    Minister of religion authorized under provincial law to perform marriages
    Notary public
    Optometrist
    Pharmacist
    Police officer (municipal, provincial or RCMP)
    Postmaster
    Principal of a primary or secondary school
    Professional accountant (APA, CA, CGA, CMA, PA, RPA)
    Professional engineer (P.Eng., Eng. in Quebec)
    Senior administrator in a community college (includes CEGEPs)
    Senior administrator or teacher in a university
    Veterinarian
    A relative may act as a guarantor for passport purposes provided he or she meets the specified requirements.

    Declaration in lieu of guarantor
    If you have not known an eligible guarantor for at least two years, complete form PPTC 132 “Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor” available from any Passport Canada office.

    The “Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor” form must be sworn to or declared before, and signed by, a person authorized by law to administer an oath or a solemn declaration. If completed outside Canada, a qualified official includes a Canadian or British diplomatic or consular representative, or a qualified local official.

    http://www.passportcanada.gc.ca/can/guarantor.aspx?lang=e

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