Sudbury MP hosts passport clinic

With people starting to plan for trips again, Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe decided to host a free passport clinic at a local library.

It was a busy morning Saturday at the New Sudbury Public Library on Lasalle Boulevard as people lined up to renew their passport applications.

Lapointe told CTV News she decided to host the event after receiving numerous calls from people in the area who have questions about their passports.

"There’s some people who need help. They have questions, they’re not sure, there’s parts of the form they just need clarity on. So that’s why we’re holding this passport today," she said. "They’re coming here with their photos and helping them and making sure that it’s fully completed. People are travelling again. They want to get out there. So, we’ve seen all kinds of people here so far."

While her staff said it doesn't expedite the processing of an application, having it reviewed by someone knowledgeable can help avoid common mistakes that cause delays or rejections. Lapointe's office will also mail it to the passport processing centre for you.

"There are some that have emergency travel plans, some that don’t plan to travel until next year but they want to do the renewal of their passports now," Lapointe said.

Because of the high demand, she added there are plans on hosting another passport clinic in the fall.

Saturday's clinic ends at 1 p.m., but residents can contact the MP's office to book an individual appointment for help.