Renewing Your Canadian passport in Puerto Vallarta

By Bill Ragan

Due timing issues, I decided to renew my Canadian passport here in Puerto Vallarta. I began by filling in the on line form. I qualified for the Simplified Process and the form (pptc 482) can be found here http://www.pptc.gc.ca/form/pdfs/pptc482.pdf

After printing and signing the next step was having photos taken. The photo requirements are very strict in terms of size, background, glare, and facial expression. I used the photo studio in Plaza Caracol at a cost of 160 pesos and ready in one hour. The Canadian Consular office is located on the second level of the North complex in Plaza Peninsula. They accept both Canadian dollars ($260 for a 10 year passport) or pesos, since I had the Canadian cash I do not know what exchange they offer. They check the form and place it in an envelope to be sent to the embassy in Mexico City. Going across the complex, above Starbucks, there is a DHL office. To send it, and return it to my residence cost 466 pesos.

In total the cost was about $300, if I had time to do this in Canada it would have cost $160, or to expedite it to 24 hours, $270 (if I was allowed this option). So in about 3 weeks it will be returned and I am set for another 10 years.