N.S. man says foreign passport is missing in the mail
Fiben Joseph finds it pretty hard to relax these days. Originally from Kerala, India, he came to Canada as a student a couple of years ago, spending most of that time at Cape Breton University.
Now living in HRM, he's booked a trip home for January. Even months in advance, it's a ticket worth more than $2000, but he's not sure he'll be able to go due to passport difficulties.
Seeking a temporary visa, he had sent his original Indian passport to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which approved the request and sent it back to the correct address with a Canada Post tracking number.
"I never expected this, man," Joseph told CTV News at home in Bedford Wednesday.
He followed the delivery-status for days and was relieved when the post office marked it delivered on Oct. 18.
When Joseph went to get his passport, he realized it was never delivered.
"I paid for the Xpresspost. They are supposed to take the signature from me, they're supposed to deliver it with proper care because it's a passport. It's an important document. That's why we choose Xpresspost or Priority," said Joseph.
Joseph has done everything to get it back including reporting the matter to Canada Post, which is investigating.
He also contacted police but hasn't heard back and canvassed the neighbourhood to see if someone else got it by mistake.
He's posted in community social media groups and looked into getting a replacement passport, but that would take a minimum of four to six weeks - cutting uncomfortably close to his travel date.
He says he's contacted the post office a number of times for updates, but the conversations haven't gone well.
"The way some of the customer service people talked back to me was very disgusting because it feels like I did the mistake and not them," said Joseph.
Immigration lawyer Lee Cohen says missing documents are a bureaucratic nightmare for anyone dealing with international matters, and it's happened more than once to his clients.
"Canada Post investigated and found that Canada Post was never at fault, and they seem never to be at fault," Cohen said.
CTV News reached out to Canada Post, but didn't receive a response by news time.
A webpage dedicated to missing items offers of a host of suggestions on alternate places to look for them, but not much else
Fiben Joseph said he'll never use the national post office for important documents again.
"There are a couple of other options than Canada Post," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.