Crowded passport offices prompt offers from 'line-waiters' charging up to $800

As many British Columbians struggle to get their passports renewed at crowded Service Canada offices across the Lower Mainland, a number of "line waiters" have begun offering their services for hundreds of dollars.

As many British Columbians struggle to get their passports renewed at crowded Service Canada offices across the Lower Mainland, a number of "line waiters" have begun offering their services for hundreds of dollars.

Several ads have appeared on Facebook, Craigslist and Kijiji in recent days promising to help would-be travellers avoid having to queue up for hours on end.

Some offer to hold a passport-seeker's place in line overnight, which has become a necessity at some busy locations, including the Service Canada offices in downtown Vancouver and Surrey.

"If you don't have an appointment to get your passport, you need to be lining up at night," reads one of the ads. "I will keep your place in the line for you so you can show up at 8:30 a.m. and sleep the night."

That service costs $800 for about 12 hours, which works out to roughly $67 per hour. The poster, a student at UBC's Sauder School of Businesss, told CTV News she has not found a client since posting the ad on Thursday morning.

Long lineups at passport offices have been reported for weeks, and some families have grown increasingly anxious to get their documents in order as they near planned travel dates.