Passport Canada is warning travellers with plans for spring break holidays that processing for applications submitted now will take up to six weeks.

January is the busiest time of the year for the federal agency, with many Canadians seeking a reprieve from winter. Passport Canada spokesman Jean-Sebastian Roy said between 20,000 and 23,000 passports are issued daily.

People can trim wait times to about two weeks if a passport is brought into the office, said Roy.

Under the new passport renewal process, applicants with a passport issued after Jan. 31, 2002, do not have to provide proof of citizenship and are not required to obtain a guarantor's declaration.

Passport Canada also now allows most Canadian adult passport holders to act as guarantors for applications.

In 2006-2007, the federal agency issued 3.6 million passports.

With files from the Canadian Press