Advice on passport

[Step]

Hey all,

I'm going on my first trip to the states on sept. 30th and I know we need passports now. Has anyone here gone through the process? I have about 9 weeks before I go... is that enough time to get it done? I'm getting my passport photo on friday and should have it signed by my doctor by early next week.

I really don't want to have to cancel my already paid for disney trip because it turns out I can't get a passport. I'm terrified I'll fill out the form wrong or there will be a shadow in my passport photo or something!

Any advice?

 

[jenkh]

More then enough time to get a passport. The key is to drop it off in person. Thats what we did and we got our passports within about 7-9 days. So it was like a week and a half later.

Plus the bonus of doing it in person is they go over the form, so if there are any errors you can fix them.

But, I think.. You still don't NEED a passport until the new year (for air travel) But if you've already begun the process you might as well finsh it, as you will have an easier time in customs.

 

[F4disneyfan]

Hey all,

I'm going on my first trip to the states on sept. 30th and I know we need passports now. Has anyone here gone through the process? I have about 9 weeks before I go... is that enough time to get it done? I'm getting my passport photo on friday and should have it signed by my doctor by early next week.

I really don't want to have to cancel my already paid for disney trip because it turns out I can't get a passport. I'm terrified I'll fill out the form wrong or there will be a shadow in my passport photo or something!

Any advice?

We took our photos in and had our passports back to us in just over 5 business days so you have lots of time.

 

[maryliz]

If you live near a city that has a passport office, take them in personally, and you'll have them delivered registered mail a week later. But you really don't need them for your trip, so don't panic if it doesn't work out. They're a great thing to have, and makes customs much simpler, but as long as you have a Birth cert and driv lic, that's all that's required.

Have a great trip!

Mary-Liz

 

[Step]

I think we're not going to bother. It's not likely we'll go back to disney for at least 3-5 years after this (work, paying off student loans, might have kids etc) so the expense isn't justified when we're just doing this one trip before the Jan 2007 deadline.

I just hope my birth certificate, health card, credit card, social insurance card and shiny new canadian ID card (I don't drive) will do the trick.

Plus I get $200 more to spend on the wedding or the trip! Bonus!

 

[T&E]

Hi there
you should have ample time to get a passport done, it usually only takes about 10 days, a word of caution though ... sometimes they ACTUALLY call the people you list as refferences, so be warned.
If you do have any problems, and you are running out of time, contact your local MP in Ottawa, there number can usually be found in the "blue pages" of your phone book. And they can have it to you in 48 hrs or less.
Cheers !

 

[deany]

When I got a new passport in Jan it took over 8 weeks. I was starting to panic, since I had sent my BC in with it. They said they had trouble getting hold of one of the references (he was home throughout the whole period). I made several phone calls to them. Then, about a week before I was to fly to Hawaii, I found another BC that I had forgotten about. When I had applied for my previous passport I was worried (I do this a lot) that it would not get back in time so I applied for another BC which arrived within a week. It finally came the day before I was heading to Vancouver for my flight. I could have driven to Vancouver (4 hour drive each way) but it was Jan and that highway can be treacherous in the winter.

 

[tribus121]

I think we're not going to bother. It's not likely we'll go back to disney for at least 3-5 years after this (work, paying off student loans, might have kids etc) so the expense isn't justified when we're just doing this one trip before the Jan 2007 deadline.

I just hope my birth certificate, health card, credit card, social insurance card and shiny new canadian ID card (I don't drive) will do the trick.

Plus I get $200 more to spend on the wedding or the trip! Bonus!

That is lots of ID that is all that I have and I have never had any problems & I cross for work several times a year for work ( I drive a charter bus )hopefully before it comes in to affect they will come out with a secure card that we will be able to get to use to cross in to the USA .Have a good trip I wii be there just a couple of weeks before you .