Passport Delays?

[Maggimus]

well, I'm sorry to be discouraging. I think the State Dept really tried to get the news out to everybody last year about the changes, but it seems like many people still put it off.

this is a reuters article

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1621296120070316

i knew about the changes, but not about the delays. Sometimes you cant help it when you have to leave the country last minute... you do the best with the time you have..

 

[DISUNC]

When you do get them, MAKE A COPY OF THEM IMMEADIATELY!!!!!!

Bring the copy with you and keep it seperated from your real passport.

My Passport was stolen (along with airlines tickets,etc) while in London. Having the copy of the passport made life soooooooooooo much easier. And by easier I mean spending one WHOLE day at the Embassy.
BTW I got lucky the USA Embassy in London is only open 3 days a week!

 

[Maggimus]

For those who have applied in the past few months, how accurate is the date listed on the website? I checked this weekend and it says on or about the 20th for my renewal and the 27th for my sons passports. Our trip is on the 9th of April -- do I start worrying yet?

apparently I would-- considering what has been said here.

I was told mine would make it on time too-- but I don't know-- some think that wont be the case so i'm going to go ahead and start worrying. There's nothing you can really do at this point but call, and call, AND CALL some more. They wont let you just wait on the line you have to continuously make the call. I dont see what ppl will do if they are travelling within the next 10 business days and cant get ahold of someone on the phone? It takes up to 4 (the website says) for them to respond to e-mails...

at this point i dont know?

 

[Jennasis]

OK. I have dealt with this. Due to the glut of incoming applications even the customer service line is turning folks away. MOST of the time they do not even give you the option of holding for a rep...it just tells you try later and then hangs up. Just keep calling!!

You can't add expedited service to your application until it is recieved and they deposit your check. For me that took just a hair over a month for them JUST TO RECEIVE the app and cash the check. Until they cash your check, your app does not exist to them. Keep checking with your bank to see when the check clears. After it clears, call constantly until you get through 1-877-487-2778 to add expedited service to your app. My parents expedited app took one week (about 3 weeks ago).

My app was sent in on 1/19, and it is reported to be to me by 4/20. Luckily my trip isn't until October.

DO NOT RELY on the info listed on the website as far as whether or not you are "in the system". It's a lame, outdated system (even according to customer servcie) and rarely gets updated correctly. Call the 877 number for help and just keep try to get through.

Remember though that they cannot help you at all until your check clears, so don't bother calling until it does.

 

[Amlee]

if your close enough to one of the regional processing office and your with in 14 days of your trip, you can make an appointment to have it done there. But if not, then there really isn't anything you can do.

It was said several years ago that the processing time would double or triple once the laws went into effect.

 

[Maggimus]

OK. I have dealt with this. Due to the glut of incoming applications even the customer service line is turning folks away. MOST of the time they do not even give you the option of holding for a rep...it just tells you try later and then hangs up. Just keep calling!!

You can't add expedited service to your application until it is recieved and they deposit your check. For me that took just a hair over a month for them JUST TO RECEIVE the app and cash the check. Until they cash your check, your app does not exist to them. Keep checking with your bank to see when the check clears. After it clears, call constantly until you get through 1-877-487-2778 to add expedited service to your app. My parents expedited app took one week (about 3 weeks ago).

My app was sent in on 1/19, and it is reported to be to me by 4/20. Luckily my trip isn't until October.

DO NOT RELY on the info listed on the website as far as whether or not you are "in the system". It's a lame, outdated system (even according to customer servcie) and rarely gets updated correctly. Call the 877 number for help and just keep try to get through.

Remember though that they cannot help you at all until your check clears, so don't bother calling until it does.

so if you use debit-- i suppose you just call the bank about that too?? Sheesh-- ill never know now- 1 month for it to clear? What if I cant wait that long! Do i need to re-submit my passport and this time expedite it?

 

[Maggimus]

if your close enough to one of the regional processing office and your with in 14 days of your trip, you can make an appointment to have it done there. But if not, then there really isn't anything you can do.

It was said several years ago that the processing time would double or triple once the laws went into effect.

Yeah that sure does stink. I would have went & applied sooner had I had more notice about this trip.

So if i get 14 days out-- i can go to the regional processing center and they can do it there? we may end up making a trip..

 

[Maggimus]

Debit-- its automatically taken out, right?? So can they track it that way??

 

[Toby'sFriend]

i know you have to make an appt. with the regional centers, but I'm not sure how far in advance those can be booked.

This is the page

http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/agencies/agencies_913.html

 

[Maggimus]

I applied on the 27th of February. The man told me at the very latest it would be 2 days before my trip that I would receive it-- at the VERY latest. I told him it wasnt a chance i was willing to take and he insisted I would be waisting my money doing it any other way.

Now im afraid that they wont even get my info in until its too late to expedite!

 

[noseybuddy]

I just took my DD to get her Passport last Monday and they told me it would be about 10 weeks, where before it was 6 - 8 weeks.

 

[Maggimus]

ive finally made it to a 'wait' on the passport line-- lets cross our fingers that they will deal with me..

 

[tinkerbell87512]

Good luck. Im in the same boat as you. I applied for mine on Feb 10th as soon as I knew I was going out of the country. My Checks were cashed and Im still not on the website. I hope for your sake and Mine that our passports come in time!

 

[safetymom]

I think the govt. deserves some of the blame. Due to the large numbers of people needing passports they should have hired more people to meet the demand. They could make them 1 year temporary workers.

Because the govt. can't process them fast enough many are having to pay extra.

 

[Maggimus]

yeah apparently all they tell me is "a lot of people are rescheduling trips!" -- they aren't even trying to make you feel optimistic! Im not in the system yet either--- they said to allow 6 weeks now instead of three...

 

[tinkerbell87512]

yeah apparently all they tell me is "a lot of people are rescheduling trips!" -- they aren't even trying to make you feel optimistic! Im not in the system yet either--- they said to allow 6 weeks now instead of three...

oh boy. did they let you add on the expedited service? maybe i should give them a call too.

 

[Maggimus]

oh boy. did they let you add on the expedited service? maybe i should give them a call too.

The man told me that once you are in the system for regular delivery-- they wont even talk to you about your application until it is 'in the system'-- and for expediting they wont really consider you until you are 10 days from your trip. He said once that happeneds they have 3 days to 'comply' and then they will send it to you. Thats just cutting it far too close for me!! So im going to wait until I get in the system -- hopefully it wont be an additional 3 weeks, and then im going to pester the crap out of them until they go ahead and expedite it. Ill send e-mails after e-mails and lie like a dog saying my trip has been moved up just so that I can get it here in time---

the way that man was talking-- i dont trust them.... especially when I asked him if there was even a slight chance mine would make it on time (as the man at the passport office told me)-- all he said was "well ma'am I cant promise you anything"... and "a lot of people are rescheduling their trips right now".. and "we have people working round the clock right now to serve you".... basically nothing but useless knowledge-- thats the thing-- they wont want to make the customers mind feel at ease-- they call it like they see it.

 

[alexandmaddie]

For those who have applied in the past few months, how accurate is the date listed on the website? I checked this weekend and it says on or about the 20th for my renewal and the 27th for my sons passports. Our trip is on the 9th of April -- do I start worrying yet?

It said on the website I was to receive it March 13, I got it in the mail this past Saturday (the 17th), so it seems as if that is still fairly accurate.

Krista

 

[Maggimus]

It said on the website I was to receive it March 13, I got it in the mail this past Saturday (the 17th), so it seems as if that is still fairly accurate.

Krista

mine said it was suppost to be here no later than 2 days before my trip-- even if its 4-- thats too late for me.

Im glad you got yours and in a timely fashion!

 

[clori]

I applied for my kids first passport the Saturday of Martin Luther King. The kids received their passports on my father's birthday (so I remember the date) which was Feb 27. My sister applied for her first passport (adult) the Wednesday after my kids and received her about a week after them. Dh and I applied thru passport renewals for us the Saturday after Martin Luther King weekend. We recieved our passports last week. I know the renewals were postmarked in Portsmouth NH but I didn't look at the others. We live near Boston and my sister in NH if it makes any difference.