Passport problems. Any advice?

1GoldenSun

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jun 17, 2017
We decided very recently to take a trip this summer to an all-inclusive in Cancun. I checked the kids' passports and unfortunately they had just expired. We went to the passport agency and applied for new ones--this was just a bit over six weeks prior to our departure date. The lady working there told us we had enough time to receive the new passports before the departure date and that we would not need to pay the extra to expedite them.

I waited just over two weeks and logged in to check the status of the passports. It said my son's was being processed, but they had no record of my daughter's. I called the passport agency and was told that the social security number they had on file did not match her actual social security number. I checked, re-checked, and triple-checked all the information on her application before I submitted it so I'm almost positive I did not enter her ss # incorrectly, and the man would not say (for privacy reasons) whether the number they have for her is just one digit off or entirely wrong. Who is at fault does not really matter at this point anyway.

This man told me the only thing I could do would be to wait two more days until my upcoming trip was close enough to be considered sort of an emergency situation (not his words but I don't remember exactly what he said). Then call back to the agency and get an appointment in Miami (five hours from me) to re-apply for an expedited passport, and pay the fees all over again. So basically start from scratch, pay again, and give up on the first application.

I was unsure about this being the correct thing to do, but I waited the two days and called back. This time I spoke with someone who seemed much more knowledgeable (the first guy just kept telling me he didn't really know what I could do, and I was nearing tears he finally came up with the above solution). This woman told me to immediately write a letter to the agency, send it overnight with signature required, and explain what happened and provide the correct ss #. She also hinted that the ss # they have for my daughter is completely different from her actual number, which means it was almost definitely their fault. But again, that hardly matters at this point--I just want her passport. This woman also said to wait at least one full day after the latter had been signed for and then call back. Additionally, she encouraged me to pay the extra money and change to expedited service for both children's passports, which I was happy to do. She was able to do that on the phone for me right then.

I sent the letter that day (July 3), so it didn't get there until July 5. It was signed for the morning of July 5, a Friday. I waited until the following Tuesday (July 9) to call back. This woman seemed less informed and said all I could do at this point really is to wait. She sad it could take up to five days for the letter to even reach the appropriate people after arriving at the facility, and then several more days to process.

I am getting very, very nervous. We are supposed to fly out of Miami early morning on the 29th--a Monday--so we'll have to drive down to Miami on Sunday. Basically, if we don't have passports in hand by Saturday, July 27, we're not going to be able to go. That's only 15 days from now, or only 10 business days. Just "waiting" is driving me crazy.

Any ideas? What would you do? Sorry this is so long.
 
Hopefully you will be fine. My mom once had to have her passport expedited in a day and it worked out. Good luck!
 
Hopefully you will be fine. My mom once had to have her passport expedited in a day and it worked out. Good luck!

Thank you, @laughinplace199, that makes me feel a lot better! As soon as I posted this, I started thinking--oh no, I'm probably going to get a lot of negative responses saying they hope I have trip insurance--which would not be exactly helpful haha!
 
You know how you could tell that one lady kinda seemed like she knew what she was doing more than the other two people you talked to? I would keep calling until I got one those people that knew what they were doing again. Just for peace of mind.
 


Contact your US Senator's office and speak to the chief of staff (or designate). I had to do that years ago for my DD's passport. I had expedited both of my kids' passports. I received my DS's, but not DD's. Within a day or two, I had the passport in my hand. They had to have people in SC search through bins of mail to find her application that was misrouted.

The senators' offices do this all the time for their constituents. Give that a try.
 


Call your local representative &/or senators office, they are VERY equipped to deal with this kinda problem for their constituents! Make sure you have all your info when you call, and given that it's a Friday in the summer, I'd call sooner rather than later. Good luck!

That was the only piece of advice I could think of. Outside of flying to the nearest passport center for the day with all the documentation I’m not sure what else you can do.
 
You still have 2 weeks for it to arrive, so cross your fingers that it does.

But I'd have a back-up plan in mind. Keep checking the status online. If the passport still hasn't arrived by 7/25, I'd get on the phone that day to make an "emergency" appointment at the Miami passport office for Friday, and head to Miami that evening and plan to spend Friday at the passport office. Bring all documentation that you have. You can get it in-hand before leaving that day. I would NOT wait until the weekend, which is why I recommend going down Thursday evening to be at the passport office on Friday morning.

Hopefully... the back-up plan is not needed. Good luck and enjoy your vacation!
 
I'd post this on the Cruise thread too. There is always passport scrambles over there. Best of luck to you. Being a cruiser, I've can pretty much say that I've never seen an outcome where a person did not get their passport. I hang out at cruise critic most of the time, so I know of what I speak. :)
 
Thanks, everyone! I think I'll call back on Monday, and keep calling until I get someone who seems to know what they're talking about. Come to think of it, I've often done this with the Disney phone CMs!

I'm going to look up my Senator's contact info too, in case it comes to that, and be prepared to make a hasty trip down to Miami if need be.
 
Sounds like a real mess. Not that you did routine renewals but that you had issues where the State Department isn't terribly helpful.

It can get really messy if somehow your family's passports have been issued but are stuck in the mail. We couldn't find our kid's passport card the last time we renewed and had to file a lost/stolen passport form even though we had the previous passport book.

Theoretically you're supposed to submit the last issued passport and/or passport card and note the numbers on your application. Not sure how it's supposed to work if you're not sure when and if those passports were issued. You could end up going to the Passport Agency in Miami while your "routine" passports are being mailed.

I don't envy your position.
 
I know exactly how you feel as I realize my sons passport had expired about a week before we were set to flight back to the US for our 1st Disney vacation. We live overseas. I was bawling for hours in a panic . Stupid me just forgets to check expiration dates which by the way for kids is five not 10 years. I was able to get an emergency passport and the consulate in Munich ( 3 hr drive)

My only advice for you is the check if it’s better for you to try and make an appointment to get an expedited passport. I know consulates are different entities but that’s how it was there. It could be that some agencies are by appointment only.
 

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