Posted by BrendaTx on 8/21/07 5:54am
Msg #206743

OT Passport Update...

I applied for my passport 5/22. I received it on 8/20. Three months if you don't ask for expedited service.

Reply by Margaret_FL on 8/21/07 7:04am
Msg #206746

I paid the expedition fee and got mine in 2 weeks, I was shocked. We are going on a cruise, they said the
passport requirement has been extended until Jan/2008 due to the backlog of applications. My husband did his and he did not pay to have it expedited. His will not be back in time and they said to have Birth Certificate and Drivers License.

Reply by BetsyMI on 8/21/07 7:50am
Msg #206756

I'm surprised it only took 3 months Brenda. Glad you got it so soon.

I have the paperwork out and have the intention of sending it in soon, and was expecting to wait about 8 months!

Reply by Monica Valle-Cavero on 8/21/07 10:43am
Msg #206777

The policy was changed back to original a few months ago. Don't remember when exactly, however. To go to Mexico or Canada a driver's licence and possibly a birth certificate are sufficient but check with the passport office in Washington, D.C. or in your state.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 8/21/07 10:55am
Msg #206784

Re: OT Passport Update... as of June 8th 2007

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Reply by Terri_CA on 8/21/07 11:52am
Msg #206793

I'm traveling to the Caribbean the end of March 2008, passport expiring in May 2008. Two weeks ago I sent in for my renewal the clerk at the Post Office told me it would be 12 weeks. That's why I sent it in so early, so even there's a delay I would still have it back in time.

I just read somewhere that the expedited service is taking longer. But I think this is really dependent on the office that your passport goes to.

Terri
Lancaster, CA

Reply by C_in_OKC on 8/21/07 12:18pm
Msg #206806

My passport experience (very long)

My wife was offered the opportunity to participate in a medical mission to Central America in April through her contacts in the hospital in which she works. The folks that sent her wanted her to be comfortable about the trip so they offered to send me along as well. So I applied for my passport in mid February (she already had hers) and paid for the expedite option with overnight USPS to and from the office in Houston on the recommendation of the worker at the OKC courthouse. (As an aside - the courthouse had the biggest notary crimper style stamp I've ever seen. The stamping mechanism was the size of one of those staplers that will go through 100+ pages)

I went to the State departments website soon after to check on the status of the processing. It took about 9 days for it to show up that it had been received but it only showed regular processing and regular mail return. I called the passport office and waited on hold for about 25 minutes while listening to the repeating message, "If you have recently applied for a passport and are concerned about traveling outside of the US in the next few weeks, do not worry. We have added staff and hours to our passport offices." When I was finally put through to a human I was told that their computer showed expedited processing but not overnight return. They said that was not unusual as someone may have skipped adding the overnight return to the file but everything I sent in, copies of ID, birth certificate and overnight envelope would all be in the same package for processing. So I waited, checking back on the website almost daily.

In the middle of March the State departments website finally updated to show expedited processing but still regular delivery. Then one night I checked again and it showed again regular processing was in effect so I called once more. More wait time, same voice message. When I spoke with a person I was told that my file was sent back to me for more information and I would be receiving a letter stating what they needed. The person on the phone did not know what they needed and did not have access to it to fax it to me.

It took a week to receive the letter. It said they needed further ID from me and listed about 25 items I could send in to prove I'm me. This is the part that really perturbed me - some of the items I could send were: Expired state or government ID's, copy of social security card. (Like a good citizen I always shred old state or government ID's and I KNOW that the social security card was never supposed to be used for identification purposes. But here was the State department requesting them, go figure.) Other forms allowed were marriage licenses, any state issued ID card, high school transcript and better yet a copy of high school yearbook photo pages and copy of the cover. I sent the copy of soc sec card, marriage license, HS transcript and copy of photopage from yearbook and cover and my notary commission. I overnighted this back to the passport office in Houston and waited a few days before checking the website again.

A few days later the website shows info received and expedite processing is in effect. My wife is in full panic mode by early April and has gone from asking how my day was when she saw me each evening to, "Did you get your passport today?" So about 10 days before the trip I call one more time and after the usual wait the person tells me that the office was done with my passport and its being shipped the next day. So I wait for the mail for 2 days and since I didn't receive it I call again. This time the person says that they were not done processing it and that they had no idea why the other person said they were. Needless to say I started a complaint process on the one who had said it was on its way to me.

So the wife goes on the trip without me, leaving on Saturday. My passport arrived on the following Wednesday. Things I know now or would do differently:

1. If your trip is within six months there are expedite services offered all over the web, spend the $100 and save yourself the headache and worry. They have standing appointments with the actual passport offices throughout the country. You sign a document that allows them to act as your agent, have it notarized, and they walk your docs into the office. A few days later you have your passport.

2. The lines at the post office are, or were, huge for passports. I used the office at the courthouse that also does marriage licenses and only had to wait behind 3 happy couples to get my application certified. I don't know if every state does this but I spent more time in line at the post office waiting to purchase the overnight envelopes, while observing the folks waiting for passports, than I did at the courthouse.

3. See #1. After considering the cost of overnight postage for my application and return envelope, overnighting further ID's and time lost to gather those ID's I should have used the expedite service.

Reply by BetsyMI on 8/21/07 12:31pm
Msg #206808

Wow what a story

So you didn't get to go on the trip at all???

Reply by C_in_OKC on 8/21/07 12:43pm
Msg #206811

Re: Wow what a story

No I didn't. They have asked my wife to go again next year but we're wondering if taking me along was a one-time offer, just to get her comfortable with the idea of traveling to another country. Now that she's an 'old hand' they might see fit not to offer again. I can see that makes sense because I'm not medically trained and they'd be better off using the flight and accomodations for someone who is.

Reply by Frenchie/TN on 8/21/07 1:10pm
Msg #206818

Re: Wow what a story

C is right. Spend the extra $100. and use a service if you need your passport in less than a couple of month. Once your paperwork is in the hands of the Dept of State there is nothing you or anyone else can do to rush the service and many times it's just about impossible to get someone to answer the phone. With a service they actually have a physical presence at the Passport bureau, they will communicate with you and they will help if your ID requirements are problematic and someone will answer your calls. www.instantpassport.com is one such service.
Happy trails to all you travellers!

Reply by christiSocal on 8/21/07 2:43pm
Msg #206839

Re: Wow what a story

I guess we were fortunate, my son is leaving the begining of Oct. We took the paperwork to the office in May and got it a couple weeks ago. The one thing that concerned me was, everytime I checked online to see how it was going, there was NO info for it. They aways just had check back in a couple days, not in system yet. I was just about to start on calling, when it came.