Sweating bullets - NO PASSPORT - leave in 5 days

Suing - I doubt it. Contact your Congressperson now! That has worked for many people.

I don't know if it makes any difference but it was a renewal for my son who was only 13 when his first passport was issued.

I'll try my congressman right now.

No, you cannot sue the government for this.

I thought someone here posted their experience on this a while back---they called and were able to track it in the system, and pay a very high fee to have it expedited at that point. It's worth a try.

Why would/should you be able to sue for your own negligence??
Over and over again we hear in the media how long it's taking for initial and renewal passports.
You are right, hindsight is 20/20.

In the meantime you might just want to check the status here. I sent my renewal in on 1/29 and received it last week. Good luck.

Forgot to include a link: https://passportstatus.state.gov/opss/OPSS_Status_i.asp

That timeframe is just short of 90 days or 3 months. It seems to be an inordinate amount of time tied up at the State Dept. Please call your Congressman and also try the State Dept Washington DC Passports Division.

Outside of planning trips 6 to 12 months in advance I see no evidence of negligence and no need of any lectures.

Good luck

We had a similar problem in March--my kids and grandkids all applied in early Feb for our trip April 4 and nothing was in the system.

Our Congresswoman, Deb Pryce, got immediately on it and they were found, processed, FedExed to us within a week--with no additional charges.

Good luck and have a great trip!

I apologize - you don;t need good luck - here's some help!

Call the Stsate Department NOW
National Passport call volume is heavy but they are open 6 am to midnight.

1-877-487-2778

You can also (after calling) into the information at this website but that will not give you information for a few days.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/npic/npic_898.html

I truly hope and believe that calling the Passports office in the State Dept will get you an expedited passport. You shouldn't have to drive to New Orleans - the information should always be available in Washington.

Also - call your Congressman and Senator.

You left ample time - and more - to process your passport according to the timeframes given. There is another thread about this where the passport applications were found, processed immediately and Fed Exed to the family. I would not accept having to pay any extra fee since you applied before the stated 10-12 week time period.

Follow the advice given here and call your Congressperson AND every number given above -now! I wouldn't stop at just one call.

Good luck - as if getting ready for a vacation isn't enough to have on your mind.

Your Congressman from Birmingham

Spencer Bachus should be able to help too

202-225-4921 Washington DC
205-969-2296 Birmingham

or Senator Jeff Sessions

205-731-1500 Birmingham
202-224-4124 Washington DC

Get as many people involved as possible, and necessary, to get this passport FEDEX'd to you.

Don't be concerned about sueing the Fed - NO CAN DO.....

But please let us know if you get off to Europe on the 23rd and if the passport arrives.

Hershey, TAKE THE DRIVE TO N O... my friend has experienced the same problem. She applied on 2/28/07 and was told she would have it in 8 - 10 weeks. She called the passport agency 2 weeks ago right before midnight and she was able to speak with a rep who proceeded to tell her NO PROBLEM... It should be there by 5/15. We are leaving to Europe on 5/24. Because of my constant nagging and complaining she went to the passport agency in Miami yesterday without an appointment and was able to get a temporary for 1 year.

It is very important that you bring with you a new set of pictures and all your paperwork completed (go online and fill out another application), all your proofs of ID and other documentation needed to apply for a passport, along with your travel receipt/itinerary and your passport application receipt.

They will not let you miss your trip once you show up trust me!!!

Good Luck!!!

That 877-487-2778 is the number that I have been calling (both my son and I have it memorized). It was only this morning that we were finally able to get further than "we are so busy, call back later." CLICK. This morning we actually got through to the menu to make an appointment but there were no appointments available in our timeframe. CLICK.

I called the visalady but I can't afford $700 more dollars for the service. Sorry, I just don't have the money for that.

We applied for our now 14 year old (with an expired passport) on March 25 and received the renewal on May 16. Fingers crossed for you!

I hope you get your passport in time!

I am starting to really worry here - I applied for my children in Feb for a June 28th trip - thinking NO problem..still NO passports - they will not even start looking for it till we are two weeks out...

We are still waiting on my sons paasport also. Applied March 13 for travel May 31. I FINALLY got through on the passport number 1-877-487-2778 but had to keep going back through all the menu choices without hanging up before I finally got connected. They told me my son's was halfway through the process but they would call and expedite and it would not cost me anything. Keep calling and don't hang up. just keep going back to the main menu and back through until you get someone.

BTW... My friend did not have to pay extra for that temporary passport.

Hershey,
QUIT calling that number and start calling your congressman. If you have not done that you have wasted another day.

Call your congressperson several times a day until they get you an UPDATE! All of the decent ones have teams working on this for thier citizens. (if they would like to be re-elected it's in their best interst to help you...) If your's doesn't get them started on this. Make it clear YOUR vote is tied to this LOL!


Those of you who are getting the run around of "we won't look for it until two weeks" out. CALL your Congressman/woman. 1. Thier JOB is to serve you and 2. They fund this idiotic agency that is still trying to blame this on "spring break" ....

Now I am really puzzled as I just called 1-877-487-2778 and (surprise!!) I got through at 4:45pm.

They are ONLY accepting calling where the passport is for international use and needs to be used within the next 14 days.

As we keep trying to tell you keep calling and have someone call your congressmand AND Senator too.

Thank you all for your help.

After leaving several messages, I finally got through to a real person at my congressman's office (Spencer Bacchus (R-AL). The lady found out the passport was through New Hampshire (which she said was very good since New Orleans has a slower record). She said she asked for an expedite and will call me back tomorrow with the FedEx tracking number if all goes well.

I am now on pins and needles, waiting for that call tomorrow.

I will let you all know how it goes. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hi, hershey,

I'm amazed that with all of the posts there are about this, and the calls all your congress memebers keep getting, that the US haven't sorted this out!

the UK system used to be just as bad, but a few years ago, they reorganised, and now the longest it should take is a month. also they courier it to you so it can't get lost/stolen in the post.

there could be some votes in getting it sorted.

regards, ann

Mark, and thanks for all the tips that I might need soon.

Good luck!

I'm also down to the time crunch. My sister and I applied together and I was able to successfully expedite hers in the past week (for free through her congressman) and she received it on Tuesday. I called my congressman for a 2nd time yesterday and she said that she would e-mail to expedite again. Today it still sits in processing status. I've also spoken to the National Passport office numerous times. They've also sent two e-mails now requesting that mine be expedited. They say that each processing office does not have phones so the only means of contact is by e-mail!! They also said that if I were to show up at an office without an appointment, I would be turned away by security at the door.

I spent a lot of time trying to get through the appointment line. I would speed dial over and over until the transfer would actually go through. Note that if you actually get through and try to set an appt, you will probably get a very long period of silence during the appt search, but if you stay on the line, eventually the process will continue. I held on unexpected dead silence for nearly 20 minutes my first time through. I first searched by next available afternoon appt and got May 30th at 1:30, which is not much help since I travel on May 26th. I couldn't figure out a way to switch over to searching for morning appts without calling back, so I booked that appt and then called back, said that I wanted to change my appt, and searched morning appts. This time the process was a little different. When I had searched afternoon appts, it just said that the next available was on May 30th. When I called to CHANGE my existing appt, it went through a day by day search, telling me that day 1 was booked, so I chose the option to search the next day. Finally, I managed to get in on May 23rd at 10:30a in Houston. I don't know if the process is significantly different between setting an appt for the first time or changing an existing appt, but if you get something far out, then it might be beneficial to book it and then call back and try to change the appt. Maybe I just got lucky. My next step was to start trying various offices for an open appt prior to my trip date - even if it meant flying across the country.

I hope that I don't have to make that trip next week, but I do feel better about having a backup plan (however costly and inconvenient).

FYI - The National Passport Office stated that they enter appt cancellations into the system between 6:30p and 7:00p daily, so if you can't get an appt, call back during that time period and see if anything new has opened up.

They also recommended that if I couldn't get an appt at the nearest office (Houston), I could travel elsewhere. If N.O. is your nearest office, perhaps you should try Houston, too. It's several hours away, but if N.O. is 6 hours, then Houston should still be drivable back and forth in a really long day.

One thing that I didn't get a good answer to when speaking to the National Passport Agency....I asked if the offices have Saturday appts and the girl said that they do, but only in emergency cases. She later said that the only way to set an appt is through the automated number. So...How does one get one of those emergency Saturday appts, I wonder? Maybe through a congressman???

MRK in Dallas

Hershey, I hope this works out for you; sounds like you're jumping through the right hoops now. I'd be a wreck...actually, I'd be throwing a tantrum.

Interestingly, there was just today an article about passport renewal in the SFChron. Ed Perkins, an experienced travel writer, advises that we renew our passports at least 6 months prior to expiration.

There's also some interesting stuff in this article about passports sometimes not being "enough" to cross certain borders -- even when you've done all your research and think they are enough...

http://tinyurl.com/ysc9uc

Hershey

Please - call her back tomorrow and tomorrow afternoon if you haven't talked by afternoon. Keep calling - each government agency (State and Passport Division) has a congressional liaison office - these people can fastrack the application and make certain that it arrives in time. But you have to stay on top of it.

I am just curious if you can tell us when they cashed your check. I sent my renewal in the second week of April and my check was cashed within 10 days and it has said processing since then which I think is decent since the site says it can take many weeks for the status to show up.

hi, again, hershey,

well my showing off has really bitten me on the B-U-M -



as my DH has only a paper driving licence, [no photo ID] he needs an international dirvers permit to drive in SA, which is where we are going in July.

AFter the web-site froze my computer last night, I enquried at my local post office today, to learn that he will have to apply in person to Penzance PO. no, she didn't know why, nor what documents he'd need.

so I got the form for him to replace his old paper licence with a new -style one. This will only take 3 weeks!!! [allegedly]

I will let you know.

meanwhile, Hershey, I do hope that you've got your passport.

regards, ann

like many hoping to see a post viola we got it!

There are posts on this forum about this regularly, and they never cease to amaze me. It takes me days to renew my passport, and that's not expedited (Dutch passport). Why doesn't everyone call their congressman/woman if that speeds things up? And why can they do it only if a congresman's office calls them? 3 months to renew a passport, or even apply for a new one, seems really excessive.

This backlog and delays are being caused by some changes to existing requirements and some pending changes as well ie: flying into the US from Canada now requires a passport where not required before. In the future driving across the border will lead to the same. Many people are renewing or applying anticipating a need and travelers are caught in the rush.

I haven't had to do it lately, did in 2004 and it took about a month. But the US is a much larger country than the Netherlands, and perhaps we don't have as many civil service employees working on those things per citizen.

The whole Congress thing actually irritates me (I've never had any problem, as I said), because it is annoying that this is what Congressmen's staffs are spending their time on, and the taxpayers money, as the staff is paid by public funds, and this has nothing to do with their job. I suppose they call someone up and are more likely to have a direct line and some influence than a private citizen, I guess.

It isn't the only way to do it, though, it's just what some people do.

I think the delay is kind of a scandal - there are passport expediters who are guaranteed a number of slots where they can get their clients quick passports - the State Dept has agreed to this - these expediters work with individuals but are invaluable to cruise and group tours so they can assure passports.

to me it should be one queue, one price next up next served but Congress or someone has caved into special interests - not surprising i guess.

The Houston Passport office can usually issue a passport in 24 hours (mon-fri). You could try calling them and set up an appointment for Monday.

Do you have to send in your existing passport with your application?

Christina,

I beg to differ. Those public servants ARE doing their job when they intervene on behalf of a private citizen who is having difficulty in getting the attention of obstinate or inefficient departments in the Executive branch. They act, in these cases as an ombudsman for Joe Sixpack.

In my opinion, this is probably their most important job. Certainly more important than the legislation their bosses never seem to get around to passing except those that raise my taxes.

Yes i believe i had to send in my old passport which was returned with cancelled holes punched in it

It would be fascinating to hear from just ONE of these employees from the "obstinate and ineffective" agency to see what they might have to say about all of this.


of course, they might actually give the OP the unwanted "lecture" so maybe it is just as well we don't hear from any of these folks. After all, we wouldn't anyone to be offended

UPDATE: We have a FedEx tracking number!!!

When I check on it on-line it says "No information for the following shipments has been received by our system yet. Please try again later or contact Customer Service" so I'm assuming it hasn't actually gone out yet. My congressman's office said it would arrive tomorrow. I am beginning to doubt that but feel much better than I did yesterday.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Hershey,
I didn't see this until today. I was going to suggest calling Congressman Bachus' office as someone else did. I am also in Bham. I applied on 2/21 (non-expedited) and ours arrived on 5/7. A friend who had applied in late January needed his for a trip that left on March 3 and he was sweating it. I suggested he call Bachus' office and they were ready to step in, but then his passport came on 4/25 or so. I hope you see that Fed Ex arrow in front of your house tomorrow AM.

Unfortunately, my husband and I are having same problems. We applied 2/27 and was told at post office AND also listed on the passport webpage that the wait was 6-8 weeks instead of the usual 4-6 weeks. 2 or 3 days after we applied, their webpage was updated to I think around 10 weeks. So after it had been finally put into their system, I called to see if we could expedite after that fact. Was told we could, but they still would not do anything about it until 2 weeks before departure. We are supposed to fly out on 5/21. I have called and had our passports expedited and they have sent numerous emails to agency in Charleston where our passports are being processed. I had our senator step in on our behalf but not until a few days ago...didn't think of it until then. I rec'd my passport Thursday morning. My husband's is still "in process" as of about noon today. I need to call again for an update. Even though we leave Monday out of Houston in late afternoon, he has an appt. at 800 (Probably with hundereds of other people). They told us they could try to print it out and have it right there for us. Going to the Houston office was not brought to our attention until Thursday and my husband was out of town until tomorrow and unable to make it back. I am not sure what we are going to do except hope and pray. I think the appt. Monday morning is a long shot, but we'll see. What is really aggravating is that on their webpage and on the recorded phone conversation it still states about 10 weeks.

We are in a similar situation. Our 16 y.o. daughter is getting her first passport. We wanted to wait until her 16th b-day so it would last 10 years instead of the 5 for children under 16. So, we applied 2/23 and were told 6-8 weeks, no need to expedite as we leave in June. I called my congressman's office today and they said they can't get involved until 2 weeks out, but the bad part was that her application went to Charleston. Usually applications from our town go to San Francisco, but they got too busy, so they have sent many to Charleston. The lady from my congressman's office said Charleston is the worst right now! Yippee!

She also told me the passport office processed over 1.2 million passports in April. They are working 24 hours a day (according to her) to process them. She also said she has gotten everyone's passport in time when she intervened with one exception- some people who called her the day before their trip. So, I am feeling a little more at ease. She certainly seemed like she will go to bat for us if my daughter's passport doesn't arrive in the next week.

Good luck, Hershey. I hope it arrives tomorrow as promised. And...enjoy your trip.

I thought I was going crazy as my memory was that the website back then said 6-8 weeks. I am glad to have that confirmed and not feel like such a cheapskate for not expediting at the time. I agree. They really need to increase the notice beyond the 10 weeks it now says. Too many people are being hurt and/or extremely inconvenienced.

I forgot to mention she told me it is now taking a minimum of 14 weeks!

Here's a question: can someone living in a city with a passport office (such as NYC, where I am) present the forms, photos and credentials for another person and do the "stand in line" routine for them? I'm guessing so. I'm wondering can I do this for my sister who's in Omaha, instead of her going through the waiting game?

A tangent:
Have you all heard about the new passports that look like a cross between a history book and a coloring book? (May turn out to be fine, just sound a bit colorful) Each double page has a full image across it depicting something very American, such as the Statue of Liberty, an eagle ... some are less obvious, in fact I've forgotten what the report said they were. Color range is sort of "currency-like", supposedly: palish pinks, greens, blues. All security-driven, they are supposed to start issuing this kind soon. Although "soon" is clearly a relative term ...

There is such a thing as "third party pick up". I was going to try to do that for my husband, but surprise, I talked to I think 3 different people and they all gave me a different story about how it is done and what exactly I needed to take with me or what to do.

On the news tonight in Houston, they said people are waiting in line 6 hours at Houston office to get passports.

The passport delays seem to be extraordinary, even for this time of the year. Could the problem be related to new rules about traveling to Canada and Mexico?

"Could the problem be related to new rules about traveling to Canada and Mexico?"

What else? Feel any safer now?

MvK

"Could the problem be related to new rules about traveling to Canada and Mexico?"

Yes, and the Caribbean as well. Basically, any time you leave the US now, it's going to require a passport. Even though this rule was made many months before the Jan 1 initiation date, most people assumed that the Passport agencies could handle the increase. Not so, as we are all finding out. Unless you are leaving in 6 months time, it would be prudent to pay the extra $100 (??) to expedite passports, because to nerve racking to have it come down to the wire and possibly ruining your upcoming trip.

There was also alot of press and publicity about the upcoming passport requirement changes, which cautioned that the passport ofices would be slammed and delays would occur.
This is also the busiest time of year for passport processing anyway.

"which cautioned that the passport ofices would be slammed and delays would occur."

Yes, but this problem is compounded by the fact that the passport agencies themselves are reporting that non-expedited applications are taking "up to 10 weeks" when clearly they are taking MUCH longer.

Further, it seems that many passport applications went to Charleston and that production at Charleston *seems* to have halted (I'm sure that's not the case). Charleston is ignoring e-mails from congressmen and the National Passport Office. If your passport is stuck in Charleston and you are traveling soon, you should really be planning on making it to a passport agency. Supposedly (according to someone I spoke to at the National Office yesterday), Charleston is working this weekend in an effort to catch up, but with Charleston being the hold up on so many passports, I am not holding my breath that mine will be one that they actually work on this weekend. My biggest fear is that I am forced to go to Houston and for some reason I'm not able to get my passport there. Then what?

As a side note, yesterday afternoon when I called the National Office to find out what I would need to take with me to Houston, their system was down. Also, a couple of times this week when I have checked the online status, the system was down. I don't know if either system is tied to passport production, but I do wonder how much of the delay is caused by system outages. This is actually my fear in Houston...I'll get there and the entire system will be down all day...

Well, Hershey, we're waiting - did you get the FedEx package?

MRKINDALLAS...
What they told us to take to Houston office...2 new passport photos, picture id, proof of travel (you will not be allowed in the door without this), appt confirmation email (I made appt through CSR so they sent this), and if we have our receipt from when we applied before (we should not have to pay again), and birth certificate, but last night the guy said they were being very lenient on other documentation (my husband's only certified--or copy at all- of his birth certificate was sent in with his original passport application), so I was able to get a certificate of birth record from the city and he said that probably won't even be necessary.

Also, a couple of things I wanted to pass along...the CSR told me on the phone that someone told him people are already in line at 500 am. We have an 800 am appt and those seem to be given out in an unlimited manner.

Good luck, we will be in very bad time crunch on Monday, but if I get a chance to post before we leave (thinking very positively here), then I will do so. I was also told they are working this weekend and the phone lines are open. I just called to check again on my husband's passport and was told they could not tell me one single thing due to privacy laws...no matter that I've already talked to probably 20 people this week about it.

Anything yet Hershey? Were you able to pull anything up with the tracking number?

Texgirl - I was told the same thing about 5:00a line-up. Since you are leaving the same day, I suggest lining up even earlier and trying to be one of the first in line. My understanding of the process is that people line up early, someone come out around 6:30 and looks for people with appts and I belive those people go in first. You go in the building and up an elevator and then you stand in a very long line for what could possibly be hours. No cell phones, food or water allowed. Also, if you get out of line to go to the restroom and don't have someone with you to hold your place, you lose your spot. I assume that the closer you are to the front of the line in the morning, the less time you have to spend in the line upstairs, but that is just me trying to make sense out of something that may not be quite so organized. Also, I don't think the time of your reservation matters one bit as long as you are there on the right day.

I hope that if you are there and toward the front of the line, then when the guards come out looking for people with appts and you have proof of traveling the same day, you will be escorted to the front of the line. Good luck and I hope you make your trip!

I'm traveling in a week and am going through the same thing as everyone else. 3 months and waiting for my passport (renewal). Called my congressman, and they too gave me a Fed Ex tracking number which isn't in the system yet, but I guess this is the process. The aide told me she was also working on getting passports for 3 people traveling on Monday and Wednesday. Interested to know when/if you got your package.

I got some extra blank passports if anybody needs one. Give me a call at 888-867-5309.

Funny degas- 867-5309. Hope everyone catches on that it's a SONG. Good luck with your passport sales.

Hershey, good luck with your passport!

So if a passport renewal takes 3 months and you must surrender the current one w/the application, one is effectively under house arrest in the US for 3 months!! What if a travel opportunity/necessity arises during that time? Great system....

Just curious about the "proof of travel" required for same day issue. The only proof I have for a trip to France in September is an email from US Airways statng date, etc.

It seems to me the date can be altered pretty easily, so what would prevent a person from changing the date and going in a few days ahead?

Don't jump all over me. My passport is good for another 10 years....

In fact, some people do buy full-fare, refundable tickets to do just that. This is completely legitimate then.

Passport arrived at my son's apartment at 10:45 am this morning, just like my congressman's rep said it would. Incredible feeling of relief.

She did tell me on the phone, however, that she was working on about 25 passport cases. Ours was the only one that went to Portsmouth, NH, and ours was the only one that ended with a tracking number. For everyone else, she had to make appointments for them in New Orleans.

Great, Hershey! We were all pulling for you!

Have a great trip!

Good news!!

Have a great trip!!!!

You must feel so relieved! I know I've been stressing about it, so now you can concentrate on your trip and not worry anymore.

I guess it's good that mine ended up in New Hampshire, from what everyone has said. I'm not within driving distance of a regional office, either.

There is no way it should ever take that long to get your passport. Expedite my foot. Go to your local P.O. or where you reapplied and get some answers from them.

"'Could the problem be related to new rules about traveling to Canada and Mexico?'

Yes, and the Caribbean as well. Basically, any time you leave the US now, it's going to require a passport."

Actually, you need the passport anytime you RETURN to the US.

All I can say is, next time allow yourself at least 3 months for the renewal. It took my cousin over 10 weeks to get back his Passport Renewal.

hope u got your passport .Call the Dc office , or travel there , that's the only office you can get your passport in a day you just pay extra which is all worth it .

Please clarify for me. If you are lucky enough to get an appointment at a regional passport center because your passports don't arrive in time for your trip, don't you walk out with an actual passport that day? I understand you need new applications, ID, photos, birth certificates, etc., but the posting before this said the only place you can actually get your passport that day is the DC office. True? We're going into Chicago if ours don't come in the next few days. We have an appointment for the day before we fly out. Has anyone gone to the Chicago agency with an appointment? Is the wait hours long no matter where you go, and are you guaranteed of getting in if you have an actual appointment that day? Can you just show up and wait if you couldn't get an appointment? This stress is killing me. I feel like a fool for actually believing their "10 week to process" story. One last question - how much extra does it cost per passport to get one directly from the agency? Thanks a million. Oh, by the way, our Congressman's office was told that the Charleston agency, where ours are sitting, won't even talk to them or consider a congressional expedite until 7 days before your trip, not 2 weeks as they've done in the past.

My in-laws sent in for renewals on March 6. They did not expedite. Check was cashed March 25 and they received their passports via priority mail on May 24. Just a little over 11 weeks. They still have 4 weeks until travel date, so they are in good shape. Their passports were processed out of Portsmouth, N.H. and they live in the Pittsburgh area. I just thought the time line may be of some help to others. I have been following these passport threads for several months now, and I am glad I encouraged them to send in for their renewals early. These boards are an invaluable source of information! To all who are still waiting for passports, I hope everything turns out well and you have a wonderful trip abroad!