sherm99

The system is overloaded because of the new passport rules and everyone needing a passport applying within the last 6 months. Even the official passport office for government employees is backlogged. Tell your friends if they plan to do any out of US travel to apply now for a passport.

julieah

My passport app was a new one for my 14 yr old daughter and has gotten hung-up because I was not told by the clerk that I did not have a proper certified birth certificate, (at the time of applying), I had an certified abstract BC.
Secondly, the US State Dept office in SC, kept it for 6 weeks before returning it to me for the right BC.
I also don't think they update the on-line status site because on Tues I was told by a customer service rep that the passport would be mailed out within 3 days, but the online site has no updated info.
I would sugguest you call them. The 800 number was posted earlier in this thread and the hours are 7 am till midnight ET.

luvtotravel

Someone at my congressman's office has been working on this for a week and has had no more success than I have. I can't help wondering why they charge $60 for expedited service when they clearly are not offering that service.

tamtravels

Do all of the US passport requests go to one main processing center or is there one per region? I've read about a lot of differing return times and I'm wondering if that's a factor. Like region A is overloaded so it takes extra long whereas region B isn't as busy.

julieah

My daughter's passpost arrived yesterday morning. It was sent USPS overnight (although I had requested and paid for UPS overnight. Got a refund from UPS).
All in all, with the birth certificate glitch, it took about 7 1/2 weeks from start to finish.
Her app was applied for at a passport office in Mpls which is part of the county's services, i.e., licenses, etc. It was processed in SC. And, considering the weather yesterday from Mpls to SC, it's pretty amazing it showed up at 11:45 am.
One important thing. If you want to track your passport status, call.
They do not update the online status. Today it says hers is still in process. Also, I included the $60 expedite fee when I sent back the correct birth certificate. They cashed the check and I guess they used that towards the overnight mail fees of $15.00.

tamtravels

Yay Julieah, glad the passport arrived!

Luvtotravel, any progress?

I just applied last Tuesday, everything expedited so we'll see. I need it by late April, but nervous already. Hours after submitting it I began to wonder about the certified birth cert I submitted... and they accepted. It has the colored ink seal that many passport sites claim is valid, however I think it was from 20 years ago and not sure that the passport offices accept anymore. Can't seem to get a definitive answer.
I'm just waiting for the reject letter and I'll overnite the real birth cert (yep seems mom had it all along). I wonder if I can just go ahead and send it, of course then it may get lost.
So now I can see that I'll be packing for a trip that I don't know will happen. Oh well at least I'll be packed already if I have to reschedule!

amyb

My sister applied in person at a local post office on 2/14. Her check was cashed Saturday, 2/24 according to her bank, and she received her passport on Wednesday, 2/28. This was for a new, expedited passport, though.

luvtotravel

tamtravels -- yes, I've had some progress. I spoke with a staffer at my congressman's office yesterday and she assured me they were working on it. I just looked at the online status and lo and behold, there it was.

"Thank you for submitting your passport application!

Your passport application locator number is xxxxxxxxxx.

When you applied, you requested Expedite Service and Routine Delivery of your passport. Passport Agencies use Priority Mail.

This means you should receive your passport on or about 03/07/2007.

If your travel plans change and you need your passport sooner, please contact the National Passport Information Center."

So I should have it next week -- a little more than five weeks after mailing it. I must add that I'm sure it would not have moved so quickly if my congressman's staffer had not been persistent. I must send her a thank you note.

samtraveler

I'm starting to get a bit worried reading this thread. I'm traveling June 7 and need to renew my passport. Should I be worried, or am I still okay? I am going to send it in tomorrow. Should I pay to expedite it? Also my current passport (that expired last month) has an official name change on it that I had done years ago. Should I assume that I don't need to provide proof of this name change since I already have done this, even though the front page still has my old name on it? (Name change is reflected on back page.) I'm nervous about doing anything to slow down the process which could sabotage my trip plans. Thanks!

TravMimi

They have such a backlog now that I would do it ASAP even if i didn't have something planned already, just to get it off my mind. Some applications go right through others drag on. Who knows why but that's how it is.

sdfamily

I went to the local post office on 2/15 to renew two children's passport and apply for a new passport for a newborn.

I paid the expedited fee and the fees to USPS for Express Mail. I received all three passports on 3/3!

We had to go to the USPS because they were all under 18, maybe that helps????

marigross

Some desperate collegues that had to go on a business trip booked a red-eye to Atlanta and processed their passports in person at their office. They returned the next day, passports on hand. Company paid the expenses...

julieah

If you know you have an upcoming trip, do it today so you don't have to sit on pins and needles like I did when we applied for out 14 yr old daughter's 3 months in advance and got it last Thursday.
It was a big hassle because they are overloaded.
My passport comes up for renewal in 3/08 and I'm going to renew it this September.

jeremygil

FYI: I mailed my passport Feb 4th and paid the extra $60 and wrote expedite on the outside of the envelope. I just checked online and it said it should arrive around March 10th. My trip is March 17th and so I called the Passport Office but after listening to their message I decided to give it a couple more days before spending an afternoon on hold to speak with someone.

Clea

I guess the lesson here is apply early. I have a problem with paying to expedite when this is what their job is anyway. Why am I paying more to get them to do what they are already getting paid to do?

samtraveler

Got my passport off on Monday, and paid for expedited. jeremygil, let us know when yours shows up--seems as if the 3-4 weeks they list for expedited service is not happening. Hope yours arrives soon!

Applying early is a good idea indeed. I had a baby in early January, so my passport hasn't been on my radar until now. I hope I'm in good shape for my June trip!

needtotravel

Hi Everyone

I feel Nicky's pain. To make a long story short, I had a similar situation this week and it was the most frustrating situation i have ever been in. I had sent in my passport in early Jan for a name change/renewal and was assured it would be completed by the end of Feb since I would traveling the 2nd week in March. The person I spoke to was reassuring me up and down that everything would be taken care of and that there was no need to expedite my renewal. Of course this didn't happen and I AM still waiting for my passport and will be leaving in less than 1 week. I still need to apply for a visa which will give me even less time before my departure date.

Here's the kicker: I called last week to expedite my renewal since the status online said i would getting my passport the last week in March, which is when i would be returning from my trip. The rep on the phone was really accomodating and told me i would have to pay a processing fee to expedite my request (which i did). He then gave me a tracking number (it was sent Postal express) and ASSURED me that my passport would arrive by on Saturday (3/3) and the latest Monday (3/5). I tried tracking the package online (USPS.com) and the package didn't exist. So i called on Monday and today 20x each day since its always BUSY because of high call volume. When i finally got a hold of a rep, they said that it was sent out Friday by Fedex AND US Postal with 2 different tracking numbers. I screamed "WHAT"??? The rep "John" than assured me that it was definitely sent by USPS but probably never scanned and he didn't know what the FedEx number was about and couldn't really help me further.

After doing some further research, the Fedex tracking # "John" gave me was also incorrect. So i called 1-877-487-2778)again to see what the deal was. This time, the rep who answered the phoen seemed really non-chalant and said that "it is not the responsiblity or accountability of the agency" to get my passport to me. WHAT???? This was turning out to become a complete nightmare. I explained that basically my passport was out there in LIMBO with 2 tracking numbers that were completely useless since no one knew where this package was. The rep kept saying, "i don't know what to tell you."

These people are absolutely ridiculous not to mention inept. NEVER will i go through a renewal by mail again with these people. It is so upsetting to know that they don't care.

After a few more calls to try to get a rep that could've helped, my husband finally called our congresman to see if they can locate my passport.

But all is not LOST: After being persistent for the last couple of days, i refused to let these inept jerks get the best of me and wanted to resolve this with a reasonable answer and not just get the run-around. I finally called FEDEX and USPS to see if they can locate the package by my last name and address and wouldn't you know it, it turned out that FEDEX had it and couldn't deliver it because the passport agency gave them the wrong ADDRESS and gave me the wrong tracking number! So tonite, I will be picking up the package at Fedex to end this nightmare.

I know this is a long posting, but i just needed to vent to show how disappointing and inept these folks are!

TravMimi

Some friends of mine applied for passports for the 2 kids. One came in 4 weeks, nothing on the other. Of course they went through the email phone battle. Finally 4 weeks later it showed up. With the new regulations and backlog it can be a nightmare.

MelJ

We're really nervious, too. My daughter, son and two grandsons applied for their passports on Feb. 4 (my daughter's was a renewal with a name change, the others were new). The trip is April 4. We offered to pay to expedite, but the postal guy said no way would it take 8 weeks.

Well, until yesterday they hadn't shown up on line. Today they say they are in process and she'll receive them "on or about April 4th." My daughter has called and called and gets the hang up. I'm in Paris and can't think of anything to do, but we ARE nervous.

Maybe contacting our Congressman?

luvtotravel

I'm pleased to report that my passport arrived today. I am greatly relieved. With an expedited application -- and with the assistance of my congressman's staffer -- it took 31 days from the day I mailed it.

On my last passport they had taken my photo and stuck it on. This time it is printed on the paper. Also, there are so many lines and imprints, it's hard to see the photo clearly. I'm sure it's all for security reasons, but it must make it difficult for the passport control people to compare the photo with the person standing in from of him or her.

There is another post that questions if one may smile in a passport picture. Well, there I am, with a wide grin and lots of pearly whites showing.