Passport woes
 

Hi,
Now that we are in the 2 week window before we are scheduled to leave I have been trying to see the status of the kids' passports. No luck. Constantly busy, busy, busy. I have contacted our congresswoman's office, but still trying to contact on my own. Any advice on when I might be able to reach a person?

Thanks,
Travelatte

When did you submit it? Go back to Congressperson and Senator.

In March. I am still trying, and left message today with congresswoman contact. I hope I hear from her tomorrow with goo news, but still trying on my end too.

Travelatte

I submitted for an expedited passport knowing I only have exactly four weeks before my trip. I called the passport agency at 1-877-4USA-PPT two weeks before my trip date to inquire on the status. It took a LONG time to get through: at least 30 minutes just to be put on hold, then another 30 minutes to actually speak to a person. The trick I found with the call is listen to all the informational recording in the beginning (after pressing 1 for English), then press 3 and then 1 (for inquiring submitted application), which usually results in a recording that says something about "due to high call volume your call cannot be answered at this time". At this point, press 9 and that will loop you back to the beginning, at which point press 3 and then 1 again. If you get the high call volume recording again, press 9 to loop back once more. Keep doing this until you are actually put in a queue to speak to someone (there will be music at that point). I did this for almost 30 minutes before being put in a queue, then waited another 30 minutes to speak to a person. I explained that I needed to leave within 14 days, and the person was real nice, and said she'd put notes on the departure date and also rush the delivery back to me; she also advised that I call the following the week to inquire on the status again. I called again the following week and did the same drill over with the phone. This time I spoke to someone who saw that my application was being worked on and said should sent out in the next 2 days. At this point my trip was about 8 days away. One tip: I made jokes with the person on the phone and we had a good laugh; it was obvious that he probably only talked to irate and impatient people, so I think he appreciated the empathy. Anyway, I called back 2 days later (same drill with the phone), and this time the lady gave me a tracking number with USPS. The passport finally arrived two later later, which was two days before my departure date.

Just keep calling even though it'll take a while to get through. Good luck!

Thanks pmok I'll try that.

Travelatte

Have you considered using a a passpart service that will go stand in line for you and have it sent overnight so that you have it the next day. You will have to pay a host of new fees and the cost charged by the service, but you will have the passports.

Mine expires in March. I think I will go ahead and renew even though I am not planning to leave the country before Summer of 2009.

DanM,
Thanks for the idea, but they are for our kids and I'm sure that is not permitted. I need to be with the kids and if my dh is not he will need sign and get notarized a statement saying that it is ok.
And then of course they will expire in 5 years. boy I wish they would modify that.
Travelatte

Hi travelatte

I see you posting here as well as on the Switzerland thread. No advice here - I am waiting for my 17 year old's passport for our vacation this summer too - but wishing you luck on getting the passports. We are not in the 2 week window yet, so I'm just holding on and waiting for now. Good luck!

True. Sorry.

I see so many others in a similar position. Hopefully they will see this or other simlar posts and it will help.

pmok,
I tried your method and it worked. After about 5 or so minutes I got the queue and wow maybe 5 minutes later a person answered. She sent additional emails requesting to expedite. We'll see. I also spoke to the Congresswoman contact and she was going to try again as well. She did last week and it was noted. I am hoping.

Thanks again,
Travelatte

Well, since I'm still waiting for the kids' passports I decided to call again. I got thru using the method above after about 35 min. They are still in process and should reach my home on Tuesday. I can call Mon to verify. So I am still crossing my fingers that I don't have to go to Chicago.

Just thought I'd post an update and thanks for the help!!

Travelatte

Good luck travelatte! Let us know what happens. I amslo waiting for my daughter's renewal but we don't leave until August.

I've been thinking of you travelatte - did the passports arrive?

kwren,
We went to Chicago yesterday. A very long day, but we now have the passports. We got back to our car at 6:30p Chicago time and drove home. We made it back at 12:20am. Phew! My 11yr old even got to go to school his last day.

The other set of passports is set to arrive today at 3pm. I'll turn those in and keep the Chicago ones.

Now I can think about the trip.

Door bell just rang...other set of passports just arrived. Issue date was Tuesday. Why they never shipped them we will never know. Oh well, the 2nd has better photos!

Travelatte

Congratulations travelatte!

I see the NY Times had an article posted on this problem, too. They said things were so bad that even congressmen's offices were only able to concentrate on cases for people with a week or less to go. Also suggested that the expedited option wasn't having much effect.

There's nothing wrong with the passport office, according to the article, they were just never intended to handle this level of volume all at once. Apparently they're working massive amounts of overtime.

Oh well, congrats - as long as you don't find yourself on some interesting list because you have duplicate passports!

Great news Travelatte!

We still have time for our trip, even though we don't need my son's passport for the Carib now. I think I'd feel better if I had it, not knowing if we would get some idiot agent who could hold us up at immigration.