Supposed to leave today...NO PASSPORT
#41
Join Date: Jan 2003
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According to the Passport website:
"If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met."
So, I stand by my comment that you should apply at least 6-8 months before your current passport expires.
"If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met."
So, I stand by my comment that you should apply at least 6-8 months before your current passport expires.
#42
Join Date: Dec 2006
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I nominate CarolA to be in charge of all Passport issuances. We could all rest assured that she could get her employees to complete three times the work in the same amount of time as usual, and without raising taxes to boot!
Texgirl, I hope things work out for you and your husband. Your post should certainly forewarn everyone that a significant lead time is mandatory, and even more than what is recommended should be the norm. My renewal application will go out well in advance of its' expiration. I may even have to plan my trip(s) around the status of my passport.
Texgirl, I hope things work out for you and your husband. Your post should certainly forewarn everyone that a significant lead time is mandatory, and even more than what is recommended should be the norm. My renewal application will go out well in advance of its' expiration. I may even have to plan my trip(s) around the status of my passport.
#43
Join Date: Feb 2004
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As Dukey stated the delay in processing passports was mentioned months ago...last December? Why would anyone when dealing with a bureaucracy assume that it would take a reasonable amount of time or even less than 8-10 weeks.
Our passports expire this January 2008, however we sent them in this past April, expedited them, and received them within two weeks. Simple. Why in the world would I wait to do something I can do now, be done with and not worry about?
I do wish those still anxiously awaiting their passports good luck. I'm just glad I'm not in that position.
They have put more people on staff due to the overwhelming requests. Much of the delay is caused by now needing a passport to travel places where previously none was needed.
Our passports expire this January 2008, however we sent them in this past April, expedited them, and received them within two weeks. Simple. Why in the world would I wait to do something I can do now, be done with and not worry about?
I do wish those still anxiously awaiting their passports good luck. I'm just glad I'm not in that position.
They have put more people on staff due to the overwhelming requests. Much of the delay is caused by now needing a passport to travel places where previously none was needed.
#44
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US Consulates are equipped to issue new passports, add pages, etc. and since they have very few US citizens requiring the service (most don't know about it) they can and in most cases will get the job done in no time.
The queues for US citizens and foreigners are separate so don't get scared when you see a line of people snaking around the corner about 1/2 mile away from the entrance....
Another advantage to this process? The passport is handled by you and the consular official ONLY. No worries about deliveries, postal service, expedited services, etc.....
One piece of advice. When I went to the Tokyo consulate for extra pages I was told to come back in 2 days. I told a (little white) lie. I said I was leaving for around the world trip next morning and I just messed up by not getting this done before I left. The consular official changed his tune and told me to wait....(I was actually going home in 2-3 days.....). This tactic is usually not necessary as it depends on the country and how busy the consulate is, but in case you ever hear the "come back" in a 2, 3, 4, etc, days, then use it.
For new passports they do need 2-3 days, but if planned accordingly it's not a problem.
The queues for US citizens and foreigners are separate so don't get scared when you see a line of people snaking around the corner about 1/2 mile away from the entrance....
Another advantage to this process? The passport is handled by you and the consular official ONLY. No worries about deliveries, postal service, expedited services, etc.....
One piece of advice. When I went to the Tokyo consulate for extra pages I was told to come back in 2 days. I told a (little white) lie. I said I was leaving for around the world trip next morning and I just messed up by not getting this done before I left. The consular official changed his tune and told me to wait....(I was actually going home in 2-3 days.....). This tactic is usually not necessary as it depends on the country and how busy the consulate is, but in case you ever hear the "come back" in a 2, 3, 4, etc, days, then use it.
For new passports they do need 2-3 days, but if planned accordingly it's not a problem.
#45
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Can I hijack this thread a little bit. I need to get passport pages added, and I would prefer to do so at the US Consulate in London (am currently in the UK unti August) rather than wait to get back home and deal with all the drama.
The instructions on the Consulate webpage clearly say that I need to mail in my passport with a form, and the new pages will be added within 5 business days. However, I am a little scared to deal with the mailing. Is there any way that I could just get this done in person? Do I need an appointment?
Thank you.
The instructions on the Consulate webpage clearly say that I need to mail in my passport with a form, and the new pages will be added within 5 business days. However, I am a little scared to deal with the mailing. Is there any way that I could just get this done in person? Do I need an appointment?
Thank you.
#47
Join Date: Apr 2006
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I hope your flight worked out for you! I've been there, only this was several years ago. They kept saying it was in the mail up until the day I left. In a panic I called the State Dept. in DC and asked to speak to a live person and was lucky enought to get a sympathetic one. She sent me to the office in LA and got a new temporary one; some trauma and snags there but got it done just in time to get my flight. It was the most stressful travel experience I've had.
#48
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" nominate CarolA to be in charge of all Passport issuances. We could all rest assured that she could get her employees to complete three times the work in the same amount of time as usual, and without raising taxes to boot!"
I am not saying that, but I do know that at least if I was in charge I would be TRUTHFUL. Texgirl applied on 2/27. Told then 6-8 weeks. A few days later she saw on the webpage 10 weeks. I just counted from 2/27 to today is.....one day short of 12 weeks. People can adjust if told the TRUTH. However, the passport agency seems to believe that "if we don't tell them they won't notice we haven't delivered the passport" Or alternatively they have a list of "excuses" The excuses include things like "spring break". Well if it was only spring break then don't you think by now that backlog has cleared?
The other thing that's amazing is that if you just show up you can get one in ONE day. Or if your congressman gets involved your passport can get issued. So why does it take 12 weeks by mail? Am I missing something? Do you get a more extensive "review" if you apply by mail? (and if so, am I the only one who thinks that is NOT good LOL!) Am I the only one who thinks this "management" system seems broken? I am a fan of complaining to my congressperson when the institutions my tax dollars pay for don't provide the service they should. I realize that a lot of posters on fodors belive that we should just allow the goverment to do what they want, but....
I am not saying that, but I do know that at least if I was in charge I would be TRUTHFUL. Texgirl applied on 2/27. Told then 6-8 weeks. A few days later she saw on the webpage 10 weeks. I just counted from 2/27 to today is.....one day short of 12 weeks. People can adjust if told the TRUTH. However, the passport agency seems to believe that "if we don't tell them they won't notice we haven't delivered the passport" Or alternatively they have a list of "excuses" The excuses include things like "spring break". Well if it was only spring break then don't you think by now that backlog has cleared?
The other thing that's amazing is that if you just show up you can get one in ONE day. Or if your congressman gets involved your passport can get issued. So why does it take 12 weeks by mail? Am I missing something? Do you get a more extensive "review" if you apply by mail? (and if so, am I the only one who thinks that is NOT good LOL!) Am I the only one who thinks this "management" system seems broken? I am a fan of complaining to my congressperson when the institutions my tax dollars pay for don't provide the service they should. I realize that a lot of posters on fodors belive that we should just allow the goverment to do what they want, but....
#49
Actually the website says processing time is 10-12 weeks and expedite time is 2-3 weeks. The news has been saying allow a minimum of 10 weeks since last December because of the increase in demand. January - June has always taken longer than other times of the year even before the new requirements because of spring breaks and summer vacations.
#50
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We also applied for new passports for our family of 4 back in February. We're scheduled to leave Saturday (May26), and no passports yet. Have called the passport office daily, and called my Congressman last Friday. Since we applied 14 weeks before our travel date, we did not think it necessary to pay for expedited service.
My theory is that they don't even look at your application until you call, and they won't talk to you until you're within 2 weeks of your travel date. So even applying 6 months in advance may not be enough!
Just venting...
My theory is that they don't even look at your application until you call, and they won't talk to you until you're within 2 weeks of your travel date. So even applying 6 months in advance may not be enough!
Just venting...
#52
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CarolA - the reason for that is because everytime a congressman's office calls to get his constituent's passport expedited, or someone waits in line to have it done sameday, the people who are patiently waiting at home for their regular service get pushed back even further for these "emergencies".
Say it normally takes 30 employees to do 500 passports in 4-6 weeks with the ocassional "expedite" thrown in (maybe 50 of them). Now you have 30 employees doing 2000 passports (which would take 12-24 weeks normally) and they are thrown 8 times the expedites in addition.
Say it normally takes 30 employees to do 500 passports in 4-6 weeks with the ocassional "expedite" thrown in (maybe 50 of them). Now you have 30 employees doing 2000 passports (which would take 12-24 weeks normally) and they are thrown 8 times the expedites in addition.
#54
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Oh I agree that the congressman method is probably slowing things down, but what else would you have folks do? Miss their trip while sitting patiently by the mailbox after 14 weeks? Considering that any reasonable analysis of travel would have predicted this.... (Failure to plan on someone's part) I mean the OP on this thread waited 12 weeks AFTER the passport webpage at the time she applied said 6-8 weeks!!!! The other thing that seems to be a real problem here is that a lot of this is "luck of the draw" depending on where your passport gets sent. One poster said that thier congressman's staff member indicated that if your passport was being processed at Charleston you were out of luck as they were not "processing" (Whatever that meant?) Once again, seems a lack of management...
#55
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CarolA - I wasn't suggesting that people don't do what they can, just answering that specific question.
Yes, there's a "lack" of something here. But, working in a government agency, it's not the employees fault (or the management) most likely.
They aren't the ones who make the budget and if the ones that do don't think to add an increase to salaries, then there's nothing management can do to solve the problem - they don't have the money to hire more people. And they can't take money from elsewhere, because that's not allowed by statute without getting special approval, etc. that usually takes longer than waiting for the next budget to pass.
Yes, there's a "lack" of something here. But, working in a government agency, it's not the employees fault (or the management) most likely.
They aren't the ones who make the budget and if the ones that do don't think to add an increase to salaries, then there's nothing management can do to solve the problem - they don't have the money to hire more people. And they can't take money from elsewhere, because that's not allowed by statute without getting special approval, etc. that usually takes longer than waiting for the next budget to pass.
#56
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Well, the big question is where are all the extra fees going? And I agree that as a goverement agency they are limited in what they can do. That's why I will contact my congressperson if my mother's passport is delayed. I am NOT contacting to ask them to expedite it, but to express my displeasure with the processing. If you don't complain then they just assume things are fine and will go on as before. (Now if it's still not here in August, then I will ask for expedite but surely if you apply in March for a renewal it will arrive by August!)
#57
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Unless the agency is a "special fund" agency, all the money they make goes into the general fund - and is usually spent on something totally unrelated. So, the "extra fees" don't go back to the Passport office to support the needed additional staff, but to the general fund to buy shower curtains and toilet seats...
Definitely show your dissatisfaction and make sure your congressman know. I would think you should get your mother's passport in time as you have allowed 20 weeks for processing - double the current estimate. I also think that in the next few months much of this delay will start to go down. All those folks looking for a summer vacation in Mexico will have already been dealt with.
Definitely show your dissatisfaction and make sure your congressman know. I would think you should get your mother's passport in time as you have allowed 20 weeks for processing - double the current estimate. I also think that in the next few months much of this delay will start to go down. All those folks looking for a summer vacation in Mexico will have already been dealt with.
#58
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I have been following this email train and I like the rest of you wish texgirl the best.
Just a little background on the passport backup. In Jan 07, the western hemisphere travel initiative took effect. This required air passengers who would normally be exempt passport requirements to obtain one. This means all those people who go to the carribean and Mexico are now competing with the European travelers for passports. The initiative expands in Jan 08, to sea passengers.
The state department had advance notice of the regulation change, but as with most government positions, the hiring process can be extensive.
So I recommed that planning ahead. Forget the posted deadlines. It is not worth the headache. If you are leaving in less than three months pay for the expedite. If you pay up front, you'll get your passport in four weeks or less.
Just a little background on the passport backup. In Jan 07, the western hemisphere travel initiative took effect. This required air passengers who would normally be exempt passport requirements to obtain one. This means all those people who go to the carribean and Mexico are now competing with the European travelers for passports. The initiative expands in Jan 08, to sea passengers.
The state department had advance notice of the regulation change, but as with most government positions, the hiring process can be extensive.
So I recommed that planning ahead. Forget the posted deadlines. It is not worth the headache. If you are leaving in less than three months pay for the expedite. If you pay up front, you'll get your passport in four weeks or less.
#59
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I needed to renew my passport early this year. I paid $60 extra for it to be expedited. I still needed to get my congressman involved. It took over a month and then only because his office got involved. Money down the drain, IMO.
#60
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Zemom... I paid to expediate my youngest daughters...and we are on 6 weeks now - so you don't get it in 4 weeks or less if you expediate.... not always anyway.
We leave June 28th.. If I do not have it by June 1 I will start with my congress person --
We leave June 28th.. If I do not have it by June 1 I will start with my congress person --