Passport 'Kickback' odds?

[gumballz]

I went in today and took care of everything to get my passport. The man said everything looks great, but my paperwork could still get 'kicked back'. Is it common for this to happen or is it only if there's something wrong with the paperwork? He measured my photo and said it was fine.......checked every box and said it was fine........my birth certificate is an original, etc.

 

Also.......how does the passport arrive? Is it obvious that it's an official document? I'd hate to have someone get the mail and think it's junk.

Thanks!

[Capt_BJ]

I went in today and took care of everything to get my passport. The man said everything looks great, but my paperwork could still get 'kicked back'. Is it common for this to happen or is it only if there's something wrong with the paperwork? He measured my photo and said it was fine.......checked every box and said it was fine........my birth certificate is an original, etc.

 

Also.......how does the passport arrive? Is it obvious that it's an official document? I'd hate to have someone get the mail and think it's junk.

Thanks!

 

never had mine kicked back.....I recently completed my second time thru the process

 

how does it arrive - surprizingly in a very un obvious envelope, unless you pay for special processing. This time around we 'provided' FEDEX overnight packages for the return to us, and they still came in regular US mail....lesson learned. Since I work for unc' sam ... envelopes from US Governmet ain't all that special... yes, I damn near tossed it as junk.....

 

Who's 'the man'? Post office or a company that's charging you an outragous amount of money to send in your forms? (oh my, your forms are wrong...give me another $50 and I can fix it) Check the yellow pages....they are out there

[gumballz]

I went to a Postal Connection place. I paid $67 to U.S. Dept of State and $30 to Postal Connection. He said if they kick it back it will come directly to me with a form telling me what needs to be resubmitted and I just do it from my home.

[samdham]

I don't know the answer to the kick back question, ours have always gone through just fine on the first try.

 

I have the envelope they came back in right in front of me. It came in "regular mail." Seriously, next to my name and address, it states "Regular Mail!" The return address on the envelope reads "U.S. Government Official Mail" with the address. It came in an envelope slightly longer then a standard business size envelope.

[kitty9]

If your name comes up as part of the Homeland Security list, the passport application can be kicked back.

[Cruise Craver]

Just got my passport this week. Envelope came from U.S. Government Official Mail. Mine said "priority mail" next to my name. I did not pay extra. I filled out the documents on line on the passport website. I brought them into the post office passport center and it only took about 15 minutes for them to confirm the information and have me sign in triplicate. Nothing came back. Passport arrived in 4 weeks later. Web site for passport is as follows:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html

 

Hope this helps.

[nybumpkin]

When we renewed our 14YO's passport, we had the photos taken at a chain discount store's photo department. They were a bit washed out, and the county clerk employee who handled the application warned that the application might be rejected because the photos were too light. We decided to take a chance and submit it anyway - since he's a minor, we needed both parents as well as kid to appear in person, and it's just hard to do that on a weekday during business hours. The application went through, despite the photos. While the envelope doesn't say anything like "Passport Enclosed," it's hard to confuse with junk mail.

[2funcruzin]

Received mine yesterday....Envelope larger than standard. Return address says US Government Official Mail and next to my name it says Priority Mail.

 

You should be ok....as long as all the info was submitted correctly and you sent them money and your b/c you will be fine...no worries. Took 5 weeks to get mine back.

[Wennfred]

I went in today and took care of everything to get my passport. The man said everything looks great, but my paperwork could still get 'kicked back'. Is it common for this to happen or is it only if there's something wrong with the paperwork? He measured my photo and said it was fine.......checked every box and said it was fine........my birth certificate is an original, etc.

 

Also.......how does the passport arrive? Is it obvious that it's an official document? I'd hate to have someone get the mail and think it's junk.

Thanks!

 

Mine got kickback because it was 15 years old, didnt realize that.

It arrives in a standard size No.10 envelope.

Just by measuring the photo at 2x2 doesnt cut it, it also has to meet the guidelines of the size of the headshot within the photo.

[JoyAnn]

I got mine done at the post office, got it back in less than 3 weeks, regular mail, sort of normal looking envelope (brown I think), nothing fancy. Don't throw it away!

 

I went in today and took care of everything to get my passport. The man said everything looks great, but my paperwork could still get 'kicked back'. Is it common for this to happen or is it only if there's something wrong with the paperwork? He measured my photo and said it was fine.......checked every box and said it was fine........my birth certificate is an original, etc.

 

Also.......how does the passport arrive? Is it obvious that it's an official document? I'd hate to have someone get the mail and think it's junk.

Thanks!

[gumballz]

JoyAnn, do they take your photo at the post office too or do you need to bring your own? What did they charge you for that if they took it?

[STiVo]

JoyAnn, do they take your photo at the post office too or do you need to bring your own? What did they charge you for that if they took it?

 

You'll need to have your photos in-hand when you apply for your passport. You can get it done just about anywhere for around $10 (but not the post office, probably). My wife recently had her's taken at Wal-Mart's "portrait studio". I had mine taken at SEARS's portrait studio a few years ago. It takes about 10 minutes from beginning to end and you will need two identical photos.

[curlyd]

Some post office's do the pictures for a fee. We had ours done at the local Village Hall. They took the pictures and processed our paperwork. I found them listed when I Googled "passport applications". The govmnt site listed what post offices in my area do it and whether or not they take the pictures. Now we are just waiting. My DH is due anyday but I needed to get a "real" birth certificate (one not issued by the hospital but from the county clerk) and I didn't submit my passport app until two weeks later.

[JoyAnn]

I didn't want to stop anywhere else, so I had them take my photos at the post office. It cost extra, but hubby and I rarely have time off together during working hours, we had to make time do this. The extra money was worth the time it saved.

 

JoyAnn, do they take your photo at the post office too or do you need to bring your own? What did they charge you for that if they took it?

[JoyAnn]

You can get your photos taken at the post office. You just have to check to make sure they offer this service before you go. In fact, we had to make an appointment in advance to get our passports at our local post office.

 

You'll need to have your photos in-hand when you apply for your passport. You can get it done just about anywhere for around $10 (but not the post office, probably). My wife recently had her's taken at Wal-Mart's "portrait studio". I had mine taken at SEARS's portrait studio a few years ago. It takes about 10 minutes from beginning to end and you will need two identical photos.

[gumballz]

There's a post office right down the road from us but we decided to go into town and get it done just because it's always so busy at our PO. We had the photos taken at Ritz Photo then took them to the Postal Connection place. When they cut the photos they used a little machine, so I'm hoping that means they'll be the correct size and all. Thanks for the info! I appreciate it.

[JoyAnn]

Not every post office does passports, you have to check first in any case. Our local post office near our house does not do them, nor does the main post office near my office, but two other PO's close by do. I had to make an appointment 2 weeks in advance once I chose the place I wanted to go to. I didn't mind the wait, however. It was only this year that our county in NJ was included in the PO passport system. Before then, you had to go to our county seat and those people at the county offices were NASTY.

 

If you look on the passport application that you can download, it shows you the correct sizing you need for the photos.

 

Hope your passports come back as fast as mine did. I was so excited the first time I had mine stamped!

 

There's a post office right down the road from us but we decided to go into town and get it done just because it's always so busy at our PO. We had the photos taken at Ritz Photo then took them to the Postal Connection place. When they cut the photos they used a little machine, so I'm hoping that means they'll be the correct size and all. Thanks for the info! I appreciate it.

[gumballz]

.......we'd love to have ours stamped. It's the first time we've been basically anywhere since we've been married and we've never been out of the country. But....from what I'm reading they don't stamp them on the cruises so I guess I just cherish my memories and hide that AWFUL photo in the passport! (I feel like I was sentenced to 20 years!) lol

[JoyAnn]

On some excursions you can get your passport stamped. The were stamping passports at one stop in "Hell" in Grand Cayman on our Western Caribbean cruise. Of course, if you have to fly out of the country to embark, your passport will be stamped. My cruise to Hawaii leaves from Vancouver, so I'll get an Canadian entry stamp.

 

.......we'd love to have ours stamped. It's the first time we've been basically anywhere since we've been married and we've never been out of the country. But....from what I'm reading they don't stamp them on the cruises so I guess I just cherish my memories and hide that AWFUL photo in the passport! (I feel like I was sentenced to 20 years!) lol

[gumballz]

We're only going to Nassau, Coco Cay and Key West and we're sailing out of Miami. Unless they'd do it in Nassau we're probably out of luck. But I can ask!

[JoyAnn]

Hey, it can't hurt to ask. I didn't have a passport when I went on my cruise that took me to the Bahamas, so I even venture to guess.

 

 

 

We're only going to Nassau, Coco Cay and Key West and we're sailing out of Miami. Unless they'd do it in Nassau we're probably out of luck. But I can ask!

[creek42]

Here , we do ours through the court house, they can take photos there and cheaper than Walmart. We know the forms are in order before they are sent!

[joie de vivre]

When I was preparing to get my passport, I needed to also get a new drivers license because mine was damaged. Well I got the DL and then went to the post office (same day). While applying the clerk asked where I was planning on going and I said I would like to go to the Middle East. Joking because the Gulf War had just started. The clerk processed my application and then a couple of days later the Secret Service called me and questioned me in length. They wanted to know why the DL had the same date as the application for the passport. Where was I planning on traveling etc... It pretty impressive and at the same time intimidating. I got my passport in about 2 weeks.

[greatdanemom]

AAA also does passport photos. In fact they're free if you're a "Plus" member. That's where we had our mug shots done!

[laughoutloud]

When I renewed my passport (at the post office) I was able to pay a fee for them to return the passport via express mail (USPS). It only cost something like $11 and I felt that the delivery was safer. ;)