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Passport Clarification Needed..


cruisin_fanatic
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It is taking about 10 weeks now. All eight of my family members bought one 7 weeks before our cruise. At the time the web site said it would take 6 weeks to get back. Now they have changed the site to say 10 weeks and I will not get my passport or my original BC back until after i cruise. So we now only have 2 options; 1. To pay for expedited service of 75 dollars each and they cannot even guarantee we will even get it before we leave or 2. Go and buy another BC at 20 bucks each and go without a passport. Needless to say, I am very pissed at the situation. If I known it would take this long, I wouldn't have bothered and saved a lot of money. It is also impossible to call them to check on the status. They are open from 7am to 12 midnight. I was finally able to get through, as they only accept a limited number of calls to hold, at 1159pm. I probably tried about 100 times.

Could you please provide the telephone # and what you information you needed to give to find out the status of the application. DH sent his in for renewal and we are leaving on a cruise this summer. He kept procrastinating, and now we have heard it is over 10 weeks.

thanks for your help

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Hubby and I are leaving on Adventure of the Seas on 4/22/07 and we just applied for our passports this weekend. (Utilizing an expediting service). The total for two passports was $444. (incl. expediting fees of $65/ea) The post office told us that it was taking 10 weeks (regular service), 4-6 weeks by expediting it and that to get an appointment to do it yourself was pretty much impossible.

While I was at the post office, there were at least 10 families trying to get passports. Hardly anyone there to do "postal" stuff.

We utilized a service by the name of A Briggs out of D.C. They advertise that they can get a passport w/in 4-6 days. Don't know how, but they claim they can do it??:confused:

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I'm really in a pickle...

 

As someone who is a planner and prides herself in being "miss organized and efficient" - I've really screwed up on this one!

 

I renewed my passport last summer before we went on our first trip to Europe. I actually LOST my new passport my first day in Rome. I was very lucky and got a replacement passport at the Embassy in Rome the next day and was able to make our Med/Greek Isle Cruise. The passport you are given in this circumstance is good for one year.

 

We returned from Europe in October and I didn't hurry to do anything about re-applying for a new 10 year passport right when we returned. I was busy with the holidays, work, etc. I figured that I would send the 1 year passport in for a new one in between our scheduled April Cruise and our August Tahiti Cruise.

 

Then I read somewhere that when you travel the passport needs to be valid for six months after the start of your trip. Oops! I realized that meant my passport (expiring 9/23) would not be valid for 6 months after our cruise (4/14). So, I hurried up and sent off the re-application form WITH the passport and included $60 for expedited service.

 

I was given specific instructions with the Passport I received in Rome. I was to mail an application, with a copy of the letter I was given, and the Passport, to the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, NH. I did all of this and I wrote "EXPEDITE" on the envelope.

 

Well, I mailed it all at the Post Office on Tuesday, February 20th. So, it has been one month. They have not cashed my check, and if I search on the Department of State site it does not show status on my application.

 

Also, as stated before by others - you cannot get a person on the phone, you cannot get through to make an appointment at the local Passport Center. And, since I already have applied to the Government, I cannot now go to one of these services that offer extra fast service.

 

So, I don't know where my package is, and for that matter - where my passport is... The website now says that it is taking 3-4 weeks for expedited service - so I am hoping that I see that check clear this week. I have tried to call to check on status, I've emailed, etc. all to no avail.

 

I have to wait until 10 days from my trip to take the next step. I'm not even sure what that step will be - but I am going to be devestated if we miss our cruise. We are going on our 12th Princess Cruise and I have booked our very first Suite!!! I have insurance, but I wonder if they will cover my stupidity!!!

 

Anyone have any suggestions??

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I'm really in a pickle...

 

I have to wait until 10 days from my trip to take the next step. I'm not even sure what that step will be.

 

Anyone have any suggestions??

 

That step is to simply pay on the spot (over the phone) the expedited fee and that was what they offered me when I called when there were only 10 days left before my cruise date. All I got in return for the extra fee was a promise that it will be expedited, and not much else. So I decided to forgo the passport for my son and went apply for a state ID card and will use that plus his birth certificate.

 

In your case you already paid the expedited fee. You may want to keep trying to call the number to get to talk to a live person to see what the status is. One time all I got was "status undetermined", and that was 6 weeks after the date I applied!

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My sister, Mom & Dad applied for their passports on 03/08/07, which allows 11 weeks for it to get here. This is making me nervous, since birth certificates went with the application. At what point should they panic and request a copy of their birth certificates? We do not need passports for the cruise but they decided to get them in case of an emergency and the chance they might need to fly home. When it says 10 weeks, is this the outside date, with some coming sooner? Does it make a difference from what state you applied as to how long the request will take? Can up go to the post office and upgrade to expedited, if it is not here by say 05/01/07? Would appreciate it if someone who has recently received their passport would post exactly how long it took, if not expedited.

 

Hoping they get here in time.

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I just checked the Dept. of State Website AGAIN for tracking on my Passport and it showed up. Rather than stating that they received it or that it is being processed, it says that my passport is complete and they have mailed it to me priority mail.

 

It has been exactly 4 weeks since they received my application and I paid the $60 for expedited service. I did not pay extra for them to overnight it to me, so it will take a few days for priority mail.

 

Even though I would probably have been OK on my upcoming trip, I'm relieved that it is on the way to me!

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Hello

My DH and I applied for our passports Jan 20, 2007, requested regular because at that time there wasn't all this talk about the long wait. It took almost 4 weeks to show up on the website. Kept pushing the date up everytime I checked status. Finally on Friday, it showed it had shipped, would receive on March 27. TODAY, I got my passport. Still waiting on DH, jis just showed up being mailed today. THANK GOODNESS, thought I was going to have to pay for another birth certificate. Good luck to everyone getting yours.

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Hubby and I are leaving on Adventure of the Seas on 4/22/07 and we just applied for our passports this weekend. (Utilizing an expediting service). The total for two passports was $444. (incl. expediting fees of $65/ea) The post office told us that it was taking 10 weeks (regular service), 4-6 weeks by expediting it and that to get an appointment to do it yourself was pretty much impossible.

While I was at the post office, there were at least 10 families trying to get passports. Hardly anyone there to do "postal" stuff.

 

We utilized a service by the name of A Briggs out of D.C. They advertise that they can get a passport w/in 4-6 days. Don't know how, but they claim they can do it??:confused:

 

They can do it. :) Cost a pretty penny, but several years ago, was able to renew a passport in 36 hours utilizing one of these companies.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We are cruising this October to Mexico...I went and applied for my passport yesterday. It was fast and easy, I don't care if I need it or not to go on the cruise, it is THE best form of ID so why not apply and get one. My goodness they are good for ten years. Like the Nike ad says "Just do it"

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My husband and DD, applied for their passports on March 3, 8 weeks till our trip. I had to call tihs morning and expedite his because he has been unsuccessful in getting his BC from PR, which is where he was born.

 

Cost me about $80, the lady on the phone couldn't even give me info on my kids passports because it wasn't on "her screen". But she did say, it would take longer to receive and I wouldn't get them in time. She told me to call back on the 18th to get a fedex tracking number.

 

I was able to get thru without a problem and probably waited less than 10 min to speak to a rep.

 

P.S. She did say we could use our photo id's and BC's for cruising in the caribbean. Othewise, I would have expedited all 3passports.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am amazed at the variety of different answers people are getting about passports....myself included.

 

Our passports were at the 10 week mark when we still hadn't received them. I called on a Monday and spoke with a lady who told me mine was in Miami and my DH was in Charleston (we live in FL). Now figure out why they got sent different places...who knows. But assured me we would have them in plenty of time BUT to call back every couple of days to check on them.

 

Thursday at 3:30pm, I called back and spoke with a gentleman. He "seemed" to share in my frustation that our passports were taking so long. Especially considering that when we applied it was still the "normal" 6-8 week processing time. He told me that since it was now 10 weeks, he would put them on a rush status and expedite them overnight at NO ADDITIONAL fee. He said if we didn't have them by Tuesday to call back.

My DH's passport came FedEx the next day at 2:00pm, less than 24 hours.

Mine on the other hand didn't get expedited overnight, but sent Priority Mail, it did arrive on Tuesday....even though our temp. mailman left it at the wrong address :eek:

Thankfully, I was checking the online tracking through USPS, called first thing Wednesday and it was in our mailbox that afternoon...thank god!

 

So as you can see, you can get different answers from different people.

 

If you NEED your passport soon, don't give up and keep calling!! Both times, my hold time was less than 10 minutes.

We are leaving our two children with my mom for our cruise and we wanted to make sure that we would be able to fly home if needed, otherwise we would of traveled with the BC/drivers license had they not arrived in time.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I need help!!

 

Leaving for the Bahamas and Bermuda this Saturday, 12th of May (NCL) and still waiting for my son's and wife's passport. Just called the passport processing center a couple of minutes ago and I was told that their passports are in the final "phase" of the processing and should be done in an hour or so. I was advised to call again tomorrow (Friday) morning to see if it went out already. At least they have the option to send same-day-delivery if they need to. Anyway, just to be safe, we got another copy of my son's birth certificate today for only $10!. My question is about my wife - she can use her DL but her BC is not a US one (she was born in the Philippines but became a US citizen 22 years ago). Is this an acceptable type of document? I was also thinking of bringing the certificate she received when she became a US citizen and also our marriage certificate (copy) since her US citizenship certificate bears her maiden name.

 

If anyone out there can help me out.. I really need it.. :(

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Interesting to read what transpired in this thread from the start of the year, through today.

 

the5davids, I have absolutely no answer for you other than to take every scrap of ID your wife has. I do hope you are able to board the ship :)

 

For everyone else who is procrastinating (was it cruise fool that I read so much not wanting to spend the $$ yet?), one word, don't.

 

Read through what happened to people applying for passports in Jan, Feb, Mar and Apr, the extended waiting, the frustration, having to pay extra for expediting, having to order new birth certificates. The worst advice anyone could give you at this point is to wait and see what the gov't. decides to do. If it is a financial hardship to apply all at once, do one a month.

 

I will predict (if the Jan, 2008 date remains) that passport applications are going to be an even bigger fiasco towards the end of the year. If you have a cruise planned for any time after the first of next year, get it done now.

 

I recall seeing some posters who had gone ahead and applied last year for passports, only to see the date moved. A lot of them were disappointed they had spent the money, they could have waited. They're probably all happy to have it behind them now, I'd never want to go through the headaches many suffered the first 4 months of this year over passports.

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Generally how long has it taken from the point you have been told they would expedite your application did you actually receive it?

 

I called on 5/4 to expedite for free would get overnight service for free. Called back on 5/8 and was told that it just had to be printed and that it could "go out tonight" I assumed that meant shipped to me, but it didn't... alled back yesterday and was told it was in the "signature approval" phase and to call back on Monday to find out what's going on. I am now on hold so that I can bug them b/c this is quite rediculous. I've been waiting now 11 weeks... And I leave on Friday... I'm now planning on having to go & get a birth certificate & that is really absolutely nuts...

 

BTW, my status never did change from the "processing" msg on the website...Figures!

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UPDATE:

 

Got through after 45 mins & was told it should be mailed out later today. If not, then Monday. When asked if it would be same day/overnighted, woman said they do not have that info until they get a confirmation from Fed-Ex. When told of my concern b/c of the birth certificate, I was told to get a backup one just in case. Good thing I can get a certified copy of mine in NYC using a walk-in service!

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