Passport tips - talk to a real person!

[overwhelmedwithoptions]

This won't help you get your passport any sooner but it can make you feel a little better:

When you call the passport number 877-487-2778 hit number "1" for English. You don't have to wait until the recording gets done talking

 

Then press "3" to check the status of your passport.

 

You will get a recording of a lady: "Due to high call volume...." Don't wait for her to finish talking or you will be diconnected. Just press "9" This will take you back to the previous menu.

 

Then press "3" again to check the status of your passport.

 

The lady will probably come back on "Due to high call volume"

Just keep pressing "9" then "3"

 

EVENTUALLY after you press "3" you will get a recording "your call is important to us please stay on the line and your call will be answered in greater than five minutes"

 

Then just wait, you will eventually get to talk to an actual person who may or may not be helpful.

 

Everytime I called I seemed to get a different answer.

 

We are going on a cruise on 3-11 and we will not be getting our passports in time. Although I called EVERYDAY to make sure everything was in order and it was until about a week ago. Then suddenly the only way to get our passports was to pay the extra $60 each even though we applied in the beginning of January. I refuse to pay the extra $60. I don't understand how if I pay the extra money they can "magically" get my passport done, but if I don't then I am S.O.L. It's not my fault that they got so busy and are so understaffed (the excuses I was given), so why should I have to pay a penalty? Apparently our government has decided to hold our passports as ransom. I think any "rush" passports should have been handled by a different department. Instead, anyone willing to pay the extra money got put in front of those of us who applied early. Guess in America money doesn't talk, it screams, and it gets you moved to the front of the line.

 

This may not help get your passport any sooner but sometimes it is nice to talk to a real person.

:(

[reallyitsmema]

We also applied in early January for a cruise in June. We were told that they were very backed up due to the new travel restictions and should expect our passports by April 1st. Anyone traveling prior to April 1st was told they would not receive their passport in time if they didn't do expiditated. According to the website, we should receive ours on or about March 14th.

[mom and wife]

the date on the web site for the passport changes every week. Ours has changed 4 (as of today) times. So keep up with it. If you would like more help people have wrote go to --Costa threads and then to the thread called ---passport worry .

[overwhelmedwithoptions]

Don't go by the date on the web. My husband's shows that he should recieve his on 4/1 and he got his today (3/9). We got much more acurate information by calling. Still haven't received mine......:(

[mom and wife]

When did you go to apply and did you pay for the extra $60.00 fast fee? Did you apply at the same time maybe you will get yours in a day or two just got split up in the mail. :D hope for the best.

[caribbean dreams]

Which reminds me...............remember to have an extra certified copy of your BC just incase you do not get your PassPort with your BC you sent with your application.:)

[overwhelmedwithoptions]

When did you go to apply and did you pay for the extra $60.00 fast fee? Did you apply at the same time maybe you will get yours in a day or two just got split up in the mail. :D hope for the best.

 

We both applied together on January 16. I refused to pay the extra $60, just on principle. We are leaving for the airport this afternoon so it does not look like I will be getting mine in time. Thankfully ours is strongly recommended but not required.

 

The advice on getting extra birth certificates is a good one. If you get them right away when you apply for the passports they are cheaper to just get one more copy, then to have to come back later and get another one. (Found this out the hard way).

 

My heart goes out to all who HAVE to have one and are having the same problems I encountered.

[Happy ks]

Thanks for your post, it is important to let people know to apply for passports with plenty of time allowed for return. If I were applying for the first time, I'd probably give it a minimum of 3 months right now.

 

I've been reading on this board lately that passports are taking as long as 8-12 weeks for processing these days. With the new regulations in effect since (I think) January 8, 2007, the passport office is backlogged, many more applications are being sent in. You happened to apply at probably the busiest time the passport office has ever seen.

 

I hope your cruise is enjoyable and your passport is in your posession soon after your return. Then you won't have to worry about it again for another 10 years :)

[reallyitsmema]

Yay!!!! They arrived today. :)

[81cruiser]

I just sent out for my passport last week. Thankfully my cruise isn't until November. My cousins who are crusing as well thought I was crazy for sending for it so soon. They figured they'd wait until the summer. Looks like depending on what month they send for them they may not get them back in time for the cruise.

[firefitn]

I don't understand how if I pay the extra money they can "magically" get my passport done, but if I don't then I am S.O.L. It's not my fault that they got so busy and are so understaffed (the excuses I was given),

:(

 

Did you ever think to get your passport, I dont know....like last year? Since 9/11 they have been talking about increasing the border policys, and last summer they actually made the announcement saying that birth certificates wont be enough to pass through the borders. So, if you got the passport waaaay back then you wouldnt have this problem. And yes, they can "Magically" get your passport done. They are made daily, you do realize that there are thousands/hundred of thousands/millions of people that place their order for them to be done, so they are making you pay extra to get it early because you weren't prepared, not them. So there is no sense complaining here on the boards that the government is messing with you...holding your passport hostage etc. I went the same week the announcement was made(and the only way you woulndt have heard about this is if you were in outerspace or in a coma, since they talked about it allllll the time on the news and the papers) and ordered my passport, not knowing when or if I would travel, but just in case I wanted to.

[warrenidaho]

Thanks so much for the secret code to get to talk to a real person. I am currently on hold, but at least I'm in the que. My son's passport came with his name spelled incorrectly. I didn't catch it until I started making copies for our cruise on Sunday (just 5 days!!!!). Thankfully we still have a copy of his birth certificate, so I'm not in a complete panic.

 

Words of Wisdom:

- always carefuly check the passport when it first comes in (not 5 days before your trip!)

- Keep a back up copy of the birth certificate. At least for the next year!

 

Happy Cruising

[suezyq50]

Where is the approxiamte date of arrival found? I saw last week the check was cashed. Today I see my DS is in the system, but no date given. It says to expect it in 10 weeks.

[sstephy]

Where is the approxiamte date of arrival found? I saw last week the check was cashed. Today I see my DS is in the system, but no date given. It says to expect it in 10 weeks.

Within the last 24 hours they changed the passport status website and you will no longer be given a date to expect your passport - unless they change the site again. All you get now is the pat answer that it takes at least 10 weeks! :( To be honest - the date on the website wasn't always very accurate anyway.

 

Keep the faith - and keep us posted on your progress. :)

[overwhelmedwithoptions]

Did you ever think to get your passport, I dont know....like last year? Since 9/11 they have been talking about increasing the border policys, and last summer they actually made the announcement saying that birth certificates wont be enough to pass through the borders. So, if you got the passport waaaay back then you wouldnt have this problem. And yes, they can "Magically" get your passport done. They are made daily, you do realize that there are thousands/hundred of thousands/millions of people that place their order for them to be done, so they are making you pay extra to get it early because you weren't prepared, not them. So there is no sense complaining here on the boards that the government is messing with you...holding your passport hostage etc. I went the same week the announcement was made(and the only way you woulndt have heard about this is if you were in outerspace or in a coma, since they talked about it allllll the time on the news and the papers) and ordered my passport, not knowing when or if I would travel, but just in case I wanted to.

 

Just for the record: the reason I didn't get my passport earlier was because we had no reason for one. Until this trip we did not travel anywhere. Prior to booking the cruise we checked with the passport agency and were assured that we applied in plenty of time. I applied for the passport and THEN booked the cruise based on the information they gave me.

 

***I did get my passport on March 12 - of course we left for our cruise on March 11 :( - oh well, I didn't need it anyway and had no trouble using just our birth certificates and driver's licenses.***

 

Good luck everyone!

[sstephy]

Did you ever think to get your passport, I dont know....like last year? I went the same week the announcement was made(and the only way you woulndt have heard about this is if you were in outerspace or in a coma, since they talked about it allllll the time on the news and the papers) and ordered my passport, not knowing when or if I would travel, but just in case I wanted to.

 

Thank you very much for your advice firefitn. I was ill when the announcements were made about the passport application influx and wasn't able to apply let alone think about it. I couldn't have applied at that time if I'd wanted to. This cruise is a celebration for surviving a life threatening illness. It was booked and the same day we applied for passports.

 

Please be careful what you say about others. You never know when something horrible might happen to you - like happened to me - oh, but wait a minute - you're already prepared for it, right? I didn't plan to be sick. I didn't plan this cruise at the last minute on purpose - I was just lucky enough to get well and am thankful I'm able to go.

 

I'll probably never travel out of the country after this - if I make this trip I will not need the passport that will probably never come anyway. Wasted money that could have been spent spent on something someone in my family could actually use.

[firefitn]

congradulations on surviving your medical problems sstephy, however, when I replied, you werent even on the post. the OP was complaining about all the hassles of getting a passport, so if you were having problems at the time, (for the last 6 years), and unable to see TV or talk with people, Im sorry for that.

[Insane]

I'm getting concerned about the passport issue. We are sailing in two weeks and didn't apply for a passport. I called homeland security and Carnival and they have both confirmed that you don't need one if you are not flying into or out of the USA. Cruise ships will not require them until 2008. Am I missing something? Am I going to have problems if we don't have a passport? We are going to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize and Freeport!

 

HELP!

[peersurgurl]

Insane - the only problem you would have is if for some reason you had to fly back to the states from one of the ports. And since there are few situations that would entail having to fly back (medical emergency or you miss the boat) you will probably be ok.

[caribbean dreams]

I'm getting concerned about the passport issue. We are sailing in two weeks and didn't apply for a passport. I called homeland security and Carnival and they have both confirmed that you don't need one if you are not flying into or out of the USA. Cruise ships will not require them until 2008. Am I missing something? Am I going to have problems if we don't have a passport? We are going to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize and Freeport!

 

HELP!

 

No you will not need a PassPort to get on the ship, but remember, you did send your original BC off with your PP application and unless you have an extra from te Hall of records, you are going to have to order another and hope it makes it on time.

[Insane]

Thanks for the info. I was starting to panic!

[spurge_02]

I just tried calling the number and the only way you can check your passport that way is if youre leaving in the next 14 days or need it to apply for a visa.