A Different Passport Question

[MemawB.]

I have been reading with a lot of interest all the threads about the passport problems people are having in regards to not getting them in time. We too have passports coming hopefully in time for our cruise May 12. My question is: What do the people who process my passport look for or check out when they say they are processing my passport? Are they looking at criminal records, etc? Exactly what information are they looking for? Has anyone out there ever worked at one of these places to let us know what is involved in the process of issuing a passport? Just curious as to what the process may be. Thanks for any info.

[LiLBxQt]

No clue, but it's a good question! Whatever it is, it apparently takes quite a long time!!!! :p HaHa I should know, I've been waiting now 6.5 weeks for mine...

[MemawB.]

Come on all you knowledgeable cruisers. Someone out there surely knows someone who knows someone who can answer this question. Other than the fact that they are besieged with ton of passports to process I would be interested in finding out what is involved in their process of processing. Thanks.:p

[smalltowngrll]

One thing I know of is that now the new passports have a chip stored inside of them that contains electronic copies of your photo and info. That might take a little time to create.

[Balieyes]

I can't answer the question, but I can tell you that we applied for the kids passports on 2/10 and they came today, 4/11, so about 9 weeks.

[luckycruzer]

are receiving about one, that's 1 million a month..apps..school students, summer vacationers, and the new law for cruisers is making quite an influx. GF made app in St Pete, Fl, Apr 2, they said 1o to 12 wks..and hers was a renewal for an expired one. Her cruise is last of Sept. I got a new one with new BC etc..Oct 05..and it took only 3 wks. befor the new law was imposed...So...the race is onnnn

[daveco58]

I dont think they are checking anything like criminal records, or what have you.

If you are a citizen, you are entitled to a passport. period.

Other than verifying your Birth/Naturalization records, which are with the application, there is nothing to check.

The backlog is purely the result of the changes in the law as to where you can and cant travel without a passport.

[dforeigner]

I dont think they are checking anything like criminal records, or what have you.

If you are a citizen, you are entitled to a passport. period.

Other than verifying your Birth/Naturalization records, which are with the application, there is nothing to check.

The backlog is purely the result of the changes in the law as to where you can and cant travel without a passport.

 

 

Actually, being a US citizen does not entitle one to receive a passport. Example: An individual is behind on his/her child support payments and applies for a passport. Result, passport application denied. I am not going to get into specifics but it is not a good idea to give an answer to a question like this based on a personal opinion. And yes, they do criminal back ground checks among other things.

[cruiser3175]

I just applied last week for my passport. The passport acceptance man at the P.O. said they check out everything about you, birth records, etc., including criminal records.

[karen1225]

Also, not that I know first hand, but if you are ever convicted of a violent felony, you will be denied a passport. So, a criminal background check is done on each application

[MaryZ]

Actually, being a US citizen does not entitle one to receive a passport. Example: An individual is behind on his/her child support payments and applies for a passport. Result, passport application denied. I am not going to get into specifics but it is not a good idea to give an answer to a question like this based on a personal opinion. And yes, they do criminal back ground checks among other things.

 

exactly. Please don't give people an opinion presented as fact.

They do check your background. As an american citizen you are entitled to a passport, but under certain circumstances you will not be issued one until those circumstances are resolved. There are other levels of notification to people also.

[Minnesota Lady]

I have been reading with a lot of interest all the threads about the passport problems people are having in regards to not getting them in time. We too have passports coming hopefully in time for our cruise May 12. My question is: What do the people who process my passport look for or check out when they say they are processing my passport? Are they looking at criminal records, etc? Exactly what information are they looking for? Has anyone out there ever worked at one of these places to let us know what is involved in the process of issuing a passport? Just curious as to what the process may be. Thanks for any info.

 

MemawB,

They run a complete records check on you through all systems. Federal, state, and maybe local depending on what the first two show. Example, our daughters passport is done and ready to mail. Because my DH and I were prior military, one had a higher clearance than the other, one other is almost done, call just 10 minutes ago to let us know. The other will not be done until tomorrow due to what one was exposed to. They have to make sure all are cleared, have no record. They are taking care of us before issusing passports, US citizens.

[daveco58]

exactly. Please don't give people an opinion presented as fact.

They do check your background. As an american citizen you are entitled to a passport, but under certain circumstances you will not be issued one until those circumstances are resolved. There are other levels of notification to people also.

 

Okay, IF you are $5000 or more in arrears on Child Support, and IF your state has listed you on their database, your passport application may be suspended, until you provide proof of payment.

 

Or, IF you are on bail, and a judge has ordered your passport be held, pending trial, your application will be suspended.

 

Or, IF you have formally renounced your citizenship, to an Embassy, overseas, and then been declared Persona Non Grata, your application will be suspended.

 

As for felons, in most cases their civil rights CAN be restored upon completion of their sentence/parole.

 

And to be exceedingly correct, the US Passport Agency does not check all those databases. Some Government agencies can put your name on THEIR database for suspension, e.g. if you have an outstanding Federal warrant for your arrest, etc.

 

there are a very few exception - perhaps I should not have made a blanket statement - but there is a presumption made that a US citizen is entitled to a passport. And you are never outright DENIED a passport, however your application can be suspended for 90 days until you rectify the problem. And if you do not rectify the problem, your application will be returned. To deny you a passport is to deny you one of the basic rights of Citizenship, and is only done in response to action on your part where you forfeit that right.

 

The main point, is that the current delays are the result of a backlog because a huge number of people are applying for passports, because they are now required in circumstances, where they formerly were not.

[Minnesota Lady]

Okay, IF you are $5000 or more in arrears on Child Support, and IF your state has listed you on their database, your passport application may be suspended, until you provide proof of payment.

 

Or, IF you are on bail, and a judge has ordered your passport be held, pending trial, your application will be suspended.

 

Or, IF you have formally renounced your citizenship, to an Embassy, overseas, and then been declared Persona Non Grata, your application will be suspended.

 

there are a very few exception - perhaps I should not have made a blanket statement - but there is a presumption made that a US citizen is entitled to a passport. And you are never outright DENIED a passport, however your application can be suspended for 90 days until you rectify the problem. And if you do not rectify the problem, your application will be returned.

 

The main point, is that the current delays are the result of a backlog because a huge number of people are applying for passports, because they are now required in circumstances, where they formerly were not.

Judge ordered your passport to be held. YES YES. Citizenship issues, YES YES, Child Support payments, don't think so.

[ShedQueen77]

Judge ordered your passport to be held. YES YES. Citizenship issues, YES YES, Child Support payments, don't think so.

 

I just wanted to make sure I read correctly. Did you say that if you are behind in child support payments that you CAN get a passport? If I interpreted that incorrectly, read no further with my apologies.

 

If you are in arrears on child support more than $5000, you can not obtain a passport. If you have a current one and owe more than $5000, your passport will be revoked. My son's "sperm donor" (no longer his father, my ex husband adopted him shortly after we were married) still owes me $25,000 in child support and I have documentation from Child Support Recovery that he is not legally able to obtain a passport until his arrears are cleared. Whenever he receives notices, they are CCed to me as well for my records.

 

http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_608.html#passport

Q. HOW CAN A U.S. PASSPORT BE DENIED TO A PERSON OBLIGED TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT?

A. . U.S. passports cannot be denied based on requests from private individuals. 42 U.S.C. 652 (k) provides that the Secretary of State must deny issuance of a passport to a person who is in arrears of child support of more than $5,000 based upon a certification to that effect by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). See 22 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 51.70 (a) (8) . If a person applies for a U.S. passport or other consular services abroad, and that person's name does not clear the Passport Name Check System due to an outstanding child support obligation certified by HHS, the U.S. embassy or consulate will deny the request for a passport or revoke a passport already issued.

The person may be issued a limited validity passport which is also limited for return to the United States. "Revoke" means that the U.S. government has officially removed the passport from the person - it does not necessarily mean that the original passport (which may include multiple foreign visas) is destroyed or canceled. If there is a hold for HHS certified child support reasons, the passport will not be returned to the person until the name clears the passport lookout system. The formal passport revocation letter prepared by the U.S. embassy or consulate informs the person that the passport is legally revoked and he or she is not entitled to it until HHS gives the Department of State official permission.

Once the name of the person clears the passport lookout system electronically, the passport may be returned. This means that the state where the child support is owed must notify the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that the $5,000 or more in arrears has been paid. HHS will in turn notify the U.S. Department of State that the individual's name may be removed from the passport name check system. The Department of State and its embassies and consulates abroad have no information concerning individual child support obligations and have no authority to take other action until HHS removes the person's name from its list. Please direct any questions to the appropriate state child support enforcement agency. You may go to the Department of Health and Human Services - State Child Support Enforcement Web Site for a listing of HHS state and local agencies. See also the HHS letter to all state IV-D Directors requesting updated information.

[deborahjo]

MemawB,

They run a complete records check on you through all systems. Federal, state, and maybe local depending on what the first two show. Example, our daughters passport is done and ready to mail. Because my DH and I were prior military, one had a higher clearance than the other, one other is almost done, call just 10 minutes ago to let us know. The other will not be done until tomorrow due to what one was exposed to. They have to make sure all are cleared, have no record. They are taking care of us before issusing passports, US citizens.

 

Who have you called to find out your passports were "would be ready tomorrow."

[daveco58]

Judge ordered your passport to be held. YES YES. Citizenship issues, YES YES, Child Support payments, don't think so.

 

Child support payments ABSOLUTELY. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2002. Upheld suspension of passport to a deadbeat mom.

[Minnesota Lady]

I just wanted to make sure I read correctly. Did you say that if you are behind in child support payments that you CAN get a passport? If I interpreted that incorrectly, read no further with my apologies.

 

If you are in arrears on child support more than $5000, you can not obtain a passport. If you have a current one and owe more than $5000, your passport will be revoked. My son's "sperm donor" (no longer his father, my ex husband adopted him shortly after we were married) still owes me $25,000 in child support and I have documentation from Child Support Recovery that he is not legally able to obtain a passport until his arrears are cleared. Whenever he receives notices, they are CCed to me as well for my records.

 

http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_608.html#passport

 

Q. HOW CAN A U.S. PASSPORT BE DENIED TO A PERSON OBLIGED TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT?

A. . U.S. passports cannot be denied based on requests from private individuals. 42 U.S.C. 652 (k) provides that the Secretary of State must deny issuance of a passport to a person who is in arrears of child support of more than $5,000 based upon a certification to that effect by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). See 22 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 51.70 (a) (8) . If a person applies for a U.S. passport or other consular services abroad, and that person's name does not clear the Passport Name Check System due to an outstanding child support obligation certified by HHS, the U.S. embassy or consulate will deny the request for a passport or revoke a passport already issued.

The person may be issued a limited validity passport which is also limited for return to the United States. "Revoke" means that the U.S. government has officially removed the passport from the person - it does not necessarily mean that the original passport (which may include multiple foreign visas) is destroyed or canceled. If there is a hold for HHS certified child support reasons, the passport will not be returned to the person until the name clears the passport lookout system. The formal passport revocation letter prepared by the U.S. embassy or consulate informs the person that the passport is legally revoked and he or she is not entitled to it until HHS gives the Department of State official permission.

Once the name of the person clears the passport lookout system electronically, the passport may be returned. This means that the state where the child support is owed must notify the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that the $5,000 or more in arrears has been paid. HHS will in turn notify the U.S. Department of State that the individual's name may be removed from the passport name check system. The Department of State and its embassies and consulates abroad have no information concerning individual child support obligations and have no authority to take other action until HHS removes the person's name from its list. Please direct any questions to the appropriate state child support enforcement agency. You may go to the Department of Health and Human Services - State Child Support Enforcement Web Site for a listing of HHS state and local agencies. See also the HHS letter to all state IV-D Directors requesting updated information.

It is not automatic, wish it was, each state has to notify inorder for this to be carried through with passports. Remember, what the county courts do, if needed, they have to inform the state courts, who review and refer on. Until that is done, how does the Feds know.

[luckycruzer]

as little as 2 yrs ago, if you owed back taxes, limit was $5000, you were denied a passport..dont know what is now, or if it still exists..worth a look into if your have outstanding taxes

[Minnesota Lady]

Who have you called to find out your passports were "would be ready tomorrow."

 

We were called and provided reason why our passports are delayed and why they will not be issued for mailing until tomorrow.

[ShedQueen77]

It is not automatic, wish it was, each state has to notify inorder for this to be carried through with passports. Remember, what the county courts do, if needed, they have to inform the state courts, who review and refer on. Until that is done, how does the Feds know.

 

This may vary by state, but I can say from my experience that my son's SD is listed in a federal database because he owes more than $20K. The State of Iowa turned him into the Feds. Not to mention he hasn't filed income taxes in 6 years to avoid his return money coming to my son.:rolleyes:

 

The State of Iowa has been wonderful at keeping tabs on that deadbeat loser. I sincerely hope that all other states are the same!

 

Also, if a Federal tax refund is offset for payment of back child support, that is noted and puts the offender in the Federal databases automatically. I'm sure there are some that may slip through the crack, but for the sake of those children I hope not!

[Minnesota Lady]

Child support payments ABSOLUTELY. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2002. Upheld suspension of passport to a deadbeat mom.

 

Circuit Court of Appeals, 2002 in what state? There are allot of Circuit Court of Appeals, 2002 in law that is awhile ago, many decisions may have come down since then. You need to be sure on law before you pass decisons as you need to research present law.

[deborahjo]

We were called and provided reason why our passports are delayed and why they will not be issued for mailing until tomorrow.

 

But who called you is what I am asking.

[Minnesota Lady]

This may vary by state, but I can say from my experience that my son's SD is listed in a federal database because he owes more than $20K. The State of Iowa turned him into the Feds. Not to mention he hasn't filed income taxes in 6 years to avoid his return money coming to my son.:rolleyes:

 

The State of Iowa has been wonderful at keeping tabs on that deadbeat loser. I sincerely hope that all other states are the same!

 

Also, if a Federal tax refund is offset for payment of back child support, that is noted and puts the offender in the Federal databases automatically. I'm sure there are some that may slip through the crack, but for the sake of those children I hope not!

Luvmytbear, key here your state Iowa turned him into the Feds. Some states are better at this than others.

[Minnesota Lady]

But who called you is what I am asking.

 

The Passport office advised us as to why our passports are being delayed in mailing reassuring us we would received them in time for our upcoming trip in eleven days.