Help!!!!Passports being held hostage.

[pacmom]

In mid March, we sent our passports for extra pages. As of today, they are still being processed. We can't get them to send them back as is without a letter. That wiil take a few weeks to process. We leave Friday before meeting our Viking cruise on the Elbe. This should be a good insurance claim---Extra nites in Berlin and Prague and 5 nites in Vienna. What a mess!!!! I honestly don't expect a solution, just a warning to those needing a pasport or extra pages----do it as far in advance as possible. Pat

[magmorr75219]

I also have a friend who's planned a trip to China with her family, and sent in her info for passports in March. They still haven't gotten them. They leave in 2 weeks. She's not a cruiser, but also very frustrated. You're not alone!

 

I hope it all works out for you!

[land lover]

Pat...Thanks for the info ......What can I say.....How difficult is it for them to put extra in pages??????????? I hope you really needed them. I feel for you:( Insurance will cover this?

Call your congressman/woman and see if they locate them in the process and have them returned overnight.

As we are travelling to more places that require visas I have really thought about getting an extra passport, in a situation like yours it certainly would have been a benefit.

 

GOOd Luck, let us know the outcome.

[letsgo39]

Somewhere on one of the other travel sites,tripadvisor,Fodors,Frommers somewhere there was a hugh thread on how to deal with the passport problem.There is a way that you can get the passports immediately. If I can find the thread I will post the link on here.A story aws told aboput someone who managed to go and get the emergency passport the day of his trip. I will see what I can find.I know you have to pay some extra fees for emergency processing.

[pacmom]

Letsgo39,

It was on Fodors--read it. Living in the middle of Ohio doesn't help. We were told that we could go to Chicago and buy new passports---no go. In the am we start making phonecalls. Tomorrow is a new day. Pat

[mingojr]

My passport was damaged on last cruise. When I returned to USA, Customs agent said I better replace before next trip. I paid expedited fee and sent for replacement passport on May23. I was told it would take at least 4 weeks.

I received my new passport 10 days later on June 2. What a surprise!!

Mingo

[pacmom]

Isn't it amazing how paying to expedite delivery works, but allowing 11 weeks for adding pages is turning into my personal nitemare. Our congressman's office is trying to help. Tommorow is anothe day of telephones and waiting. Pat

[AliceS]

Pat,

 

Good luck to you. I hope this gets resolved for you to go and have fun on your cruise. Have a great time.

[cornellcindy]

Hi Pat,

 

We, too, need extra pages for our passport. Fearing your situation, we "bit the bullet" and paid the $60 per passport expedite fee. Here's hoping it works and we don't end up like you:rolleyes: .

 

Good luck and we're keeping our fingers crossed that you receive your passports shortly.

 

Cindy

[steamboats]

Hi Pat,

 

Sorry to hear about your passports!

 

We just returned from our Elbe River cruise on the MV Dresden. Please email me (I´m not able to find you mail in my inbox) and I´ll send you my (first version of my) review. I won´t get it up online in time for you. I saw some of the Viking landings and mentioned them in my review. There still might be some German words in it which I wasn´t able to translate yet.

 

steamboats

[pacmom]

Steamboats,

 

Thanks for the offer--e-mail on its way. Still no word on our passports.

 

Pat

[land lover]

Pat, there is still time, hang in there. Thanks for keeping us updated.

[pacmom]

:D :D :D :D Yes, they are on their way by Fedex. A good Congressman and his staff are gems. Ours, Dave Hobson, is remarkable. Won't really let out a sigh of relief til we have them in hand. Thanks for all the kind thoughts and for seeing my experience as one of learning for the rest. Pat

[magmorr75219]

Glad to hear they're on their way! :) I know you're relieved (and will be much more so when they arrive).

[pacmom]

My husband's arrived 15 minutes ago. Not mine. The fedex tracking number for mine doesn't work. Oh well, feel like I'm on a roller coaster. The congressman's office is working on it. Guess I'll start putting together my clothes in hopes of going. Really bummed right now. Pat

[magmorr75219]

That's awful! I hope they get it sorted out! Maybe you can join the boat late?

[letteanne]

Pat,

Just read about your pass port saga.

My Hope and Prayers our for you.

Letteanne:)

[AliceS]

Come on, Pat, get this resolved! You deserve a vacation! We all want to hear about it when you get back. God bless.

[pacmom]

My passport was picked up by Fedex a bit after 6 pm today---should have it by 10:30 am tomorrow am. Now we all need to pray for rain, do a rain dance or ask a lot of people to water their lawns so that it rains and lifts the water levels of the Elbe. Am beginning to feel a bit like Job of the Bible. Pat;)

[land lover]

Pat, Have you left yet?????? Isn't that how it always is, when it rains it pours so that means the Ebe should be up for you. Hope you have both passports in hand. I've go to ask did they include your extra pages? Have a wonderful time.

[magmorr75219]

Have fun! Your passport should be with you, or almost there. :)

[pacmom]

My passport is resting on my husband's desk, as I type this. What a sense of relief. Maybe some of this will calm down now that Congress has suspended the requirement for a passport for Canada, Mexico an the Carib. Will send a review of our trip, both land and river, when we return in July. Thank you all for your kind thoughts, prayers and support. We are truly blessed to be fit enough and have enough money to travel. The ugly suitcase wants to be filled, so off I go. Pat:D :D :D :D

[letsgo39]

:D :D :D :D Yeah! Have a wonderful time!

[steamboats]

Pat,

 

Great to hear that your passport has arrived!!

 

Have a wonderful trip!

 

steamboats