Passport air rules may be suspended

[smeyer418]

http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/U/US_PASSPORTS?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME

 

 

 

the gang that can't shoot straight strikes again....

[electricron]

As I read the article, they aren't planning on "suspending" the passport rules, they're just "accomodiating" those who have turned in passport reguests and have receipts, because they are taking too much time processing the passports requests.

[FlyerTalker]

And, of course, this does nothing to help those caught without a passport and planning to travel intercontinentally. My passport expires next summer, but many countries require 6 months left on the passport for your entry. I'm trying to figure out when to try to get a renewal of mine, without being in "the lurch" without it. It's looking as though the super-special expedite will be the only way to fit it in between trips across a border.

[Daphne8100]

We applied for a passport for my DS March 15th and still don't have a passport for him. We leave for Europe in 13 days! We're doing everything we can to get him one. Finally made an appointment at the local passport office a couple of days before we leave as a backup.

 

It's a mess... you can't get through on the phone, and emails take days to answer. The internet doesn't say much.

[shoreguy]

http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/U/US_PASSPORTS?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME

 

 

 

the gang that can't shoot straight strikes again....

 

Even though it will never be seen in this dark corner of the boards - Who is the gang that can't shoot straight ? I think it is the American public. After years of delay and being warned over and over many have waited to the last minute(months before) to get the required documentation most knew they needed before they even booked the trip.

[lagbunch8]

Even though it will never be seen in this dark corner of the boards - Who is the gang that can't shoot straight ? I think it is the American public. After years of delay and being warned over and over many have waited to the last minute(months before) to get the required documentation most knew they needed before they even booked the trip.

 

 

There was a news story about a honeymoon couple who did not get their passports in time to go out of the country on the honeymoon. The story starts with "they planned for over a year for the perfect wedding" but, then goes on to say that they waited until 10 weeks before the wedding to apply for passports :confused: Well duh! Oh well. So sad. Maybe plan a little better next time.

 

I am applying now for my kids passports for a May 08 cruise. Let's hope 11 months is enough time.

 

Mary

[ddoll]

The article says travellers would need to show a State Dept receipt proving they had applied for a passport. We didn't get any receipt when we applied for ours.

[dforeigner]

Even though it will never be seen in this dark corner of the boards - Who is the gang that can't shoot straight ? I think it is the American public. After years of delay and being warned over and over many have waited to the last minute(months before) to get the required documentation most knew they needed before they even booked the trip.

 

 

Thank you for posting an actual fact. People do not realize that there is a back ground check involved when applying for a passport. In addition, there are thousands if not millions of people (most of them procrastinators) who are expecting and demanding their passports back within a few weeks of sending the application for the first time.

[dforeigner]

The article says travellers would need to show a State Dept receipt proving they had applied for a passport. We didn't get any receipt when we applied for ours.

 

 

Have you gone on line and printed the receipt or proof of transaction?

[scm200]

we paid extra and got all passports within 4 weeks - 3 new ones and 1 renew (originally issued more than 10 years ago - outside the renew range. we paid extra for the service but they arrived - three new ones were for teens who had lived at the same address their whole lives, maybe that makes a difference.

Sharon

[travellady]

My passport expired 3 weeks ago and I discovered it when last week I booked a European cruise for the last week of August. I had my photos done this week and will go down to the Post Office today to submit my renew application. I will definitely pay the extra cost for expediting.

[waterrats]

Until the end of September, travelers will be allowed to fly without a passport if they present a State Department receipt, showing they had applied for a passport, and government-issued identification, such as a driver's license. Those who have not applied for a passport will not be allowed to travel.

 

Actually text from the article in this thread. Our kids passports came within 8 weeks when we had everything filled out in early December. Obviously more people are putting in applications. We will have to renew ours when we return from our September cruise. I don't foresee us leaving the country before the spring so that should be enough time to have our renewals sent back to us.

 

Joe

[garycarla]

Some of the passport changes that went into effect this past January have been suspended, for now.

 

"The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced today that U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet received passports can nevertheless temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007. The federal government is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand. "

 

Read more here> http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/jun/86206.htm

 

(this probably should be posted as a short term sticky... some people lately have had to CANCEL their trips due to this problem)

[naneo]

Leaving next week on Dawn and still don't have my passports. We did them in February (1st week). Paid 500.00 for my family and now they tell us its okay not to have them. Unbelieveable. Just need our drivers Lic

What a waste cause I know we won't be going on another cruise for a few years. College tiutions next year

[cruisequeen10]

I think that is so wrong. They issued a due date for the passports for January 2007 and should stick to that. The government doesn't care that we have to line up for 8 hours in the pouring rain to get them. They knew what would happen and should have put more agents on to process the passports. Here in Canada it is the same and we still have to have a passport to enter the U.S.

[thewolffs]

Leaving next week on Dawn and still don't have my passports. We did them in February (1st week). Paid 500.00 for my family and now they tell us its okay not to have them. Unbelieveable. Just need our drivers Lic

What a waste cause I know we won't be going on another cruise for a few years. College tiutions next year

 

 

"Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child's proof of application. Travelers who have not applied for a passport should not expect to be accommodated. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: http://travel.state.gov."

 

 

So, it's good that you applied for them. It wasn't a total waste.

[cruiser12]

This just a thought, with everyone trying to get their passport in time, the pasport offices can not get them done ! ! ! Probably this may help with the proplem and had to come up with a solution for now.

[woodley]

I cant understand why people are so upset about having to wait for a passport. The powers that be gave a great deal of notice that this would become a requirement ( in my opionion long overdue). You ned to be organized and plan in advance so that you get a passport in time.

 

Any seasoned traveller is well used to this requirement when travelling overseas and makes plans accordingly.

[garycarla]

Leaving next week on Dawn and still don't have my passports. We did them in February (1st week). Paid 500.00 for my family and now they tell us its okay not to have them. Unbelieveable. Just need our drivers Lic

What a waste cause I know we won't be going on another cruise for a few years. College tiutions next year

 

It was not a waste. You will at least have to prove you have applied for them. They are not going to waive this for those that did not bother at all.

 

 

As to blaming people for waiting when they should have known better, keep in mind that some people may have booked a trip 60 days before the travel date and IMMEDIATELY applied for a passport, but are caught up in the massive backlog, that even Congressmen have had difficulty shaking them loose.

[karen2cruz]

Naneo, it was not a waste -look at the bolded text:

 

 

"The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced .....who have applied for but not yet received passports can nevertheless temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007.

 

 

We applied for a passport for my son on Mar 31 and used expedited service and got it 1st week of May (5 weeks). I agree with Shoreguy, the American public has had plenty of notice to get this done. The media just encourages whining.:rolleyes: Enough already

[susieh]

I find it so hard to understand why the American system takes so long to supply a passport or a renewal. In Britain it is much much quicker. My husbands renewal took 2 weeks and my son's application for a new passport when he lost his old one only took 5 weeks.

 

What kind of information and documentation do you have to supply? We have to send birth certificate, marriage certificate, photo signed by someone in authority (eg doctor, teacher) to say it is a true likeness and they have known you for more than 2 years) and then fill in a long form.

 

For my son's replacement passport we had to report the loss to the police and provide the report number and we had to fill in an extra form but it only added 2 weeks to the processing.

 

Initial applications apparently take about 4 weeks.

[nancyfancy40]

I vote and agree with Shoreguy. Anyone who has a newspaper delivered to their home ( and reads it), or has a television, has no excuse for not applying on time. We applied (3 of us) the last week on Jan 07 and received ours on 12 weeks. We are not on the Pearl until May of 08, but why wait. But really folks, not to be mean! But does this really suprise us????? After all, this is a country where for peoples saftey they have to put "keep your hairdyer away from water" tags on every blower sold. :eek: Signs that remind you to wash your hands when you leave a bathroom. :eek: Announcements to tell people to turn off cell phones in the movie theather. :eek:

 

All of these situations could easily be avoided with something lost to the masses "common sense". ;)

[candygirl27540]

American system takes so long to supply a passport or Imuch m find it so hard to understand why the a renewal. In Britain it is uch quicker. My husbands renewal took 2 weeks and my son's application for a new passport when he lost his old one only took 5 weeks.

 

What kind of information and documentation do you have to supply? We have to send birth certificate, marriage certificate, photo signed by someone in authority (eg doctor, teacher) to say it is a true likeness and they have known you for more than 2 years) and then fill in a long form.

 

For my son's replacement passport we had to report the loss to the police and provide the report number and we had to fill in an extra form but it only added 2 weeks to the processing.

 

Initial applications apparently take about 4 weeks.

 

One reason may be that the population of Britain is approx. 66 million vs. 301 million in the U.S. Most of the U.S. passports are new, not renewals or replacements. Most Brits have had to have a passport for years,this is something new to a large part of the traveling US public.

[smeyer418]

first of all Shoreguy(Jim) and I mostly agree but not this time. Its now June of 2007. The change took place in January you would expect that then when the problems came up for last minute people. I realize that we are coming to the high time for travel to EUROPE-which always required a passport- not Mexico and the Carribean---well maybe the high time for air travel Canada although not that many go there. Most of the people complaining put their applications in more than 10 weeks before they traveled. The US Government had to know that this requirement would exponentially increase the applications and yet they weren't prepared passport review times went from 4-6 weeks to 14 weeks so the planning wasn't there. Yes you can blame people for not putting them in soon enough but if the recommended time is 3 months and the government is not meeting that goal, its not the person's fault. As I said this isn't the first time this particular government agency has been incompetent. yes you can blame the applicant if you want but my aim is elsewhere(and remember they significantly increased the cost to cover the added staff).

 

Finally I was the charter member of the passport pusher society and that was eons ago so I do think people would get passports but I do wish we can do it competently...

 

PS the background check is done by computer based on name date of birth and social security number its not a fingerprint check that takes significant time. It probably is done by the computer when the info is imputed in. I doubt that adds more than 5 seconds to 99% of the passports...

 

reasonable people can disagree but don't blame the applicants(most of the time- the ones who apply at 9 am and expect the passport that afternoon you can blame its ok with me)

[NORMAN8]

It's the government's fault. The government should have prepared for the rush for passports. I submitted last weekend and I don't know when I will get the passports. They said it may take 12 weeks but I doubt that given the overwhelming paperwork. I have a feeling my paperwork may be lost as well as my money which I paid in cash and I didn't get a receipt. I don't agree with having a repreive because this causes even more confusion. The government should have been prepared. In the meantime, I waiting for my passports. Until then, I can not make plans for my cruise early next year. I heard a lot of horror stories of waiting in lines and taking days off. This is hurting the economy. Terrible.