Do we just give it up on the passports?

[BlueEyz119]

We are traveling on AOS on 07/22. We applied for our passports at the end of February - and still the website says they are being processed. Amazing, how fast they were at cashing the check in comparison to the actual processing.

 

At any rate, we have tried to call, sent emails, etc. Do we even bother with it anymore? I could call my congressman's office, but is it worth the hassle?

 

Of course, then there is the whole birth certificate situation. Since we had to send ours in with our passport applications, we do not have a copy of my husband's. We are in Indiana and he was born in Michigan. We can enlist his parents help in getting a copy but, again, it is just irritating that I have to go through the hassle and the additional expense when I felt like I applied in a reasonably amount of time.

 

I mean, come'on - it has been 19 weeks since we applied. Part of me is spoiling for a fight on principal - the other part doesn't want the hassle, since I'm already trying to get ready for the trip. I'm torn.

[globalnomads]

I say call the congress man/woman and get it done. You are definitely within the time period they seem to help the most. There are lots of posts regarding this issue on CC boards, several on the European Boards.

 

Good Luck!

[randrea]

I am leaving on July 20th and still don't have passports.

We paid $400 to have them expidited and checked the website which told us we requested routine processing....sheesh!!!

 

I called my Congressman's office and they were very helpful. Much better than the idiots from the passport number.

They said they would call the State Department for us and make sure it's expidited. They even called me back to tell me that they hope to get them to us by the middle of next week.

I have a duplicate birth certificate but my boyfriend has to go to a fast tag place to get one for himself.

Even though they say it will come, I'm not taking any chances.

 

I'm also very frustrated with the whole thing. We were told we'd get ours in 7-10 days and it's been 3 weeks already. I should have saved the money and done routine processing. That's what it says we did anyway. I could have spent a day at the ships spa with that money. I was told that it's very unlikely that we can even get refunded any money.

And people want socialized medicine in this country? If you can't even get a passport from the government, imagine if you depended on them for healthcare. "Uh...yeah, you can have that malignant tumor removed in about 16 weeks."

 

Okay, my rant is done. Thanks for listening.

Andrea

[SheriNtexas]

We are traveling on AOS on 07/22. We applied for our passports at the end of February - and still the website says they are being processed. Amazing, how fast they were at cashing the check in comparison to the actual processing.

quote]

 

 

 

It took 15 weeks for our passports to get to us, and we got them 2 days before our trip to Europe! 19 weeks is too long, IMO, but don't give up! Here is what I did, and also some advice for you:

 

1. Call your state Senator or House Rep, but only one or the other. I was told that if you have to "people" making inquiries for you, it could cause it to take longer. Call someone, tell them how long you have been waiting, and see what they can do.

 

2. Do NOT listen when someone at the passport office tells you to call back in one week, etc! Start calling and call everyday! Bug the heck out of them!! You are within the 14 day period, you need to keep calling and find out what is taking so long!

 

3. Be very nice to whomever you talk to!!

 

 

I feel your frustration because i was going through it last month!! In YOUR eyes, your trip is almost here and you are tired of waiting for the passports, but in all reality, there is still time to get them to you! When i finally got a tracking # it was late afternoon, and i had the passports in my hand by 10am the next morning!

 

Pick up your phone tomorrow and call your Senator or whoever and beg for their help-in a nice, classy way, of course,:D and then keep calling the passport office at least once a day! They should be able to give you updates, then finally, after hearing that they don't know anything, someone will tell you that they have a tracking # for you!! Don't rely on the processing update on the state dept board, i was told that it is very inaccurate most of the time and they only update it every so often!

 

Good luck, and it probably wouldn't hurt to go ahead and get the BC's that you need, just in case! Just think, once you get the passports, you won't have to think about it again for 10 years!! Good luck!!:)

[skipop]

I just went through this for several people in identical situations. The passport office appears to working applications by day of departure, whether you filed an expedite request or not. Some people who filed expedited applications are receiving theirs quickly, others, however, are not so lucky. Recently, it is not uncommon for the passport to show up on the very last day possible.

 

First step is to call both your senators and your congressman. Get them all involved as you never know which staff will actually make a call for you to the passport office. By only calling one, the risk of them not doing anything is too great. The persons answering the phones in these offices are young and receive hundreds of calls for help everyday. TO me, the risk of the Senator/COngressman's office not doing something is greater than tHaving multiple people call the passport office in this situation

 

I would also suggest calling the central passport office in Washington DC, even if you didn't apply there. The number is 202-955-0370.

 

You will likely not know anything until 24-48 hours before you leave and they will federal express the passports to you. No matter how many times you call or have other people call, the passport typically shows up in the last 24-48 hours. So, keep calling and checking, but don't expect to know anything until the last minute. You will just be told that it is being processed.

[mp466]

A friend of mine was waiting 12 weeks for a passport with no end in sight. They called their Congressmen on Monday and had the passport on Wednesday.

[qorc]

I applied for a RENEWAL the first week of March (these usually are faster than new passports).

 

I got my new one yesterday.

 

Total time elapsed: 18 weeks!

[cruisincorey]

I applied for my renewal (old one was expiring soon, but it wasn't expired yet), regular service (not expedited) during the last week of May, and received the passport during the last week of June ... just over 4 weeks.

 

What did I do? I sent it via FedEx to the physical address listed in the passport application, NOT to the PO Box. I don't know if that helped or not.

 

Good luck everyone!

 

cruisincorey

[Tigergal31]

We applied for the kids' passports the end of March. We leave 7/16...and NO passports yet!! We have called and called and called....so we will be traveling with certified copies of Birth Certificates :rolleyes: :mad: :(

[akayf]

we are still waiting too. We applied on June 5 at the local clerk's office. We also paid nearly 400 to expedite and for postage. We told them that we were vacationing either the week of Aug 4 or Aug 19(hadn't booked anything yet) The lady said we would have them in 3-4 weeks. We're on week 5. DH sent his only copy of his birth certificate and it's going to be a hassle to get new one. And he needs to renew his driver's lisence before we leave(it expires right the end of Aug and he wants to get it done before we leave to avoid the crowds of people at the DMV who wait until the end of the month) and he needs the BC. Plus he can't cruise since he doesn't have a passport or his birth certificate.

 

Our check was cashed 2 weeks ago and the status online STILL says routine. Why charge extra for a service you're not going to provide?

[findatmyfeet]

They did the same to me too.

Cashed my check and it said regular then the next day the site said expedite!

I sent mine in on June 28Th for renewal and now the site says finished and mailed!

I checked tracking number this morning and I expect it for delivery today.

So total days 18....

Hmmmm I wonder if the delay is do to lack or missing info on your apps?

[Laurie12820]

I applied for a RENEWAL the first week of March (these usually are faster than new passports).

 

I got my new one yesterday.

 

Total time elapsed: 18 weeks!

 

I sent mine out the first week in April and am still waiting. All it was was a name change (I got married). I feel better now knowing that you waited 18 weeks. It's been 12 for me and I've called once a day for the past few days with no end in sight, so I am embarking the Enchantment without my Passport. I'l be taking me DL, BC, Marriage License and Proof of Passport application with me.

 

It's amazing how people can cross the border illegaly, yet we US citizens cannot re-enter our own country without going through all of this....It's a shame. :rolleyes:

[willysgrandma]

Yes, call your Congressman - we've seen that unearth passports.

 

We als use this service to get copies of birth certificates for clients:

 

http://www.vitalchek.com/agency_locator.asp?eventtype=birth

[WeBCruisin]

blue eyz,

 

We also are traveling 7/22 - only on the Freedom. All have a passport except our three year old son. We sent his application in the end of March assuming that was plenty of time - we are still waiting....

 

Last month I began to worry and sent away for a copy of his birth certificate for our back up plan. I used vital check and was extremely pleased with their service. I sent the request online on a Monday and had my certificate in the regular mail by Friday. Granted this was in state but DS was born in Cincinnati and we are now up by Cleveland. You can also pay extra for overnight or express mail. Even if you do try to call your congressman for assistance I would still attempt to get the birth certificate - there is no garuntee that it will arrive in time even with congressional help.

[franncos]

Sent ours on 2/23 and received it on 5/23.

[Sue L]

We are traveling on AOS on 07/22. We applied for our passports at the end of February - and still the website says they are being processed. Amazing, how fast they were at cashing the check in comparison to the actual processing.

 

At any rate, we have tried to call, sent emails, etc. Do we even bother with it anymore? I could call my congressman's office, but is it worth the hassle?

 

Of course, then there is the whole birth certificate situation. Since we had to send ours in with our passport applications, we do not have a copy of my husband's. We are in Indiana and he was born in Michigan. We can enlist his parents help in getting a copy but, again, it is just irritating that I have to go through the hassle and the additional expense when I felt like I applied in a reasonably amount of time.

 

I mean, come'on - it has been 19 weeks since we applied. Part of me is spoiling for a fight on principal - the other part doesn't want the hassle, since I'm already trying to get ready for the trip. I'm torn.

 

 

You might want to go to http://www.vitalchek.com and get his bc, now! It never hurts to have an extra copy of it. I have used them several times and they are very reliable.

[Don Haynes]

Its funny how many passengers waited until after Christmas last year to process their passports. Last year you would have had your passports within six weeks, two weeks expedited. We have known for three years we will eventually need a passport to travel abroad. Yes. its been that long.

 

Those who told you to wait until this year to process your passport were very wrong. And its going to get worst for next years land crossings. Much worst.

[lvlady]

My daughter in Las Vegas applied for a passport for my granddaughter in March, My daughter in NJ applied within 2 days of that for hers. We leave 7/29. Well my daughter has recv'd her passport a week ago. My granddaughter has arrived in Texas for the summer, and still no passport. Now if one does come for her it will go to her home address in Las Vegas and have to be forwarded to me. We asked to do expited, but the passport agent said there was plenty of time. The passport was esitmated to arrive the 3rd week of June. Didn"t happen. I now found that as a grandmother in a different state from where the passport was applied for, I am practically none existant. So with MY passport, My daughters Passport, a certified letter of permission to take my granddaughter out of the US, A certified medical permission letter, and a Birth Certificate for my granddaughter ( just got) off we will go. I expect to see the passport after we return. I still an contacting Congressmen and anyone who will listen. We keep you informed.

[DiamondPlusCruiser]

A lady I work with applied for passport renewals for herself and her DH... She got hers first (after about 2 months of waiting) and the minute she opened it, it fell apart in her hands-- the picture fell out of the laminated page and the whole booket fell apart. She called the passport office and was told she would have to re-apply and pay for a brand new passport-- WRONG! Her DH's passport just arrived after 4 months and when he opened it, the picture was of a WOMAN!! So much for our national security--- what a mess.

[sgtgerryf]

"Of course, then there is the whole birth certificate situation. Since we had to send ours in with our passport applications, we do not have a copy of my husband's. "

 

 

At this point I would forget about tracking down the passport as you don't need them to travel from the US to Puerto Rico and back via air.

 

You do need to get moving on getting you husband's BC, because you are going nowhere without that!!!

 

Vital Check is good, but I seriously doubt it will process your request by the time you sail. They are as backed up as the Passport Office because they are getting duplicate BCs for individuals who sent their originals in with passport requests--a vicious cycle where the only losers are folks who just want to go on a cruise.

 

Get the in-laws involved to get the BC if possible, if not take a day trip to Michigan and get the BC.

[margaritadenise]

Call and ask them to expedite it. I called for the boy who is traveling with us on Tuesday and it was delivered yesterday. Don't give up.

[akayf]

I called the passport center today and only had a 30 minute wait on hold....that was much better than the over 2 estimated wait time yesterday(I didn't bother waiting and just hung up)

 

The lady I spoke with said that the computer is showing that I requested ROUTINE. No, we expedited and paid the extra money as advised by the lady in the clerk's office when we applied(We knew we were traveling sometime in August but we hadn't booked anything yet and were still undecided if we wanted to do a cruise or an AI in Mexico) She said there was no way we would get them in time if we did routine(We applied June 5) I am more than a little upset since they cashed both of our checks(which included the extra money) Also, when I called previously about the status page showing us as requesting routine service, I was reassured that the computer showed the applications as expedited and not to worry about the status page displaying the wrong info.

 

She said we will get our passports by July 20. We'll see if that happens. I'm very upset that we paid all the extra money and we're not getting the service we paid for. You can bet I will be applying for a refund of the $60 fee!

[findatmyfeet]

Its officially here and correct!

I sent my passport for renewal June 28 and in my mail box today!

Paid for expedite although checking online said regular at first then it changed.

I also sent my daughters in on the same day and online status said cant be found!

The really strange thing was I got a letter from the passport office last week addressed to my 6yr saying congats on applying, we are processing it, and you can check the stays online?

Maybe they do letters for kids? never heard of that before has anyone else?

[WeBCruisin]

findatmyfeet,

 

Congrats on getting your passport back so quickly.

 

To my knowldege they do not send special letters to children. I applied for my 7 year olds several years ago and received nothing and applied for my 3 yo in march and am still waiting to receive his.

[Lynn the Cruiser]

I sent for my passport on Mar. 8 and it took 13 weeks to get after contacting my representative, and then my senator. (after I made the initial contact at about 12 weeks, it came in less than 1 week). So contact your senator NOW!!!!!