Shockingly efficient turnaround on passport

[billnchristy]

When we got home from Thanksgiving, for some reason my wife decided to look at our passports again, thank God. My daughter's was expired because she got it under 16 and it was only good for 5 years. Panic ensued because we're leaving for Boston on the 22nd and Iceland on the 23rd.

There is a local passport office that can print them on the spot but they won't talk to you until 14 days out. IF you can get an appointment you go in and walk out with a passport.

They told my daughter to call on the 11th. We set up a regular expedited application (under 16 is not renewal, straight up new passport app) and got an appointment on the 28th.

I paid all the fees, expedite, express, and a money order (instant acceptance, no check clear time, in hopes it would get here in time. We also had the ace in the hole of the passport office within 5 days of travel if you already applied. I felt it was the best way and showed we tried to do it through normal means.

The application arrived on Dec 1, as promised and went into processing on the 2nd. The heart-stopping moment was when I realized that it went to TX for some reason, not Atlanta, and we made verbal arrangements to fly to TX to get it taken care of if it was necessary, there is no information on whether you have to go where your app is, or if you can go to the closest passport office so we just wanted to plan.

I got an email saying the passport was ready and would be shipped at about 2am on the 8th. It shipped the 11th and arrived the 12th.

Whoever took care of her passport, cheers mate, I have never seen a government activity with such a rapid turnaround.

We can all breathe a bit easier now!!

[c1pher]

I renewed my passport a couple years ago and my wife got a new one last year. Despite the website warnings of how long it could take, we got them in less than four weeks which was surprisingly fast to me.

[billnchristy]

We hoped it would be fast since the real work had already been done for her, she was already a passport holder, even if it was the 5 year one.

Luckily we were right.

[unluky]

I will say - as much as we all (me included) complain about this governments lack of concern - I was in Australia on business in 2010 and someone in Melbourne broke out the window of the rep I was riding with car at NOON on a busy street and snatched my briefcase which was tucked under the seat in the back with tinted windows. It has nothing of value in it..........except my freaking passport.

They dropped me at the US Embassy (I had a flight the next morning) with a gut full of dread - but within a few hours we were on our way with a new passport. Everyone was kind, caring, and efficient.

For such a crap thing to happen on a trip - it was actually a great experience.

[dradernh]

Something to be aware of when traveling abroad:

"Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met."

Source: https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...help/faqs.html

On the same day I first came across this information in a NY Times article, I later learned a niece and nephew were in Panama City being denied boarding onto a flight to Peru so they could visit Machu Picchu. There was no saving the trip; they turned around and went back home.

[SpaceSilver.X1]

dug up my old post from a travel forum a few years ago.(pre-COVID) see below:


I was in need of a passport renewal very quickly, but was more than 15 days out. My travel agent(yes, they are still around) booked me a fully-refundable ticket. Got me an appointment at the nearest passport agency 3 days later.

I walked in. Showed the guy my appointment time. Cleared security. When my number was called, I gave the agent all of required docs and payment. I asked her if she needed to see my last-minute travel reservation and she said she didn't need to see them. That was around 10:30AM. She gave me a slip telling me to return at 2PM to pick up my new passport.

I walked around the block and decided not to leave the area.(since I had already paid $30 to park in the garage nearby. To leave and come back would require another $30, unless I wanted to take my chance to drive around the block over and over again trying to find street parking. I walked a few blocks to a coffee place and spent the next 2 hours there.

I returned to the passport agency a little early, around 1:30PM? I sat for a couple of minutes before they called me. I got my spanking new passport and they returned my documents to me. I thanked them and left.

[Donut Lord]

Just coming to comment on the Passport system we have in the USA, it is low key stressful ASF.

I just did one for my toddler son. It requires you to send the only document that proves your offspring who can barely speak (birth cert) is actually yours to who knows where for like half a year. And sure you can get a photocopy of it, but it doesn't hold up in any legal situation. Also, it doesn't come back at the same time as a passport.

His passport arrives like a month before his birth cert came back to us. So in some strange situation your toddler can board a flight, but you cannot actually prove he/she is yours.

They claim (at least to me when I was in the post office) that is isn't smart to send such important documents together, which means even USPS doesn't trust themselves....

[Joralemon st.]

I used the express approach as, I need an AKA for my passport and if you send it in by mail there is no chance, as there isn't really an appropriate section in the form... so I booked a flight and applied for an express "check out".

Came in, explained the situation, even asked if the clerk would like to make a Xerox of my other passport (she said there was no reason to) and was told to come back the next day.

I came back the next day. Took about 2 hours for my name to be called. As soon as I opened my new passport I could tell that they didn't include the AKA... went back to the same window, explained the situation — the clerk was very apologetic. In about another half hour I had a new passport with the AKA. All in all it worked out!