Marmalade

Hi everyone,
Well I have a dilemma. I was going to go home for Christmas on the 13th of December for a couple of weeks (Scotland). And, today I got my letter stating when my oath ceremony is - it's the 5th December (Yay!)

Would there be any chance of me getting my American passport back before the 13th if I expedited it? Or, would that be too short a timeline?

Any helpful information would be very much appreciated

Bluegrass Lass

My OH got his back in 4 business days, when we paid for the expedited service. He sent it off on a Sat. and got it in the mail on Thur.

Jerseygirl

I think if you can provide proof that you've already booked your flight back...you can get it turned around in a few days...but it will cost you. I paid for the expedited service...mine took over a month but there was a backlog at the time. There is a quicker service but you have to prove you already made plans to leave the country. This involves someone taking your application to the PP office and waiting until the PP is ready. That's how it was explained to me in NJ. It also depends which office it is sent to...mine was sent to DC...my husband's was sent to NY. My application took much longer.

sunflwrgrl13...that was quick!!

fatbrit

Your other option if someone's available to mind your post is to leave on your UK passport if ti hasn't arrived and get it Fedexed to you in Blighty when it arrives for your return trip to the US.

Jerseygirl

At our USC ceremony we were told you need a US PP to leave and enter the country. I realise you don't go through immigration when you leave but the airline need to see your PP...which means their records will show you are using 2 different PPs.

fatbrit

Airline staff ain't government officials though, are they? Do you think it might bite later? I really can't see how but I have no idea. Just throwing it out there as a suggestion. Next time I leave, I'll use my UK passport at the check-in and see what happens when I return back.

AlanR

I know I'm a bit late on this one, but there is a possibility of getting a passport on the day after your ceremony. You need to go to one of the 4 (?) regional centers (via an appointment) with your tickets and other relevant information such as your certificate. See:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/abo.../npic_898.html
Try to do this in person and not pay the extra $60 for expedited delivery because you don't know if they can make it in time.
BTW you must enter and leave the US on a US passport if you are a US citizen. Don't try to do it any other way. Postpone the trip if necessary, but I think you will be able to get a passport on the day. I do have a telephone number for the automated appointment - but it's at home. Sorry.

meauxna

We used this service when DH naturalized; we had a trip booked and on and the oath came up a week before departure. We did a quick trip to the Passport Authority and had the pp in the same day.

tamms_1965

I think it took a day for a friend of mine to get one when her mom had a heart attack in Italy. She had to drive from Ohio to Pennsylvania to get it.

notacrime

Greetings from a sunny & crisp Autumn morning in Edinburgh. And congratulations on your US citizenship.

I understand the desire to travel on your US passport. But couldn't you travel on your British passport for this trip instead?

ian-mstm

That'd be an ideal solution, but for the fact that a US citizen must travel on a US passport.

Ian

Marmalade

Alan, this is very helpful information. I am near St. Louis, with the nearest regional office being Chicago. I am definitely considering driving up to Chicago to do this (4 1/2 hr drive from where I am). I'm going to call them on Monday to see if I can get an appointment for the Monday after my ceremony. Thanks


Interesting. How far in advance did you make the appointment, and is it guaranteed you get the passport on the same day?

Marmalade

Thank you. Edinburgh is my most favourite city in the whole world, can't wait to come back and visit. Christmas is always a good time to be there. But, as Ian has stated, I need my US passport before leaving the country.

Thanks, Ian

And, thanks everyone for your replies, they have been very helpful. I'll let you know what I end up doing

Jerseygirl

You must leave and enter the US using your US PP...you can enter other countries using your UK PP if you wish.

Contratulations!

meauxna

You can only make the appointments within two weeks of departure.. it was a nail biter! There are very strict guidelines laid out for getting the appointment and you must bring proof of travel (our e tickets were fine). I worked off the detail from this page (only for Seattle for us) http://travel.state.gov/passport/abo...ncies_905.html

Our appointment was for fairly early in the AM; we too had a long drive (about 3+ hours), did the paperwork shuffle and then were told to leave and return mid afternoon to pick up the pp. Most of the people using the office were also brand-new citizens with pressing travel needs. All went very smoothly; I'll have a hunt later for my post from the time to see if there is more detail.

As long as you have the appropriate evidence and $$, there is no reason I know of they would not issue the PP that day. We *really* didn't want to miss our trip! But it never occurred to me that they would not issue that same day.