Passport Delays
Jul 1st 2011, 4:27 pm
#1696
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Re: Passport Delays
I am new to this forum and found it only after searching online for answers as to why my passport is taking so long to arrive.
I am changing my name on my passport and my passport was still valid (renewed in 2009). I sent in my passport along with my original marriage license and birth certificate.
May 7th: mailed application
May 9th: application arrived
June 13th: Credit card was charged.
So I have been watching for the mail waiting for delivery of my new passport. Only today after it had been 14 days since my CC charge did I get online to check the website........and see the message that they could take 10 weeks after the CC is charged!!!!!. My travel date to the UK is July 20th.
I called the Careline 3 times tonight as I was freaking out!!!! The very ncie lady sent an e-mail to the passport dept with all the details incuding my travel dates.
Does anyone have any advice as to what else I can do???? I am hopeful that since I am changing my name and its not a 1st time passport that it may not take too long.......plus they claim to have increased the staff in the PP dept.
I plan to go to my local British consulate (SF) on Fri to see if there is anything they can do.
Any advise would be appreciated.
I am changing my name on my passport and my passport was still valid (renewed in 2009). I sent in my passport along with my original marriage license and birth certificate.
May 7th: mailed application
May 9th: application arrived
June 13th: Credit card was charged.
So I have been watching for the mail waiting for delivery of my new passport. Only today after it had been 14 days since my CC charge did I get online to check the website........and see the message that they could take 10 weeks after the CC is charged!!!!!. My travel date to the UK is July 20th.
I called the Careline 3 times tonight as I was freaking out!!!! The very ncie lady sent an e-mail to the passport dept with all the details incuding my travel dates.
Does anyone have any advice as to what else I can do???? I am hopeful that since I am changing my name and its not a 1st time passport that it may not take too long.......plus they claim to have increased the staff in the PP dept.
I plan to go to my local British consulate (SF) on Fri to see if there is anything they can do.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Yesterday I called my Local Consulate in SF ( I am Blessed to Live within 20 miles on it) and I spoke with a Lady there and told her my situation. I was unclear whether ETD would work for me. I am flying July 20th to Uk for a wedding, then on the 25th flying to Germany and driving on a grand tour for 5 weeks. Flying home Aug 25th from Geneva for heathrow and then to San Francisco. I had doubts if the ETD would actually work for this itinerary. The woman at the consulate said that indeed it would and I have an apt the day before my outbound flight for the ETD. I am still praying that my passport with my new name arrives in time as the ETD cannot be made in my new name, only the name the last passport was issued in.
Jul 1st 2011, 4:47 pm
#1697
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 9,966
Re: Passport Delays
If the names on your passport, or ETD, doesn't match the names on your tickets you will need to contact the airline before you fly. The name on the passport and ticket is required to be the same.
Jul 1st 2011, 4:49 pm
#1698
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Clermont, FL....but cant wait to go home.
Posts: 82
Re: Passport Delays
Has anyone else here called the careline using Skype? The first time I called them, we used Skype and it worked fine. The second time, they couldn't recognise our card due to not being able to read Skype's dial tones (!?), but the lady who answered was very helpful in answering a quick question I had. I just called today, and again they couldn't recognise the dial tones, and the guy I spoke to said Skype never works, and he was shocked it had worked for us before, even if just once.
So frustrating - we don't have a home phone, we use Skype for everything because it's just $13 a month for unlimited calls back to the homeland, and we've never had any issues in the past with automated menus (or anything else we would have to use the dialpad for).
Any other experiences with this?
So frustrating - we don't have a home phone, we use Skype for everything because it's just $13 a month for unlimited calls back to the homeland, and we've never had any issues in the past with automated menus (or anything else we would have to use the dialpad for).
Any other experiences with this?
Jul 1st 2011, 6:17 pm
#1699
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 8
Re: Passport Delays
May 19th: mailed application
May 23rd: application arrived
June 24th: Credit card was charged.
And now the wait begins.
May 23rd: application arrived
June 24th: Credit card was charged.
And now the wait begins.
Jul 1st 2011, 6:24 pm
#1700
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 12
Re: Passport Delays
You have exactly the same timeline as me brl2k....
When do you need your passport?
When do you need your passport?
Jul 1st 2011, 7:45 pm
#1701
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Croydon
Posts: 103
Re: Passport Delays
Your timeline is just 2 days behind mine! My travel date is aug 12th which I didn't put on the application because I hadn't booked anything yet. Fingers crossed for all of us!!
Jul 1st 2011, 8:22 pm
#1702
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Re: Passport Delays
Yes, we had thought of that but the lady at the consulate advised not changing the name on the tkt at this point incase my passport shows up.........she also said that there is a place on the ETD to put an AKA name on there as long as I have supporting documentation. Seems like it will work at this point.
Jul 1st 2011, 9:00 pm
#1704
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 221
Re: Passport Delays
Hang on! Unless I am missing something, the C1 form I used back in April doesn't *have* a space for Travel Date.
Interesting that the current C1 was published 04/11 - I remember that I had started filling out a form for myself last year, before deciding that my own renewal was an unnecessary luxury at $200+. I'm pretty sure that one asked for a travel date. Wonder why that changed?
Unless, as I said, I am missing something...
Interesting that the current C1 was published 04/11 - I remember that I had started filling out a form for myself last year, before deciding that my own renewal was an unnecessary luxury at $200+. I'm pretty sure that one asked for a travel date. Wonder why that changed?
Unless, as I said, I am missing something...
Jul 1st 2011, 9:10 pm
#1705
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 6,159
Re: Passport Delays
Some of the most frustrating two days of my life.
Recap.
Travel date 14th June
Sent passport for renewal mid May when it stated 4-6 weeks. Card charged June 19th. Losing hope that it will arrive in time.
On to Plan B.
Yesterday I took my oath of allegiance and became US cit.
Appointment for expedited passport today
However the fine bureaucracy of the US printed my new Naturalization Certificate with the WRONG gender! They wouldn't fix it on the spot. Need to make an appointment next week.
Passport rep at the ceremony said not to worry, the US pp application will still be accepted as the certificate is being fixed.
Waited three hours in line in 90 degree heat this morning, handed pp application over...nope, they won't accept certificate until it's fixed. Please make another appointment.
I could cry...not to mention the hundreds of dollars to travel to Los Angeles and stay over each time, and all the hours and hours wasted.
And my naturalization ceremony ending up a complete farce because of this nonsense and because some idiot made a stupid mistake whereas I have to suffer the consequences. What should have been one of the best days of my adult life now leaves me bitter and with no green card or no valid document to prove my US citizenship.
Recap.
Travel date 14th June
Sent passport for renewal mid May when it stated 4-6 weeks. Card charged June 19th. Losing hope that it will arrive in time.
On to Plan B.
Yesterday I took my oath of allegiance and became US cit.
Appointment for expedited passport today
However the fine bureaucracy of the US printed my new Naturalization Certificate with the WRONG gender! They wouldn't fix it on the spot. Need to make an appointment next week.
Passport rep at the ceremony said not to worry, the US pp application will still be accepted as the certificate is being fixed.
Waited three hours in line in 90 degree heat this morning, handed pp application over...nope, they won't accept certificate until it's fixed. Please make another appointment.
I could cry...not to mention the hundreds of dollars to travel to Los Angeles and stay over each time, and all the hours and hours wasted.
And my naturalization ceremony ending up a complete farce because of this nonsense and because some idiot made a stupid mistake whereas I have to suffer the consequences. What should have been one of the best days of my adult life now leaves me bitter and with no green card or no valid document to prove my US citizenship.
Jul 1st 2011, 9:24 pm
#1707
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 10
Re: Passport Delays
The website and a couple of quotes I have seen from the IPS say that you should not make travel plans until you have your passport. Therefore, the Kafkaesque logic must be that applicants should not have a travel date in mind when they fill out the form...
All good citizens must sit there in limbo until they receive their passports.
For how long?
However damn long it takes, you worthless peons!
Jul 1st 2011, 9:41 pm
#1708
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 68
Re: Passport Delays
I just figured that one out!
The website and a couple of quotes I have seen from the IPS say that you should not make travel plans until you have your passport. Therefore, the Kafkaesque logic must be that applicants should not have a travel date in mind when they fill out the form...
All good citizens must sit there in limbo until they receive their passports.
For how long?
However damn long it takes, you worthless peons!
The website and a couple of quotes I have seen from the IPS say that you should not make travel plans until you have your passport. Therefore, the Kafkaesque logic must be that applicants should not have a travel date in mind when they fill out the form...
All good citizens must sit there in limbo until they receive their passports.
For how long?
However damn long it takes, you worthless peons!
From this point forward, you may expect nothing, and shall receive it...in abundance...
Jul 2nd 2011, 12:55 am
#1709
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Passport Delays
That's really just awful.
I usually have an idea for a solution, but I've got nothing. I just want you to know I'm really sorry to read about your day and that you feel like they took the joy out of it.
I usually have an idea for a solution, but I've got nothing. I just want you to know I'm really sorry to read about your day and that you feel like they took the joy out of it.
Jul 2nd 2011, 1:05 am
#1710
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 6,159
Re: Passport Delays
Thank You.
Your thoughtful words do help.
Your thoughtful words do help.