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passports- Checks cashed, good sign?


Cafedumonde
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We have finally applied for passports and I am nervous for some reason. If the checks paying for the passports have been cashed, does that mean they will be processed and sent soon? Or is it just more random? Do they ever not issue someone a passport?

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We renewed our passports recently. As I recall it took only a couple of weeks after the checks were cashed and our passports arrived. It didn't take long.

 

Always a good idea to take care of this with lots of time to spare if you have a trip planned. I wouldn't cut it close. But in our experience the passport office has done a good job of getting things processed quickly and efficiently.

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Yes, sometimes they do not issue a person a passport and in that event the application fee is non-refundable. There are various reasons for not issuing a passport and I believe that they involve breaking the law in some manner. Owing child support is a common one that I've heard of.

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My wife, my parents, and I all applied for new passports last year. Mom and I had no problems, but dad and my wife had their applications rejected because of "issues" with the submitted photos. They had to get new photos taken and send them in. The new photos were accepted. Not a big deal, just kind of annoying.

 

It seems like I received my passport within a couple of months.

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Always apply for a passport with plenty of time prior to a cruise. I heard that If a passport is set to expire within 6 months of a cruise, they will not accept it. Not sure how true this is, but I renewed mine 6 months prior to expiration date, and 1 year prior to cruise date. It arrived within 2 weeks after checks cashed.

 

 

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Always apply for a passport with plenty of time prior to a cruise. I heard that If a passport is set to expire within 6 months of a cruise, they will not accept it. Not sure how true this is, but I renewed mine 6 months prior to expiration date, and 1 year prior to cruise date. It arrived within 2 weeks after checks cashed.

 

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That’s not true for the majority of closed looped Caribbean cruises when a Passport isn’t required in the first place.

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Always apply for a passport with plenty of time prior to a cruise. I heard that If a passport is set to expire within 6 months of a cruise, they will not accept it. Not sure how true this is, but I renewed mine 6 months prior to expiration date, and 1 year prior to cruise date. It arrived within 2 weeks after checks cashed.

 

 

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It's not true at all unless you happen to be traveling to a country that has a 6 month requirement and the only one that I'm aware of for cruisers on this side of the pond is Cuba. With that said it is important to keep in mind that the 6 month requirement is from the end of your trip, not the start, so if you plan to visit a country for a month and have 6 months remaining at the beginning of the trip it wouldn't be accepted (again, presupposing that you are visiting a country with this rule in place).

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We have finally applied for passports and I am nervous for some reason. If the checks paying for the passports have been cashed, does that mean they will be processed and sent soon? Or is it just more random? Do they ever not issue someone a passport?

 

 

 

You can check the status of your application on the Department of State website

 

 

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That’s not true for the majority of closed looped Caribbean cruises when a Passport isn’t required in the first place.

 

 

 

I just got back from a cruise and my passport expires in less than 6 months. No issues here, the only thing that happened was that when we got back to the U.S., customs told me it was expiring soon.

 

 

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I just got back from a cruise and my passport expires in less than 6 months. No issues here, the only thing that happened was that when we got back to the U.S., customs told me it was expiring soon.

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Same happened with me. I went in August last year and it expired in October. No issue whatsoever.

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Thanks to all for the feedback on this. When I saw the checks cashed I got excited and thought they were accepted and might be just about done. We do not have criminal records or any reason why I can think of that the applications would be rejected, but whenever I deal with the government I am afraid they will get me in some way. Or make my life really difficult. Always seems to be the case. So I have put off getting passports for years. I will come back and post if/when they arrive.

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..but whenever I deal with the government I am afraid they will get me in some way. Or make my life really difficult. Always seems to be the case.

 

Are you hiding something ???

 

Very odd perspective :confused:

Neither myself, my family nor any of my friends has ever communicated such paranoia to me.

 

I have far more fear of the numerous people with serious untreated mental issues who are allowed to wander the streets unrestrained than of any governmental conspiracy.

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Are you hiding something ???

 

Very odd perspective :confused:

Neither myself, my family nor any of my friends has ever communicated such paranoia to me.

 

I have far more fear of the numerous people with serious untreated mental issues who are allowed to wander the streets unrestrained than of any governmental conspiracy.

 

 

 

Pretty sure the OP just meant that the government makes things difficult sometimes for reasons that seem not to matter...

 

As an example, we took passport photos and my husband was wearing glasses. Turns out you are no longer allowed to wear glasses for the photo for some reason.

 

 

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It's not true at all unless you happen to be traveling to a country that has a 6 month requirement and the only one that I'm aware of for cruisers on this side of the pond is Cuba. With that said it is important to keep in mind that the 6 month requirement is from the end of your trip, not the start, so if you plan to visit a country for a month and have 6 months remaining at the beginning of the trip it wouldn't be accepted (again, presupposing that you are visiting a country with this rule in place).

Thanks! 👍

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Pretty sure the OP just meant that the government makes things difficult sometimes for reasons that seem not to matter...

 

As an example, we took passport photos and my husband was wearing glasses. Turns out you are no longer allowed to wear glasses for the photo for some reason.

 

 

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It probably has something to do with places using facial recognition software (maybe). Or, having a passport for 10 years, it's likely that you'll have different glasses (or even go to no glasses) before it expires. When we recently renewed our passports & had the pictures done, the AAA person knew that we couldn't wear glasses and made sure that our photos were done correctly. I guess the lesson we learned is to get the photos done someplace where they know all the rules (plain background, no glasses, specific size, etc.) I've heard of people taking their own photos, but we wouldn't attempt this one!

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Pretty sure the OP just meant that the government makes things difficult sometimes for reasons that seem not to matter...

 

As an example, we took passport photos and my husband was wearing glasses. Turns out you are no longer allowed to wear glasses for the photo for some reason.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Yes... I am not afraid of a gov't conspiracy, just bureacracy (+power)! The worst thing I have ever done is a speeding ticket-- DH hasn't ever even gotten one of those, kind of incredible. We are boring! Every year I get worried we will get audited too. lol. Even though we never have, and even though our return is very straightforward. I guess I have heard some horror stories from friends and every time we have to get something from any kind of gov't office, we have to do it twice or or missing something. I know, not a big deal, I will just be blown away and really excited if these passports come through without a hitch. :D:cool:

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I did my renewal last year and used a tracking link which helped me follow the process except for it being stolen from either the postal sorting facilities or my local post office. Although the Passport process took less than three weeks, tracking, reporting my passport as non-received, filling a complaint with the U.S. Postal Service (Not my local Post Office), It took all of three months from the time I applied for my renewal.

 

 

 

 

I did receive a letter from the US Department of State suggesting that someone had used the newly issued Passport to leave the country but by the time the new one was issued, they had flagged it. I was also offered Identify Theft tracking for a year. When I went to a meeting with my local Post Office Manager, by happenstance, three people came in complaining about not receiving their Passports although they had been sent a link showing their Passports as being delivered .... Don't wait for the last minute to get your Passport renewed or applied for. There can be a delay between it being sent out ...and receiving it.

 

 

Ramona

 

 

The reissued Passport has a notification on the last page that the Passport was replacing Number ##########.

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I did my renewal last year and used a tracking link which helped me follow the process except for it being stolen from either the postal sorting facilities or my local post office. Although the Passport process took less than three weeks, tracking, reporting my passport as non-received, filling a complaint with the U.S. Postal Service (Not my local Post Office), It took all of three months from the time I applied for my renewal.

 

 

 

 

I did receive a letter from the US Department of State suggesting that someone had used the newly issued Passport to leave the country but by the time the new one was issued, they had flagged it. I was also offered Identify Theft tracking for a year. When I went to a meeting with my local Post Office Manager, by happenstance, three people came in complaining about not receiving their Passports although they had been sent a link showing their Passports as being delivered .... Don't wait for the last minute to get your Passport renewed or applied for. There can be a delay between it being sent out ...and receiving it.

 

 

Ramona

 

 

The reissued Passport has a notification on the last page that the Passport was replacing Number ##########.

Wow, that's the kind of stuff I worry about. Glad to hear you got it all sorted out.

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Just recently did my renewal. I forgot to sign it the first time and it came back with the check attached two weeks later. On my second attempt I received the passport after 4 weeks. So the fact that the check is cashed at least means you didn't forget to sign your application.

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What's this thread have to do with Carnival? Shouldn't it be in a different forum?

 

Probably because the OP is sailing with Carnival and didn't think to post it somewhere else. As it turns out the Mods agreed and moved it so all is well with the world.:)

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