rush passport times

[kathyemma]

We are leaving for the Bahamas on June 22 at 6am - so as far as mail goes, we are leaving the 21st of June. Today is June 1st. Four months ago my daughter invited her friend. The family doesn't have any money so I offered to pay her way. They said great. I told them the only thing they had to go was get the passport. Well they never went to get the passport. They gave me a million excuses and promises but they never got off the couch. Yesterday, May 31st, I finally offered to pay for the passport - so we all went down to the post office to apply. What do you think our chances are of getting it in time?? I paid for express service and overnight mail both way. The guy at the post office didn't give me warm feelings about getting it in time. The state dept website says 2 - 3 weeks. We are right at 3 week mark. Has anyone done rush service for a passport recently??

 

TIA

[addicted2]

We rushed one once and had it in two weeks. To be on the safe side have her parents order another copy of her birth certificate (you can board with a BC and a picture ID). And make sure to have her parents write a letter giving her permission to sail with you (assuming she is a minor).

[kathyemma]

We can't use the bc cuz we are flying to the bahamas, not sailing. This is our annual trip to Atlantis, not a cruise. But I didn't know where else to ask this question!

 

Hopefully we too will get it in two weeks!

 

Thanks!

[Familygoboston]

I think they are pretty good. My husband had to rush a renewal (knew he had to renew, but the business trip came up quick and left him with a PP that might have expired should he get stuck in Britain longer than planned due to a snowstorm, or a volcano or something...but that would never happen right??:rolleyes:)

So anyway, he paid for expedited and express shipping had his PP within 10 days. Of course thats a renewal...but this was days ahead of the proposed government shut down, so he was sweating it! I don't know if a new one takes longer? But, she sounds like a young lady, assuming she is a minor and she is not likely to raise any eyebrows, maybe it will go quick! Also, in general if you put down the "needed by" date, they do a good job of trying to work with that...and you can actually track it on line, I believe, to see where you are at with the process.

 

Just FYI- not that anyone will EVER ask for them, but you will need a notarized note from the parents granting you permission to take her out of the country if she is minor, and it's helpful to carry her insurance info and a notarized note authorizing you to seek medical care for her. We did all this to travel with my niece to 4 countires...and NO ONE ever asked to see it, despite that our last names don't match, but you will see it is "required" both by RCCI and the airlines (for international flights) I just kept it with her passport at all times.

Here is an example of one:

http://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/minor-travel-consent-form.html

Good luck and I think these parents owe you a very nice dinner out...just sayin'!:rolleyes:

[roboref]

It will be stressful but I think you will get them back. They rush them to meet you travel dates not necessarily on a first in first out basis.

[kathyemma]

Thanks for the good news! I really hope it comes in time. I already have the notarized letter giving me permission. As for insurance, she doesn't have any. I did get a letter giving me persmission to get treatment for her if something goes wrong. I hope nothing goes wrong!

 

Kathy

[Z 748]

I did a rush order for my passport in 2009 and it took 16 days.

[Babyberger]

Kathy - if her passport doesn't come in time, I will gladly take her place :D You truly are an amazing person for doing all this! I hope Emma knows how lucky she is to have a mom like you!!!!

[kathyemma]

Kathy - if her passport doesn't come in time, I will gladly take her place :D You truly are an amazing person for doing all this! I hope Emma knows how lucky she is to have a mom like you!!!!

 

Come on down! The room will be paid for - and flights from Florida should be cheap! Free breakfast everyday!

 

kathy

[Familygoboston]

Sounds like you've done all you can...at least if she can't make it, you aren't out too much coin, since you have the rooms already. You have more patience than I would;)

[powellzk]

I just did my renewal and new PP for kids in March, got them in 4 weeks, not rush either. You can check online and give an email and they will send an update when its processed.

 

https://passportstatus2.state.gov/opss/OPSS_Status_ip.asp

[jlrn366419]

I had an issue a few years ago when there was backlog. We applied in the recommended amount of time and the passport had not arrived 2 or 3 days before the cruise. I called our state representative and the passport arrived the next day.

[PH8]

Hope it all works out.........I just can't believe the parents couldn't had at least sent off for the passport and you had to pay for that too!

[xxoocruiser]

We are leaving for the Bahamas on June 22 at 6am - so as far as mail goes, we are leaving the 21st of June. Today is June 1st. Four months ago my daughter invited her friend. The family doesn't have any money so I offered to pay her way. They said great. I told them the only thing they had to go was get the passport. Well they never went to get the passport. They gave me a million excuses and promises but they never got off the couch. Yesterday, May 31st, I finally offered to pay for the passport - so we all went down to the post office to apply. What do you think our chances are of getting it in time?? I paid for express service and overnight mail both way. The guy at the post office didn't give me warm feelings about getting it in time. The state dept website says 2 - 3 weeks. We are right at 3 week mark. Has anyone done rush service for a passport recently??

 

TIA

 

The application can be sent to one of several processing centers across the country. Timing can vary depending on the work load at each center. Did you check the passport website for timing ? Currently it's stating that expedited passports are taking on average 2-3 weeks to process. You can track the status on line at http://travel.state.gov/passport/processing/processing_1740.html

[kathyemma]

Hope it all works out.........I just can't believe the parents couldn't had at least sent off for the passport and you had to pay for that too!

 

The worst part is her grandmother had given them money to get her passport 4 months ago - they blew it. I was so scared I was going to say something to them when we went to the post office. But I didn't, I didn't want them to get mad at me and tell me I couldn't take her to Atlantis. Of course a part of me is afraid they will get the passport in time and not tell the little girl. (and i don't know why i think that, i just do, it is almost like, we can't afford to give her this trip so we don't want her to go at all. But they don't have problems taking handouts, so hopefully they will let her go.)

 

I tried to have it sent directly to my house, but I couldn't.

 

UGH. This family drives me nuts.

 

kathy

[new2cruise101]

I applied for passports for both of my girls last year (one renewal and one first passport). I received both passports in about 2 weeks with NO rush service. My cousin also applied for a passport for her daughter a few weeks after I applied and also received her passport in about 2 weeks. Also if you are traveling within two weeks you can apply in person to a regional office and get one on the spot. You have to make an appointment and so evidence of travel (plane tickets). Being that you put a rush on it i think you should be fine.

[kmmi5]

We expressed ours and got it back in a week.

[Cruzin-K]

I renewed my passport this year. I didn't expedite it or anything, and got it in three weeks. Of course, this was a renewal not a new passport, but they are a lot quicker than they used to be.

[waterbug123]

UGH. This family drives me nuts.

 

kathy

 

You have more patience than I do. When months went by and they didn't apply for the passport, I'd have said "sorry she won't be able to join us, but since she never got her passport we've had to cancel her name from the trip." And then if my daughter had another friend who already had a passport I'd have invited her instead. :D

[snoles00]

My 2 cents for what it's worth...

I stopped by the post office yesterday to send out my renewal and the guy told me it should be back within two weeks (they process them there as well). He said everyone already applied for theirs for the summer season so they are no longer as busy. His understanding over the last couple of weeks is that it is actually taking about 10 days. I hope the best for you!

[chasinraynbowz]

Not to throw a wrench in it, but I sent my stuff off for renewal 4 weeks ago and haven't gotten anything back.

 

On the passport status page, this is what is says:

 

As of ( Wednesday June 1, 2011 ), we are processing requests for expedited service in about 2-3 weeks door-to-door, when overnight delivery is requested and paid for both ways (to and from the passport agency).

 

 

Since you expedited it, I hope you get it soon!!! I don't travel till Oct, so they could just be taking their time with mine!! :cool:

[kathyemma]

When I took this family to get the passport I also took them to town hall to get a permission to travel and treat form signed and notarized. I had one all typed up. The mother, said, no worries, I have one already done. I said great. We had that one signed and notarized. Ishould have know better. I should have read it. Yesterday for the fun of it i looked at it and it is ALL WRONG. They have the wrong dates, they listed themselves as their daughters friends, not parents, they left my husbands name off and didn't use my legal name. Ugh. I just sent them an email asking them to redo it and walk to the bank behind their house to get it notarized (they don't own a car). I do NOT trust the father and it would not surprise me at all if he tried to have me arrested at the airport for kidnapping. So now I am not only crossing my fingers that the passport comes in time but that they get me the permission to travel and treat form in time.

 

Sorry, I know this isn't cruise related but I know you guys will understand.

 

kathy

[Cinebrat]

My recommendation is to find the nearest Federal Building and get the passport directly through them. I tried to get my expedited passport renewed (with overnight delivery back and forth) 4 weeks out from a trip and I ended up missing the first night of my honeymoon because it got lost by the US Postal Service twice and because of an unusable photo taken by a postal passport authority. If you have a trip as close as yours, you can usually make an appointment and get the passport the same day. You will probably need to get the notarized document to do this.

[Familygoboston]

Oh Kathy, I am so sorry. You know I hate to think the worst, but sometimes when you have parents like this, it's important to think about protecting your family from heartache and liability. You sound like such a giver and you want to do something wonderful for this girl, but are you putting your own family's future at risk?

I had a child who asked my teen daughter if I could pick her up to take her to an event. Of course I said, "no problem", but when I got to the house, the dad came running out and asked who was bringing his daughter home. He got very belligerent about the fact that I had to get my own child early and could not take responsibility for his teen as we weren't heading straight home. I was stunned at his attitude, it was inapproproate given the favor I was doing him.

My daughter was mortified, but I had to nicely tell that dad that if he had concerns, he'd need to arrange his own transportaion for her because I couldn't take full responsibility for her. Nothing happened in our case, her dad ended up driving her himself, but since then I've been asked to chaperone this gang for events and I have to refuse because I just think if the littlest thing happened, this guy would be the first one to take legal action, and I can't put my family at risk.

Ultimately it's up to you, but there are some big red flags here! I hope it works out for you.

[kathyemma]

Oh Kathy, I am so sorry. You know I hate to think the worst, but sometimes when you have parents like this, it's important to think about protecting your family from heartache and liability. You sound like such a giver and you want to do something wonderful for this girl, but are you putting your own family's future at risk?

I had a child who asked my teen daughter if I could pick her up to take her to an event. Of course I said, "no problem", but when I got to the house, the dad came running out and asked who was bringing his daughter home. He got very belligerent about the fact that I had to get my own child early and could not take responsibility for his teen as we weren't heading straight home. I was stunned at his attitude, it was inapproproate given the favor I was doing him.

My daughter was mortified, but I had to nicely tell that dad that if he had concerns, he'd need to arrange his own transportaion for her because I couldn't take full responsibility for her. Nothing happened in our case, her dad ended up driving her himself, but since then I've been asked to chaperone this gang for events and I have to refuse because I just think if the littlest thing happened, this guy would be the first one to take legal action, and I can't put my family at risk.

Ultimately it's up to you, but there are some big red flags here! I hope it works out for you.

 

I have been having the same thoughts. But the things I have working in my favor if something were to happen - they are already on the cps watch list and the little girls social worker has seen me with her for years, taking her out to eat, shopping for clothes, going to the movies. And I might be totally wrong here - but wouldn't winning a lawsuit be like winning the lotto - where all winnings would have to repay the wellfare system? And of course, when I pick the little girl up for the trip I can just leave the dad with a few cases of booze. He won't even know she is gone. But there is NO way i will take her without a signed permission to travel letter.