Passports can take a long time

[gillmom2]

Just a FYI for all those that wait to apply for a passport. My family -4 of us applied for passports. I applied on 3-19-05 and they applied on 3-25. It took about 31/2 weeks for DH DD DS to get theirs. I am still waiting. After about 4 1/2 weeks I received a letter from NC not NY where I applied , :( for additional information. I supplied that over two weeks ago still no passport. I just wanted everyone to know that I am at 8 weeks and still no passport. Apply early you never know what will happen.:confused:

[gillmom2]

Sorry guys they were processed out of Boston not NYC.

[just4kixx]

That's very good information to know! Everybody is quick to jump on the "get a passport now" wagon, which I understand... but for those of us who still need them & have a cruise planned in the mean time, that means giving up your certified birth certificate. Heaven forbid a substantial delay in processing... I'd hate to be left without anything!

 

When I do finally apply for passports, I will first send for another set of certified birth certificates for the family so that I will be covered either way.

 

Thanks to your post tho, I think it was incentive enough to start the process now!

 

Good Luck!

A~ :)

[attitudeda]

Travel Documents

Passports. At one time, the hard and fast rule for travel in North America (and we're including the Caribbean in that region) was that a certified birth certificate and government-issued photo ID was acceptable in lieu of a passport. File that away with your slide rules and buggy whips.

 

By 2008, Americans will need an official passport for travel to and from destinations that currently require only a birth certificate and/or photo ID (such as a driver's license). The sweeping new restriction, announced jointly by the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security, includes many major cruise destinations, including Canada, Panama, Bermuda and Mexico, not to mention islands in the Caribbean.

 

Canadian travelers will have to present their own passports to enter the U.S. -- as will folks from Mexico and Bermuda.

 

The requirements will be phased in by January 1, 2008 at the latest. Here's the official timetable, as published by the U.S. Department of State:

 

December 31, 2005 -- Passport or other accepted document required for all travel (air/sea) to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.

 

December 31, 2006 -- Passport or other accepted document required for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.

 

December 31, 2007 -- Passport or other accepted document required for all air, sea and land border crossings.

 

For any other region -- South America, Europe, the Far East -- you will still need a valid passport.

 

Found this here. http://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseplanning/articles.cfm?ID=47

[QueensChick]

It pays to give yourself lots of time whan applying for a passport. Yes, most of the time, there is a 3-4 week turnaround. But we all know that sometimes there are processing delays, mail delays and countless other possible snags.

 

For those who have imminent travel plans and don't want to be without birth certificates, marriage certificates etc in the meantime, I'd suggest in-person processing at a passport office near you.

 

Good luck to all. :)

[Ollie_WA]

Both of my daughters needed to get new passports. One applied near her College in NJ, and a week later I took my other Daughter here in Washington State. They both came in the mail on the same day about 4 weeks later.

 

 

Ollie:)

[MszKitty]

Just a FYI for all those that wait to apply for a passport. My family -4 of us applied for passports. I applied on 3-19-05 and they applied on 3-25. It took about 31/2 weeks for DH DD DS to get theirs. I am still waiting. After about 4 1/2 weeks I received a letter from NC not NY where I applied , :( for additional information. I supplied that over two weeks ago still no passport. I just wanted everyone to know that I am at 8 weeks and still no passport. Apply early you never know what will happen.:confused:

 

I had a similar situation 3 years ago when my husband and I applied for our passports at the same time. His came back in about 4 weeks...no problem. However, the birth certificate that I have used ALL my life (for school registration, marriage, cruises, etc) was not acceptable. I had to send for a new birth certificate (and pay for expedited service, as it was out of state), then reapply for my passport. All in all, it took 8 weeks to finally get my passport. (I finally got it about a week before our trip.) Even though I applied with plenty of time to spare, I was afraid I wasn't going to get it in time for our trip to England. If I had depended on the information that it takes 4 weeks, and put off applying until closer to our trip, I wouldn't have gotten it in time and my husband would have been going on the trip alone...LOL

 

So, I always tell people to give it at least 8 weeks just in case something goes wrong. Besides...if you know you are going to need it, why put off getting it, ya know.

[CMurph]

As one poster stated, get extra copies of your birth certificates before you send your only copy away for the passport. They aren't expensive and can be done via the telephone & mail. If you are cruising this year, don't panic. Your birth certificate is still fine. Apply for that passport when you have plenty of time for it to arrive. No need to stress yourself out.

[mkk]

We've had passports for years..can't imagine travelling anywhere without them..even within the continental U.S.....good advice about the extra birth cert.....nice to have more than one just in case anyway...

[MszKitty]

We've had passports for years..can't imagine travelling anywhere without them..even within the continental U.S.....good advice about the extra birth cert.....nice to have more than one just in case anyway...

 

Ain't that the truth. Getting our passports was the best travel planning decision we've ever made. It sure does make things easier. And we can go anywhere in the world at the last minute if we so desire.

[gillmom2]

It finally arrived today. Yeah!!!! From South Carolina. Boy have I got around Boston, North Carolina, and now South Carolina. I am just so glad I finally received it. By the way copies of your birth certificate are really not that cheap. I had to order min from Mass and all in all it was $42. My DH was $37. They never stated what the hang up was but it must have been minor.:D Now I am doing the passport dance.....................:p

[seagoer]

A tip that the clerk told me when I applied for my passport is to put a date down in the section of the application that says date of travel. Put a date down that is about 2 or 3 months away, don't just leave it blank or it may go to a pile that isn't looked at for awhile.

[Laetitia]

I got my passport in 1997 when I was 17 and was going to Greece for Spring Break my Senior Year. It's cheaper when you're under 18 ($65 versus $95 at the them, IIRC).

 

Anyway, we paid extra for expedited service (maybe $30). Plus, we had it sent to the "office" and back to us via overnight mail ($15 each way). I had mine in a week, but it cost twice as much! But I didn't have much of a choice - had less than a month before the trip.

[sleeples23]

Laetitita,

 

Yes they are cheaper for minors, but they don't last as long. If you calculate the cost vs. the years they are good for, I think you actually make out better as an adult. At least years ago, this is the way it worked.:o

[cruisinisforme]

My TA sent me a notice about that too. I hope everyone on the boards realize if you are taking a caribbean vacation, that as of January 1, 2006, not 2008 you will need a passport, as the poster above stated it is being phased in, dont wait if you have a cruise booked for early next year.

[rsinj]

It really doesn't pay not to have a passport - and the sooner you get one the better.

 

Over the years, like everything else, the cost of getting a passport goes up.

 

Passports are now good for 10 years. Even if you have no intent of using it now, you may have a need somewhere down the road.

 

You never know when a business trip abroad might pop up, or you find that last minute airfare/trip that you just can't turn down because it is so cheap.

 

A passport is pretty much the ultimate when it comes to providing identification. In NJ, when getting/renewing your drivers license, you now needs to show "6 points" worth of identification - a passport counts for 4 points (more than anything else).

 

Once you have a passport, renewing is easy (at least the last time I did it was). Just mail the old passport, new pictures, and you will have a new passport back very quickly. I believe mine took only 1 week - that was with standard service.

 

It is better to get the passport when you don't have a need for it - because you are not in a rush and not relying on it for a trip in the very near future where you do have to pay for expedited service - and again, it is good for 10 years and you already know the price will go up in the future.

 

It is a good investment just to have it.

 

 

Howard

[Terpnut]

Laetitita,

 

Yes they are cheaper for minors, but they don't last as long. If you calculate the cost vs. the years they are good for, I think you actually make out better as an adult. At least years ago, this is the way it worked.:o

All passports are now good for 10 years regardless of the age. Thus children's passports are cheaper overall.

[smeyer418]

All passports are now good for 10 years regardless of the age. Thus children's passports are cheaper overall.

actually this is correct if 16 and older

 

How long is a passport valid?

 

If you were ____ when the passport was issued

Then your passport is valid for

 

16 or Older

10 Years

 

15 or Younger

5 Years

 

from the department of state website....

[sleeples23]

That would explain the confusion then, because my kids only got their passports in October and they both expire in 5 years. They are 11 and 14 years old.

 

Thanks for the update!

[Babs66]

Just a FYI for all those that wait to apply for a passport. My family -4 of us applied for passports. I applied on 3-19-05 and they applied on 3-25. It took about 31/2 weeks for DH DD DS to get theirs. I am still waiting. After about 4 1/2 weeks I received a letter from NC not NY where I applied , :( for additional information. I supplied that over two weeks ago still no passport. I just wanted everyone to know that I am at 8 weeks and still no passport. Apply early you never know what will happen.:confused:

 

Did you apply by mail or did you go to a service center? We went to our local post office to apply for our 5 year old daughter. They verified all the informaiton was there and that the form was filled out correctly. We got it back in about 2 1/2 weeks. It costs an extra 30.00 but its worth it.

[gillmom2]

We went to the same post office 3 days apart. It also was $30. We all sent the same information. Filled out the same way. I don't think they could figure out my hyphenated last name. It is so long that on my drivers lic. there is only a S. for my first name. They sent back for additional information to verify my first name I think. Who knows. Only supposition.:rolleyes:

[Lyncruiser]

If you're willing to pay for it, there are numerous companies that can get you a passport overnight (costs around $100 extra as I recall). Just look on the internet. We used one of those companies, based in Miami, for my nephew's passport. Fed-Exed them a package with all the documents and information on a Tuesday, the service obtained the passport in person on Wed. and Fed-Exed it to us. We had the passport in our hands on Thursday morning.

[moakes]

We applied at the end of April and just received ours yesterday. Adults 16 or older are good for 10 years. Children are good for only 5 years. I actually thought the process (compared to a lot of governmental processess) was fairly easy.

[moakes]

We applied at the end of April and just received ours yesterday. Adults 16 or older are good for 10 years. Children are good for only 5 years. I actually thought the process (compared to a lot of governmental processess) was fairly easy.

[jwlane]

Last year I turned in my son's application at a post office (in Dallas) on a Wednesday. The next Tuesday we received a letter from the passport center in Houston. My initial reaction was, "What did we leave out?" Upon opening the envelope, behold, his new passport. 5 days total.