Need to expedite passport,

[lulabelle]

Need passport by July 1st, help

[crewsweeper]

New? Renewal?  Heading over seas? Apply on line or via mail?  When?

[Ferry_Watcher]

Where are you traveling to?

If it is a closed loop cruise, do you have a US gov't issued birth certificate or an Enhanced Driver's License from your state of New York that you could use to show citizenship?

[new_cruiser]

There are threads on passport renewals on th Ask a Cruise question part of these boards. 

 

This thread has people's recent experiences with renewals:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2938395-passport-renewal

 

Have you already filed and now realize it may not arrive soon enough or are you starting now? If it's already submitted you can call and change it to the expedited process. Turn around time for the expedited process is stated as 7-9 weeks so if you are just starting now, you would need to use the urgent process which can't be started until travel is within 14 days.

 

This thread has a detailed account of my experience with the urgent process.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2937469-same-day-passport-turn-around-time

 

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by new_cruiser

[bobmacliberty]

When I was still working, my company used CIBT for all passport and visa services, including expedited needs.  They were once able to get additional pages added to my passport (done in one city) and then get a Brazil Visa (done in another city) in just 2 days.  Of course, you pay a hefty amount for this kind of service.  I believe that they have different levels of expediting (at different price points) so you may be able to get it done before July 1 without costing an arm and a leg.  Maybe just an arm.

[klfrodo]

New York Passport Agency (state.gov)

[new_cruiser]

5 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

When I was still working, my company used CIBT for all passport and visa services, including expedited needs.  They were once able to get additional pages added to my passport (done in one city) and then get a Brazil Visa (done in another city) in just 2 days.  Of course, you pay a hefty amount for this kind of service.  I believe that they have different levels of expediting (at different price points) so you may be able to get it done before July 1 without costing an arm and a leg.  Maybe just an arm.

When I checked for my recent renewal, the cheapest thing CIBT had if you needed a passport in less than 7 to 9 weeks was the within 14 days urgent process for around $700 plus the government's ~ $200 passport fee.

 

There used to be something in between that cost less to get it in a few weeks because expedited was much shorter than it is now.

[Jt4428]

I'm not trying to be rude, just saying what I think most people are thinking.

Why does everyone wait till the last minute to apply for passports and/or check what documents they need to travel with?

[MD_Dan]

don't pay big money!!!!  there are very simple (and free) answers

 

- You have plenty of time!  Contact the Philadelphia office ASAP (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies/philadelphia.html)

 

- If that fails, reach out to you state and federal govt Reps.  They can cut a lot of process delays.  Start with federal gov't (Senators and Representatives).

 

Its a long story but I lost my wife's passport and she had a new one in 6 days!!!!!

[lulabelle]

Thank you all.  I know I can count on cruisecritic.  After much panic, I think we are safe.  Our trip is on the oasis in July.  I looks like she doesn’t need a passport for the Bahamas.

[lulabelle]

No you are not being rude.  Sometimes teenagers are a little lax.

[luvbrady]

While you don't need a passport, keep in mind disembarkation times.  We traveled with passports and were off the ship, through customs and curbside in minutes.  My SIL and niece had birth certificates.  It is a seperate line and it was LONG (due to a Bahamas short sailing) and didn't move all that quickly.  We waited for an hour for them.  Which can be huge if you are trying to get to the airport after the cruise....

[Joseph2018Baltic]

Question lacks details.....plus I don't think anyone here works for the Passport Agency?

[lulabelle]

Thanks for your input

[Cru1s1ng2009]

i applied for mine in early February and it still isnt here. And that was after calling in April for expedited. I was on a closed loop so i had to purchase a BC since they still have mine. 

[new_cruiser]

1 hour ago, Jt4428 said:

I'm not trying to be rude, just saying what I think most people are thinking.

Why does everyone wait till the last minute to apply for passports and/or check what documents they need to travel with?

Interesting that you know what "most people are thinking" and that "everyone waits till the last minute." 

 

For many people, the much longer time for even the expedited process has come as a surprise - it used to be 3 weeks and now it's around 2 months. I guess that's partly to do with COVID backlogs and high demand with people resuming travel.

 

In my case, I was just about to send mine in to be ready for a trip next autumn when my son's family found a last minute deal on a June Alaska cruise and I wanted to join them. 

 

When I was working, international trips were frequent enough that it was sometimes hard to find a window to send it in and it was always possible that a sudden need for a trip would come up so I always used an expediter to have my passport out of my hands only briefly.

[Jt4428]

1 hour ago, lulabelle said:

No you are not being rude.  Sometimes teenagers are a little lax.

Don't I know! and mine are 30 and 25.

[Jt4428]

23 minutes ago, new_cruiser said:

Interesting that you know what "most people are thinking" and that "everyone waits till the last minute." 

 

For many people, the much longer time for even the expedited process has come as a surprise - it used to be 3 weeks and now it's around 2 months. I guess that's partly to do with COVID backlogs and high demand with people resuming travel.

 

In my case, I was just about to send mine in to be ready for a trip next autumn when my son's family found a last minute deal on a June Alaska cruise and I wanted to join them. 

 

When I was working, international trips were frequent enough that it was sometimes hard to find a window to send it in and it was always possible that a sudden need for a trip would come up so I always used an expediter to have my passport out of my hands only briefly.

If you read these boards often there are alot of people posting g about panicking about expired and lost documents. There are so many posts about the passport process in the last couple of years and the backlog and how Long it takes. It shouldn't be a surprise to people if they read these.

[ZoeyVictoria]

2 hours ago, Jt4428 said:

I'm not trying to be rude, just saying what I think most people are thinking.

Why does everyone wait till the last minute to apply for passports and/or check what documents they need to travel with?

Frequent cruisers have to fit in passport renewals in between cruises, resulting in short windows of opportunity. 

[Jt4428]

9 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

Frequent cruisers have to fit in passport renewals in between cruises, resulting in short windows of opportunity. 

Totally understand that but I'll bet the panicky posters are not frequent cruises.

[topnole]

1 hour ago, Cru1s1ng2009 said:

i applied for mine in early February and it still isnt here. And that was after calling in April for expedited. I was on a closed loop so i had to purchase a BC since they still have mine. 

I believe by Jan or Feb they started listing 10 or maybe even12 week turnaround times.   Not surprising it isn’t back.  I submitted in December when they posted 8 week turnaround and it wasn’t back by early March.  Had to go through my Congress rep to get things moving.  Very frustrating.  

[lulabelle]

For your information the “panicky” cruiser has sailed 45 cruises.  This happens to be a family reunion with much work done to make it special, so a grandchild’s expired passport for did cause “panicl

[topnole]

2 minutes ago, lulabelle said:

For your information the “panicky” cruiser has sailed 45 cruises.  This happens to be a family reunion with much work done to make it special, so a grandchild’s expired passport for did cause “panicl

This is where folks come to panic.  Ignore them.  You are allowed.  

[crewsweeper]

7 minutes ago, lulabelle said:

For your information the “panicky” cruiser has sailed 45 cruises.  This happens to be a family reunion with much work done to make it special, so a grandchild’s expired passport for did cause “panicl

OK now you can relax on the passport issue, save your panic for others things, but please, when you board, chill and have a wonderful reunion!!🤨

[Jt4428]

21 hours ago, lulabelle said:

For your information the “panicky” cruiser has sailed 45 cruises.  This happens to be a family reunion with much work done to make it special, so a grandchild’s expired passport for did cause “panicl

All the more reason to make sure that everyone has all documents up to date, etc. so they don't miss the family reunion.