Passport question - Please help

[sunandfunatsea]

We have family members that donts have passports yet...

 

 

 

They ordered them Jan 16th - they keep moving dates.

 

Started Mar 6 - pushed several times..Mar 17th we fly to San Juan PR on

 

Mar 23rd and they are getting nervous..

 

 

 

Do they need passports to fly from US to San Jaun PR ?

 

Do they need passports to cruise from :

 

 

 

San Juan, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St Marteen, St Thomas ?

 

 

 

Read something interesting on travel.state.gov website..

 

 

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html#flyers

 

 

 

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

 

The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:

 

Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

 

As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

 

Travel Documents for U.S. Citizens Under WHTI

 

Under the proposed implementation plan, the following documents will be acceptable to fulfill document requirements:

 

U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, and may also use a U.S. passport when traveling via sea and land borders (including ferry crossings).

******************

 

 

 

any info would be apprecaited !!

 

 

 

Jim

[bububr]

Although it could vary. Since they waited they might have been better off to pay the expedited fee.

 

However I think you'll be fine. Give it another week, and if they don't come in, call the passport bureau.

 

Dave:eek:

 

BTW: were the checks cashed yet? if so you should recieve them shortly.

[sunandfunatsea]

I cant get ahold of passport people !!!

Can anyone answer my question if they need or do not need passports?

 

J-

[LiLBxQt]

I have the same travel itinerary as your fam and you do not need passports...

 

PR is part of US so no passport needed to fly... As for the cruise, passports arent required just yet (tentative date of jan of 08) so they are fine as long as they are traveling this year

 

I have given myself 11 weeks for my passport to be processed. It has been just about 3 weeks and I still cannot even track it online!! If it doesn't look like it will arrive in time, make sure they have an additional certified copy of their birth certificate ready to go!

[vmom]

They won't have trouble flying into PR since its part of the US.

 

As far as the cruise is concerned, I'd play is safe and get a certified copy of the birth certificates just in case their passports don't arrive in time.

 

Call the cruise line to verify that they will be able to board with just a certified birth certificate along with a picture ID.

[Lvs2Cruise2]

Got my expidited passport yesterday.. Took exactly 4 weeks.. It took 3 weeks to show up on the internet.. And that's for expidited!! Each time I called, (after holding FOREVER) they said 10-12 weeks is the average wait.. and 3-4 for expidited

[cruiselover57]

Got my expidited passport yesterday.. Took exactly 4 weeks.. It took 3 weeks to show up on the internet.. And that's for expidited!! Each time I called, (after holding FOREVER) they said 10-12 weeks is the average wait.. and 3-4 for expidited

 

I received my passport within 4 weeks (then again, it depends when you order it). Didn't have to pay an expedited fee because I ordered it in September and wasn't sailing until December - better to plan ahead I always say!

[sunandfunatsea]

They keep pushing the dated out..applied Jan19th and they poasted a date of Mar 2nd with has been pushed 4 times now to Mar 19th...

We leave on the Mar 23..

 

Cant get ahold of Passport agency what a Joke !!!!!!!!!

[Janutz]

My boss flew to Jamaica last week and her passport hadn't returned by the Monday before her flight. She called the passport people and they said they would expedite it free since she had applied with plenty of time. They did find a problem with a number they couldn't read and she faxed them the needed info and received her passport 3 days later (two days before her flight). The newspaper had an article about the record highs and everyone working overtime, plus 40-some-odd new hires, and they are still running a month behind schedule. Your best bet is to keep calling.

[Sheffie]

Can anyone answer my question if they need or do not need passports?

 

 

No, the do not NEED passports to sail this itinerary. Like Vmom suggested, have them get another copy of their state issued birth certificates, and those, along with their driver's licenses will be all that they need to take the cruise.

[USF93]

I applied for my passport (for the first time) on Jan 11th. I was told it would only take 6-8 weeks so I didn't see the need to expediate. Now online it says on or about 3/26/07. We leave on 3/25. I know I can use my birth certificate but I had to send that in with my application for my passport. To get a copy of my b.c. it takes 14 days (we leave in 12 days) and costs $85.00. The passport number I call disconnects me or when I did get through it was to make an appt in person in Miami (5 hours from where I live). HELP! Does anyone know a number or someone I can call to expediate my passport? I'm getting very stressed!

[julieanne]

I also heard today on the radio that they wouldn't be expediting any new passports! Now, that's NEW ones, so don't get worried! You can get an expedited bc. Of that, I am sure. Use the govt website where you were born. You can usually order a copy and have it fed-exed.

[Sheffie]

I applied for my passport (for the first time) on Jan 11th. I was told it would only take 6-8 weeks so I didn't see the need to expediate. Now online it says on or about 3/26/07. We leave on 3/25. I know I can use my birth certificate but I had to send that in with my application for my passport. To get a copy of my b.c. it takes 14 days (we leave in 12 days) and costs $85.00. The passport number I call disconnects me or when I did get through it was to make an appt in person in Miami (5 hours from where I live). HELP! Does anyone know a number or someone I can call to expediate my passport? I'm getting very stressed!

 

I'd sure be calling my congressman regarding this.

 

(I never heard of a BC costing so much! What goes on with that? What state were you born in?)

[USF93]

I was born in NJ. It's $52 to have it shipped regular and $85 to have it quickly shipped (14 days-not so quick if you ask me). I'll try calling my local congressman and also calling the state of NJ.

[mpk218]

I applied for my passport (for the first time) on Jan 11th. I was told it would only take 6-8 weeks so I didn't see the need to expediate. Now online it says on or about 3/26/07. We leave on 3/25. I know I can use my birth certificate but I had to send that in with my application for my passport. To get a copy of my b.c. it takes 14 days (we leave in 12 days) and costs $85.00. The passport number I call disconnects me or when I did get through it was to make an appt in person in Miami (5 hours from where I live). HELP! Does anyone know a number or someone I can call to expediate my passport? I'm getting very stressed!

 

 

USF93,, when you call the # for the passport do this. When the recording is playing push 9 on your phone , some times a few times is required . This will put you into the ON HOLD system . you will then talk to a person . Explain you situation.. I just went through what you are last week. She bumped it up to just before me upcoming trip.. Good luck..

[sunandfunatsea]

Call your state representative .. I did.. still waiting to see if it helps.

I have called over 200 times and still havent ever been put on hold..

 

SO frustrated !!!!

[cwc]

To sunandfunatsea,

 

since you are in Nor-cal, I will share this with you. The SF passport agency has same day turn around for passport (new or renewal) BUT you need an appointment. One is by dailing the 877 number for an appointment for free and the other way is go through some passport service and pay good money. Many passport service in SF have standing appointment daily appointment, you can pay to get their slot. Been there done that. ;)

[sunandfunatsea]

Submitted application on Jan 19th - the pushed date from March 6 to Mar 20th - We have Mar 24th said date. It was getting to close so I contacted Congressman Dan Lundgrens office in DC and they put me in contact with someone in their office that was dealling with this issue ..

 

2 days later - passorts in hand...

 

So if your date is close or past your sail date, I highly recommend getting your state representative or congressman invloved !!!!

 

****

According to the Passport Services, the passports for you and your family have been completed and will be mailed out to you today (March 15, 2007) via express mail or Federal Express. If the passports do not arrive to you by March 20, 2007 at the latest, please contact me. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Oliver Chu

Please join Congressman Lungren at his upcoming Town Hall Meeting.

Tuesday, April 3, 7:00pm-9:00pm

Calaveras County Fair Grounds, "Frogtown"

Frogeteria

2465 Gun Club Road

Angels Camp, CA 95222

(removed name and number)

Constituent Services Manager

Office of Congressman Dan Lungren (CA-03)

2339 Gold Meadow Way, Suite 220

Gold River, CA 95670

[julieanne]

Submitted application on Jan 19th - the pushed date from March 6 to Mar 20th - We have Mar 24th said date. It was getting to close so I contacted Congressman Dan Lundgrens office in DC and they put me in contact with someone in their office that was dealling with this issue ..

 

2 days later - passorts in hand...

 

So if your date is close or past your sail date, I highly recommend getting your state representative or congressman invloved !!!!

 

****

According to the Passport Services, the passports for you and your family have been completed and will be mailed out to you today (March 15, 2007) via express mail or Federal Express. If the passports do not arrive to you by March 20, 2007 at the latest, please contact me. Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

 

Oliver Chu

 

Please join Congressman Lungren at his upcoming Town Hall Meeting.

Tuesday, April 3, 7:00pm-9:00pm

Calaveras County Fair Grounds, "Frogtown"

Frogeteria

2465 Gun Club Road

Angels Camp, CA 95222

 

(removed name and number)

Constituent Services Manager

Office of Congressman Dan Lungren (CA-03)

2339 Gold Meadow Way, Suite 220

Gold River, CA 95670

Wonderful! I am so glad you were the squeaky wheel!! We applied in NM about the same time as you and received my Dad's passport in about 8 weeks! Have a wonderful cruise and please don't forget to share that great advice with all the others who are now posting!:D

[sunandfunatsea]

That is why I posted it in several places because I got the idea from CC board.

 

I think CC is powerful and could make the news if they brought this to the medias attention.

 

Jim

[USF93]

Well, I called my local congressman Bill Young in Clearwater for help with my passport and 2 days later got a call back saying he had tracked it down and it was being Fed-Ex'd to me. Thanks for the advice! I also called the city I was born in to get a copy of my birth certificate (just in case). They only charge $10 compared to the Vital Check which was $85. Good luck everyone who is still dealing with this I know how you feel. I gave up trying to call that 1-877 # after I had called about 40 times at all different times of the day and night. I sent a thank you to my congressman for a job well done!

 

:)

[Chmie]

I read an article that said the US Customs had not rejected anyone flying from Canada to the US because they did not have a passport. They are being lenient with this law because customs undertands the difficulty with passport application delays. This is great news for those w/o passports and I don't see US Customs denying American citizens the same courtesy.

They indicated this would continue at least thru Spring Break and maybe longer. Of course, it's totally at their discretion so you will being taking a chance without proper documentation. :)

[sunandfunatsea]

bumped this up becasue the info is so valuable... it helped someone already

 

jmagnuss@yahoo.com