Are you in Passport Purgatory?

[Cavatelli430]

Hello all!

There was an article in our local paper yesterday about a family traveling to Cancun this weekend and haven't gotten their passports. It's unreal what this family has to go through to still try and be able to go on their trip! The article had a list of helpful hinters I thought I'd share with you all, since I've seen many posts about Passport issues. One thing I was not aware of, is that you can contact your State's Senator. This appears to be the last resort. I'm in Ohio, so I only have Ohio's Senator information. I'm sure your state's website should have Senator contact information. Our cruise isn't till Feb 2008, so we went 3 weeks ago to get them done early so we didn't run into a time crunch. Good Luck! Hope this helps some of you!

 

If you are interested in reading article, here is link:

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/business/17325399.htm

 

PASSPORT HELP

Here are some tips from the government on passports:

• Start with the checklist at www.travel.state.gov/passport. The government says 13 percent of applications are delayed by simple errors, such as not signing the application, forgetting to include a check or submitting a photograph that doesn't meet standards.

• The government says travelers should allow at least 10 to 12 weeks for standard passport processing and two to three weeks for expedited processing, though travelers are reporting that is taking much longer.

• The National Passport Information Center can be reached at 877-487-2778. It is open from 6 a.m. until midnight Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Travelers can also check the status of their passport online at www.travel.state.gov/passport. The government asks that only travelers who have applied for passports and are leaving within two weeks use the phone number or e-mail status check.

• Ohio Sen. George Voinovich's office can send expedited requests for passports, but only with four to five days lead time of a trip. Call the casework office at 614-469-6774 or 800-205-6446.

[TMarie]

Hello Cavatelli!

 

I am also in Ohio (Cincinnati). We are 5 weeks into our wait. I checked our status online at week 3 and it was being "processed". From what I understand thats a good sign since the wait said 5 weeks for online tracking. I *hope* we dont have any issues for our Sept 2nd cruise! It was about 18 weeks so I dont expect any, but just in case i printed out this info!

 

Thanks for posting it!

[kristyintx]

Hahaha "Passport Purgatory" that's funny. :p

 

We applied on 4/06, our checks weren't cashed until May. Online status says "in process". We didn't choose the expedite option.

 

Our cruise leaves on 8/5/07, so I'm not TERRIBLY worried just yet. But jeez louise, they must really be backlogged!

 

Crossing my fingers......

[Guest nhrich]

I just had a client get an expedited passport yesterday, in 2 1/2 weeks.

 

Rich, ACC

Carefree Vacations

[Cavatelli430]

Hi TMarie,

This Friday will be 4 weeks for us. They cashed our check in 1 week and it showed up online the 3rd week! Sounds like you gave yourselves plenty of time. Processing time is now 10-12 weeks.

 

In article it said -

"The State Department said it has issued more than 3 million passports in March and April. Between October and April, the department issued 8.6 million passports, up 33 percent from the same period last year."

Can you imagine all the paperwork?!?! :eek:

[TRadle]

I’ve just begun week 12 and we sail 8/5. When I return from New Orleans on 7/6 I’ll start making calls if I don’t have it by then. I would have expedited it but I thought over 5 months would be plenty of time! :eek: I have not seen anything that says the wait is longer than 12 weeks.

[Cavatelli430]

Hahaha "Passport Purgatory" that's funny. :p

 

We applied on 4/06, our checks weren't cashed until May. Online status says "in process". We didn't choose the expedite option.

 

Our cruise leaves on 8/5/07, so I'm not TERRIBLY worried just yet. But jeez louise, they must really be backlogged!

 

Crossing my fingers......

 

I can't take credit for the "Passport Purgatory" That was all our local newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal. A very fitting title though! Good luck!

[cayenneblue]

My children's passports are indeed in passport purgatory! :rolleyes: We leave on Saturday, and their passports have been in the system now for over 10 weeks. I've been calling every day or so, and finally today my daughter's was moved from the "regular" processing, to the "expedited". My son's is still in regular, so the woman I spoke to said she'd send yet another urgent message........

 

One guy I spoke to this morning said we'd have to come to Washington DC (we live about an hour away), and meet with someone in order to get them in time. I told him that my kids are in school (you have to go first thing in the morning), and have finals this week, so it wasn't possible. They had never mentioned that before! Thank goodness I called back and got another agent! :)

 

A hint for those who call to check (when within 2 weeks of travel), the system will tell you to "Please stay on the line for a customer service representative. They will tell you that you are important to them, and then say that "due to the extremely high volume right now, you're call cannot be answered" They then say "goodbye" and hang up on you! Well, as soon as the guy starts to say the "due to the extremely high volume", hit 9, then 3, then 1, and it will put you back in the system. It may take LOTS of times of hitting that sequence, but eventually you'll get someone! :D

 

Good luck!

[amylory]

Okay, I may have all of you beat! I sent in my renewal the first week of February and my check was cashed on the 12th of February. I still haven't received my passport! It's now been 18 weeks! I'm not traveling until August 6th, so I didn't figure expediting it would be necessary.

It makes me exhausted just thinking about it....

[lovetocruise99]

I'm in week 12 1/2 for my child's renewal passport. We cruised mid-February so I didn't have any choice about renewing until after we returned. We are cruising again June 17th. I have contacted our U.S. Representative and they are trying to get it expedited for us. We don't absolutely have to get it to cruise but you never know when you might have to fly back from another country.

[Cavatelli430]

My children's passports are indeed in passport purgatory! :rolleyes: We leave on Saturday, and their passports have been in the system now for over 10 weeks.

One guy I spoke to this morning said we'd have to come to Washington DC (we live about an hour away), and meet with someone in order to get them in time. I told him that my kids are in school (you have to go first thing in the morning), and have finals this week, so it wasn't possible. They had never mentioned that before! Thank goodness I called back and got another agent! :)

 

The lady in the article, her children are younger, so they don't have finals. BUT, they will have to miss their last day of school to drive to Chicago...from OHIO and then back in time to get on their plane! Good luck to you!

 

Okay, I may have all of you beat! I sent in my renewal the first week of February and my check was cashed on the 12th of February. I still haven't received my passport! It's now been 18 weeks! I'm not traveling until August 6th, so I didn't figure expediting it would be necessary.

It makes me exhausted just thinking about it....

 

So renewals are taking longer than new passports?! YIKES!

 

I'm in week 12 1/2 for my child's renewal passport. We cruised mid-February so I didn't have any choice about renewing until after we returned. We are cruising again June 17th. I have contacted our U.S. Representative and they are trying to get it expedited for us. We don't absolutely have to get it to cruise but you never know when you might have to fly back from another country.

 

Of course if the passport doesn't come, then you have to get another original birth certificate, right? (Since they've got your original?)

[cleacat]

I'm in Dayton Ohio, we applied April 12, 11 weeks from our departure date of 6/29 and have not received them yet. I know is says to call within 2 weeks of departure, we're at 3 weeks, do you think I should start calling?

Sue

[KeyOfSea]

We're flying to Ireland next Tuesday so there's no choice but to have a passport. To make a long story stort and after 10 weeks of "purgatory", my DD contacted our congressman's office. She faxed them the right documents last Friday and we got the passports via Fed Ex yesterday. YEAH!!!

[CruiserNic]

We had hear about a lot of people having problems getting passports. That's why we applied the first part of May to get our passports even though we are not going on our cruise until Feb 2008. It showed them being "processed" three weeks after we applied. I'm pretty sure we will have them in plenty of time. And if not, we have a SERIOUS problem.;)

[buchie614]

Applied mid March for our daughter passport, cruise on 7-15 have not received the passport yet, internet says being processed, will wait until next week, and then I will start calling.............

[TRadle]

Hahaha "Passport Purgatory" that's funny. :p

 

We applied on 4/06, our checks weren't cashed until May. Online status says "in process". We didn't choose the expedite option.

 

Our cruise leaves on 8/5/07, so I'm not TERRIBLY worried just yet. But jeez louise, they must really be backlogged!

 

Crossing my fingers......

 

Are you on Freedom?

[knewcrewzr]

This is my first post on cruise critic. Thanks to everyone for all the great information I have learned today. Leaving on LOS on 6/16

 

Two years ago (when we didn't actually need a passport) I had to fly to Vancouver in Nov and then my DH and I were going on our first cruise to the W.Caribbean on NOS. We applied for our passports together in Sept at a Post office in MD (we live in DE) and were told that they would arrive in plenty of time for my trip to Canada. On a Friday afternoon in Nov. I had an afterschool activity that kept me at work late so I called home and DH said that the passports had arrive. Woohoo! I was excited. When I got home, he had left for night shift and I saw his passport on the table but he hadn't opened mine. I excitedly opened mine and lo and behold someone else's picture was in my passport. No, it was actually someone else's passport, someone else's birth certificate and divorce decree in my envelope. That meant someone else had my personal information. They were from Wisconsin. Since it was Friday, there wasn't anyone at the passport office in DC. And, Monday was Veteran's day so they were closed then too. I had to wait until Tuesday to call.

I got someone on Tuesday and I was told mine would be processed again and to send the other one back. I sent it "receipt requested" but then heard nothing on mine. The week before I was due to fly to Cananda I called again. "Oh, you didn't get it yet, I sent it out last week" I was told. And "No, I haven't received the wrong one you sent back either" I had already gotten the receipt so I knew she had it. "It must be on my desk somewhere" I was told. "Well, call me Monday if you don't have it yet" I was leaving the following Thursday at 3 am for Canada.

Monday, no passport. I called her. Not available. Tuesday, no passport. I called and she wasn't in so I got someone else. They gave me the complaint phone number and said my passport was in the mailroom to be sent out the next day. I should get it in a day or two. My husband called the next morning and must have lit a fire under someone's bu++ because they sent my passport by Airborne express and it arrived Wed at 10 am. Whew!! My birth certificate showed up 2 months later. Thank goodness I had a spare copy.

 

Good story: we expedited our son's passport order the Sat before Easter this year and he had it in less than 2 weeks. Go figure.

[kristyintx]

TRadle....no, we're on Mariner leaving 8/5 from Port Canaveral.

 

Have a great cruise! I'm so excited I'm making myself and everyone around me absolutely NUTS!!!!!

 

:D

[piislanders]

Applied March 9th. finally got thru monday on phone. They said they would do what they could but could not promise anything. We sail in 10 days. Just checked still says in processing for all 4 of ours. The strange thing is today we got one in the mail. So don't go by what the web site says. Just hope for the best and apply early. We were told it would take 6 weeks. It is now 13 weeks.:(

[Sunsets4Me]

I don't want to burst anyones bubble - but "being processed" doesn't necessary mean anything. We applied on April 11th. It has been exactly 8 weeks now and online is states "being processed" - upon calling (redialing and holding for an hour each time) we have been told that they are still in a "lockbox" at stage zero.

 

I'm not going to beat a deadhorse - rarely does anyone accuse the government agencies of being super efficient.

 

We applied 2 days after we decided to cruise - so it wasn't a procrastination thing. We don't HAVE to have the passports, just wanted them in case of emergency since we are traveling with our 2 young children.

 

Upon contacting our local congresswoman's office, we were told that there was nothing that they could do to expedite processing since they were still in a lockbox and no batch number has been assigned yet. The gal did reassure me though they their office would personally assist my family with flying back to the USA if an emergency occurred.

 

So for those of you who can get by with a birth cert - take your local representatives contact info with you in case of emergency. Just a thought that may offer you a little peace of mind.

 

Happy cruising!

[snausman]

I just had a client get an expedited passport yesterday, in 2 1/2 weeks.

 

Rich, ACC

Carefree Vacations

 

I went with the expedited service, I sent it in on May 25 and got my renewal back Monday June 4. It was worth it to me to pay extra to have it back in my hands. So now I am good for another 10 years. Yeah!!!

 

Laura

[shawnal]

We are definately in trouble. My family of 5 is scheduled to leave for Puerto Rico next Thursday (June 14) going on a 7-day out of San Juan. We DID order passports *14 weeks ago*, but they never arrived. Tried to expedite them today, with no luck. We do, however, have birth certs which should be enough. Called RCCL just to be sure today, and found out my 17 yr. old will NOT be allowed on the ship without a picture I.D. (she doesn't have a license yet.) Yikes, unfortuately no time to get one here in CA. At 14 weeks, the passport office told us we did not need to expedite - We should not have listened to them. Now, 5 people will miss a cruise; we're out 8K (no trip insurance)...I suggest everyone expedite from now on.

[Cavatelli430]

I'm in Dayton Ohio, we applied April 12, 11 weeks from our departure date of 6/29 and have not received them yet. I know is says to call within 2 weeks of departure, we're at 3 weeks, do you think I should start calling?

Sue

 

Hi Sue

Sounds like there is an overload of calls for people leaving in next week or so. From what others have said, if you call now, they may just brush you off that "you've got time", whatever?! I would wait till 2 weeks before if you haven't gotten passports yet.

[Cavatelli430]

We are definately in trouble. My family of 5 is scheduled to leave for Puerto Rico next Thursday (June 14) going on a 7-day out of San Juan. We DID order passports *14 weeks ago*, but they never arrived. Tried to expedite them today, with no luck. We do, however, have birth certs which should be enough. Called RCCL just to be sure today, and found out my 17 yr. old will NOT be allowed on the ship without a picture I.D. (she doesn't have a license yet.) Yikes, unfortuately no time to get one here in CA. At 14 weeks, the passport office told us we did not need to expedite - We should not have listened to them. Now, 5 people will miss a cruise; we're out 8K (no trip insurance)...I suggest everyone expedite from now on.

 

I don't know about CA, but in Ohio you can get a photo ID at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, looks just like a drivers license, but I believe it said Ohio Identification Card. You don't have those there?

[BethCarp]

Called RCCL just to be sure today, and found out my 17 yr. old will NOT be allowed on the ship without a picture I.D. (she doesn't have a license yet.)

You have over a week. You can't get a state-issued ID from the DMV? Here in MO, you can walk into the bureau and get them right there. I would think CA would be ahead of us.