Passport problem (not the usual kind!)

[lskoob]

I've had my passport for quite some time, so I'm good to go. My husband applied in early June, and it arrived last Wed., so I guess that's about 10 weeks. Pretty good service, based on what I've read recently.

 

However, he received not one but TWO passports, identical in every way except for different document numbers. They arrived in separate envelopes on the same day.

 

At first, I thought we should just tuck one away and forget about it. But after considering it awhile, it occured to me that the error could be discovered later and perceived as fraud . . . or something even worse. I'd hate for him to end up on some sort of no-fly list because he has two passports. Seems like we should get this straightened out now to avoid any possibility of Homeland Security problems later.

 

So we called the toll-free # on the website. The rep. seemed alarmed, took down all our contact information and said she would send an urgent email, and we should expect a call soon. No one called. I've sent a message via email to my congressman explaining everything (3 days ago), but no response from him either.

 

So am I overreacting? Should I forget about it . . . or should we escalate our concerns until someone takes some sort of action?

 

I'd appreciate some opinions. Thanks

 

Lori

[gopher's girl]

I think you are doing a good thing by alerting the government to the double-passport issue... imagine if one of the two got into the wrong hands? What if you are the one who points out a huge flaw in the system. Or maybe you're the only one... either way, good for you :)

 

Also, in San Juan, they scanned my passport. I don't know if that goes against a live database, or if it is just used for tracking purposes.

[jrw]

Wow...that certainly is odd...but these days (unlike years ago), there is likely minimal handling by a live person. I suspect a lot of the process is automated, especially if an application is filled out online & printed (vs. filled out by hand). There was probably a hiccup in the system and it triggered creation & mailing of 2 passports. If it happened to him, I would imagine he's not the only one.

 

I don't think you are over-reacting at all. If both are valid and he always uses the same one (storing the other), maybe it would be OK, but I would not take the chance. And he certainly can't show up and present both! That would surely create an unpleasant situation.

 

Aside from doing what you already did, maybe he should take both to the site where he applied and inquire there. They are the "middle-man" in the process and may have alternate means of contacting the State Dept in urgent matters such as this. I would have him over there ASAP and would think they would agree that the matter needs fast resolution -- as well as an investigation as to why this happened & how to prevent it in the future. Maybe they have a way to determine (now that the passports are electronic) whether one or both are valid/activated?

 

The only other idea I can think of at the moment, if you live in or near a city with a passport agency, have him make an appt. Here is a link with all the locations & the hours: http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/agencies/agencies_913.html

 

Hope this helps...I wish you luck!

[trock]

Also call your local Homeland Security office

[Princess Chatterer]

Report it to your local newspaper.

[jrw]

Report it to your local newspaper.

 

Excellent idea. Here in Philly, at least one of the local news stations has a "call for action" consumer assistance hotline. They handle all types of issues, and this would be something they'd surely make a huge to-do over. So...I would also recommend contacting your local TV news "consumer advocate"...check their websites to get the contact info...and sit back and wait...it probably won't be long before you have the gov't agencies clamoring to get this figured out!

[smeyer418]

The new passports scan your picture into the database so they don't attach the picture you sent in like they used to. When someone put it in they must have rehit the process key causing two passports to issue(its also probably a software problem). It is your passport after all. With your picture and your information encoded. Its not like they issued two with different pictures one for you and one for Al(Queda)....report to the authorities, let your congressperson know. They will get back to you and either say destroy one or return one. They are trying to get the back log reduced. If you call the press you may delay everyone else as they try to clear up the problem....so relax already you reported it. Pick one and use it and await a call(if you ever get it about the other one)

[ottergal]

I think your biggest issue is going to be making sure that the numbers in the database match the one that your husband is actually supposed to use. Having a mismatch between the one in your hand and the number the government has can mess up a whole bunch of stuff - my folks had Australian visa delays because they applied for their visas THEN renewed their passports so the numbers didn't match.

 

Personally, I'm not sure it's a matter for Homeland Security or the news... I am in agreement that you've left messages and people have your name. If I hadn't heard anything until after the holiday weekend, I'd just repeat my calls and take it from there. But that's just me. :)

[dashulak]

If this is your husband's first passport, the following won't apply.

 

When I renewed my kids passports earlier this summer, the expired passport was returned in a separate envelope. I'm sure it's for security, but it was still weird getting multiple envelopes on the same day.

[hill6]

Your Congressman probably won't respond till after Labor Day. Congress is on vacation.

 

You may want to call back the 800# you called the first time. Hopefully you have the person's name you spoke to the first time. I would ask to speak to a supervisor when I call back.

[GloriaF]

Whatever you do, be sure to document all that you have done to resolve this in case of any problem later. Make note of the individual's name, number, agency, date, and what was said. Save any emails, correspondence, etc in a file.

 

And good luck!

[Lady Librarian]

Has anyone at the passport office been able to tell you which of the two is the correct one?

 

I'd still contact your congressman's office even if congress is on vacation. There will be someone in their office to take your call and hopefully make some calls on your behalf to straighten this out.

[lskoob]

To address a few of the questions that came up:

 

This is his first-ever passport, so it's not a renewal issue. The two passports arrived in sep. envelopes on the same day. One envelope contained his birth certificate, plus one of the photos he submitted with his app, plus a passport. The second envelope contained only a passport.

 

We live in Kansas, so no Passport Offices within about 600 miles. I considered going back to the post office, but I fear they might want to confiscate both of them while they figure it out. I really don't want to risk having them both drop into a bureaucratic black hole. I'd rather have someone tell me which one to keep, and which one to destroy or return. Then they can invalidate the second one and we can move on.

 

I've also considered contacting the local media, but we'll save that for a last resort option. I really don't want to make anyone look like a fool. I know the Passport agency is overworked, overburdened, backlogged and under pressure . . . Mistakes can happen. I'll continue trying to get their attention for another week or so (until after the holiday), then I'll have to turn it up a little.

 

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I'll keep you posted.

Lori

[silvercruiser]

I think I read somewhere that the people processing passport requests are allowed 2-1/2 minutes per passport. No wonder mistakes are made. The work has evidently been turned over to a private company, since the rush to get passports evidenty came as a huge surprise and they didn't plan ahead. Isn't bureucracy wonderful.:)

[ottergal]

I'm interested to see what they say. I'm not sure that I, personally, would be worried enough about it to get the press involved- they both have the correct name and picture on them, right? It's not like one is your husband and one is your neighbor with your husband's picture... I could see that being a matter of some security concerns and something that I'd want to escallate pretty fast in case there was a more wide spread issue. (See how your mind works when you work in IT? :) )

 

But I may be less concerned with that stuff than the average person, so to each their own. I'm just saying that I wouldn't let it ruin your weekend or anything.

[donna travels]

First I would check the numbers on the passports and see if they are the same. I have clients that appllied for Passports August 13 Regular not rushed and received family of 4 all passports by August 27. So something is happening to get them out so fast. Good luck

[jbrambach]

First I would check the numbers on the passports and see if they are the same. I have clients that appllied for Passports August 13 Regular not rushed and received family of 4 all passports by August 27. So something is happening to get them out so fast. Good luck

In the first post she said the numbers were different.

 

I'm suprised that the passport agency couldn't just tell you which one is the correct one on the phone and just delete the other number. I guess as of right now they are both "right". I agree with the poster above that said when you call the passport agency you should ask to speak to a supervisor.

[spiritkat090909]

If you decide on the press...skip local, email fox news, Bill O'Reilly

[hill6]

Can you go on the passport website and do a status search for his passport. Maybe they indicate part of the number once it is issued.

[rjg41]

In the current situation this is happening more often than you think. Go to your nearest passport office, not post office, not county office, but passport office. Bring both with you and explain the problem. They will take one of them. GET A DETAILED RECEIPT FOR IT and put it with the other passport that you are going to use and keep the receipt with the passport at all times.

 

This is the safest thing to do. Do not carry both. Do no leave one at home. Surrender one at the passport office and get a receipt. Any questions when you are using the passport, show the receipt.

[BND]

Your Congressman probably won't respond till after Labor Day. Congress is on vacation.

 

You may want to call back the 800# you called the first time. Hopefully you have the person's name you spoke to the first time. I would ask to speak to a supervisor when I call back.

 

Yes, Congress is on vacation but most of their staff is not. Call the congressman's office and get a staffer to work it. Don't bother with email, get a real live person. I have a friend who was a personal secretary to a senator and she didn't get the time off that Congress was off, she got shorter days and that's it for the most part.

[lskoob]

In case anyone is still interested, I think we resolved our two-passport problem, with a lot of help from Matt, Aide to Congressman Dennis Moore (KS).

 

Matt finally obtained the name and address of a high-ranking official in Washington DC who is supposed to take care of it. After verifying that both passports were valid in the system, we chose one to keep and one to send back. I sent it to the official via Certified Mail with return receipt. I wrote a detailed letter asking that the passport be invalidated and destroyed. I sent copies of the letter and the passport to my Congressman's office where it will be kept on file. The letter referenced the number of the passport we were sending back, but NOT the one we kept (in hopes that they won't accidentally invalidate BOTH of them!)

 

I was amazed at the number of phone calls I made, the number of Passport Services people that promised to call back (no one ever did, even the one that Matt and I spoke to on a conference call!) Everyone acted concerned and appalled at what had happened, but none followed thru.

 

Thanks to everyone for all the good advice . . . at one point we thought we might have to go to the local media to get someone's attention. Thanks to Matt, we consider it a closed matter now.

 

Lori

[M&M CRUZERS]

Hi Lori,

Glad to see that hopefully your husband's passport problems are taken care of and you can start looking forward to our cruise. It will be here before we know it, I hope:D

[fti]

Glad that it is working out. My suggestion would have been to just consistently use one and only one of the two - both passports would be valid but you don't want to use both (some people do have two passports since they travel a lot and need to get visas for one country through the mail in one passport while they are traveling to another country on the other passport).

 

John

[lskoob]

(some people do have two passports since they travel a lot and need to get visas for one country through the mail in one passport while they are traveling to another country on the other passport).

 

John

 

John: I assume you mean some people have two passports with the same number (or a duplicate). His were two different passports with two different numbers.

 

Marilyn: Thanks! I'm glad the headache is behind us. Can't wait til December! See you there . . . at the pool bar as we're leaving port!

 

Lori