Passport Service questions

[chuckandkim 0]

I'm trying to contact the Passport Service Center. Applied a passport for our baby (10 months old) since Feb 27, the day they received the application, not the mailing date.

They say normally it takes up to 3 weeks to complete. It's been 5 weeks. I've been calling the 1.877.487.2778 number and put on hold for 30 mins at time until I couldn't wait any more. Their http://travel.state.gov website has been down for maintainance for the past week.

My wife, daughter and I will travel to Saigon in May and need to get the little girl's passport ready for Vietnam Visa (need 2 weeks).

Anyone knows a way to contact them (Passport Service Center) to obtain information on this issue, please help!

I tried the 1.877.487.2778 and the website http://travel.state.gov without success.

Thanks,

Chuck

[perdesi 1]

I'm trying to contact the Passport Service Center. Applied a passport for our baby (10 months old) since Feb 27, the day they received the application, not the mailing date.

They say normally it takes up to 3 weeks to complete. It's been 5 weeks. I've been calling the 1.877.487.2778 number and put on hold for 30 mins at time until I couldn't wait any more. Their http://travel.state.gov website has been down for maintainance for the past week.

My wife, daughter and I will travel to Saigon in May and need to get the little girl's passport ready for Vietnam Visa (need 2 weeks).

Anyone knows a way to contact them (Passport Service Center) to obtain information on this issue, please help!

I tried the 1.877.487.2778 and the website http://travel.state.gov without success.

Thanks,

Chuck

It can take up to 6 weeks to get the passport processed. You should have checked the 2 options (regular and expedited) before applying. Look for the processing time below:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/proce...ssing_1740.html

[wannabe_texan 0]

Chuck,

You may want to approach your Congressperson, I know that ours offers 'passport assistance' on his website, yours may do similar... Just an idea...

Edited April 3, 2009 by wannabe_texan

[mattr 0]

I applied for my passport on Feb 19th, and I received the certificate back yesterday, and my passport right now today, 10 minutes ago. The passport offices have been swamped and when I called the national passport agency they said they had the application, but it would take 6 to 8 weeks to get it processed. They also told me that if I had put a travel date on my application that was sooner than 6 to 8 weeks, they would have processed it faster. The website is NOT working, they know it, but they don't tell you on the website..

Be patient, wait two more weeks; you can always call them late (e.g. 9pm E.T.), they answer faster at that time; if they confirm they have your application then you're good to go.

Mattr.

[Courtney08 0]

hmmm, Have you tried the email option on the website yet ?

It takes sometimes almost an hour to get through you just need to be patient, and dont call at peak times. I found to call early in the morning like around school time eastern time zone was the best.

I hope you get it soon.

[mattr 0]

Actually I would suggest that you DO call them and tell them there is an urgency to get this passport processed before the next two weeks. This will put your application on top of the list.

[NickD 203]

This must be a busy time of the year, was two years ago I applied in February for a planned trip in the early part of June, paid for expedient service, and at the end was screaming on the phone, gave my flight number and departure time. They managed to get it to me 12 hours before I was due to leave. Was told back then their website is useless, some things never change. They never sent back my birth certificate, am a natural born USC, but for six bucks, wasn't concerned about that, got another copy from Illinois.

Had much better luck with my immigrant wife that received her USC last September, took nine days with expedient service and eleven for her certificate to come back. That I was concerned with as it would cost somebody 400 bucks to replace it, had to sign for her passport, certificate came in 1st class postage and from the exact same address as the passport, in New Orleans of all places when Chicago is much closer to us. No telling where they will send your application.

If all else fails, can go to one of the twelve service centers, have to make an appointment first and show a plane ticket where you are leaving within two weeks. I considered that, but the fellow I talked to guaranteed it was in the mail, overnight and should get it the next day. That was close, I do recall writing down the numbers you have to push in sequence to talk to a human, could punch those in quickly only to wait my turn, can't recall the hours now, but made my quickest connection when I was first in line in the morning. Back then their website did acknowledge my application, never did that for my wife, after four days, I called our city clerk as they haven't cashed our check either, she showed me the return receipt, they did cash the check on the 5th day.

Dealing with governmental agencies is very frustrating, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[AusCal 3]

I'm trying to contact the Passport Service Center. Applied a passport for our baby (10 months old) since Feb 27, the day they received the application, not the mailing date.

Anyone knows a way to contact them (Passport Service Center) to obtain information on this issue, please help!

Chuck, I understand your frustration, I too wasted some time on the phone trying to get through to the Passport Service Center, I never even got to the waiting stage, I always received the recorded message "we are too busy, try later". Whilst their website is "not working" for application status, there is an option to email requesting the status of your application. http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/npic/npic_896.html

I emailed and received a response well within 48 hours.

FYI, I applied at a post office, regular service, on 27th Feb. I did not put any travel dates on my application. The post office advised me it should take 4 weeks - I wouldn't take a lot of notice of the time frame they suggest. When I emailed on Wednesday requesting status info (using the above link), I gave my travel date of May 10th. The reply I received by email advised me my passport was mailed April 2nd, via priority mail. I do not know if my emailed enquiry "hurried" the issuance of my passport.

Hope the link helps you, good luck.