2020/ 21- US Passport & Card Application-Tracker

[JourneyFromA2 85]

5 hours ago, medic5678 said:

Finally, an open door!   The U.S. Embassy in Thailand is granting us an emergency passport appointment this next week.  They can give us a passport that day.  I have been sweating this because I will lose about $1,300 in plane fares if we don't catch the flight.   In addition, my wife's job desperately needs her back and my little girl is starting school on August 10.  I don't know who in the US Embassy is helping us, but they are aware that the U.S. Passport Agency isn't functioning for many people.  

 

I am very thankful to see this nightmare end!   It looks like lawmakers are well aware of the problems here and the system is addressing it.   This has been hell for us because my family has been trapped in Thailand without my daughter's passport.  

Oh wow! That’s wonderful news. 
I hope this goes through and everything works out. I feel relieved for you. 

[medic5678 10]

49 minutes ago, aa1979 said:

I thought you knew about that as an option!  

That was my final option, because she left the USA without a US passport.     This is not so easy if you haven't been issued a passport.   Once we got to the point where I knew I couldn't receive a passport and mail it to her in time to fly, I pulled out all the stops.   They were very understanding and helpful.

[aa1979 99]

7 hours ago, medic5678 said:

That was my final option, because she left the USA without a US passport.     This is not so easy if you haven't been issued a passport.   Once we got to the point where I knew I couldn't receive a passport and mail it to her in time to fly, I pulled out all the stops.   They were very understanding and helpful.

For next time, just so you know... Whether you are here in this country or abroad, you may issue an emergency same day passport (or at least within 3 days of applying to a passport in some rare cases). You may have to show reasons for the need to use such an option, but it is an option for US citizens.  Just so you know...

[medic5678 10]

Just now, aa1979 said:

For next time, just so you know... Whether you are here in this country or abroad, you may issue an emergency same day passport (or at least within 3 days of applying to a passport in some rare cases). You may have to show reasons for the need to use such an option, but it is an option for US citizens.  Just so you know...

They can only issue you a passport IF you have already been issued a passport.  in other words, a replacement passport.    In her case, the passport is essentially a declaration of citizenship, so they are far more cautious about it.  I am thinking they haven't produced a physical passport for her initial application and gotten it mailed, but they had assigned her a number that ACS Thailand found in the system.  This meant she was cleared for U.S. Citizenship.  I can now declare the original passport lost, and file for a new one.  Those are the forms they are having us bring.   There cannot be a next time because she will already have her first passport.  

 

It's not a big deal to get a replacement passport at any U.S. Embassy in the world.  Getting a passport when you have a minor child who had a Greencard and  got adopted is a longer process.  I never did a Certificate of Citizenship for her because a passport is proof of citizenship.

[medic5678 10]

I will be breathing easier when they are actually on the airplane in Bangkok.  I'm flying up to JFK to meet them, then we're all flying back home on the same airplane.  I have to say that my years with my wife have made me pretty spoiled.  At this time, the house is a wreck, the grass is high, my hair is too long, I've gained over 20 lbs in the last 4 1/2 months eating fast food.   It's a total disaster through and through.   I will be very happy to get them home and have things get back to normal!  On the plus side, my wife was able to finish our house in Thailand, where we have built a small palace.  Her family has a beautiful place to live now.

 

  My advice to everyone is to have a passport and apply for it LONG before you think you'll ever need to travel.   On the first day after I adopted my daughter, I should have applied.  I wouldn't have even had to pay a fee to expedite it.   

[aa1979 99]

22 hours ago, medic5678 said:

They can only issue you a passport IF you have already been issued a passport.  in other words, a replacement passport.    In her case, the passport is essentially a declaration of citizenship, so they are far more cautious about it.  I am thinking they haven't produced a physical passport for her initial application and gotten it mailed, but they had assigned her a number that ACS Thailand found in the system.  This meant she was cleared for U.S. Citizenship.  I can now declare the original passport lost, and file for a new one.  Those are the forms they are having us bring.   There cannot be a next time because she will already have her first passport.  

 

It's not a big deal to get a replacement passport at any U.S. Embassy in the world.  Getting a passport when you have a minor child who had a Greencard and  got adopted is a longer process.  I never did a Certificate of Citizenship for her because a passport is proof of citizenship.

It is not that difficult for them to find out if your daughter is truly a citizen. At worst, all it takes is a phone call and they have ways to make these phone calls if needed. They just want the truly-in-need people of this type of service to use it and they want you to show on papers that you actually need it. Once you did that (once you showed that you need an emergently fast service) at the right place/institution, they started the quickest process for you. 

 

In regards to the papers you have/had to bring, it is to cancel the first process of issuing the other passport, because they don't want you to end up with two of them (it is illegal to carry two passports of the same country for one person). So, the channel to cancel that first process is through filing these forms.

 

The bottom line, you are done! Congratulations! and I agree with your advise in the other comment that no one should be waiting to the last minute to file for a passport.

Edited July 24, 2021 by aa1979

[citizenfiler123 11]

Filed July 16th for me and son - under regular processing (which i am regretting now). Check not cashed and no status as of now in Password tracker.

[aa1979 99]

3 hours ago, citizenfiler123 said:

Filed July 16th for me and son - under regular processing (which i am regretting now). Check not cashed and no status as of now in Password tracker.

If you don't need your passport very soon, it will get processed soon and you won't really feel that pain once you have it.  Don't regret it at all.  I don't think it is that big of a difference. You will probably be marked as "in process" within the next 2-3 weeks. Just be patient and don't listen too much to the negative comments...

[Scandi 3,970]

3 hours ago, citizenfiler123 said:

Filed July 16th for me and son - under regular processing (which i am regretting now). Check not cashed and no status as of now in Password tracker.

Like someone else said, if you don't need the passports anytime soon then there's nothing to regret. You'll get your passports soon enough and you didn't have to spend an extra $60 per passport either. 

[noname1234 8]

On 7/24/2021 at 4:48 PM, citizenfiler123 said:

Filed July 16th for me and son - under regular processing (which i am regretting now). Check not cashed and no status as of now in Password tracker.

my application received by processing center on July 1st.  my check still has not been cashed, so you are still within time frame I believe.  I also used routine service.

[rodeo 11]

On 7/24/2021 at 4:48 PM, citizenfiler123 said:

Filed July 16th for me and son - under regular processing (which i am regretting now). Check not cashed and no status as of now in Password tracker.

Maybe around August 16, status will update to "in process"...

[avania 29]

Filed for me and my kids passport July 15, no expedited service. I'm in the same boat as some of you. Money order not cash and no movement but I'm not worried. Waited longer than this for green card so the waiting game I'm use to lol.

[JourneyFromA2 85]

On 7/22/2021 at 9:30 AM, JourneyFromA2 said:

I went to USPS the same day as my oath ceremony and 7 days later on June 22, I got a notice that my application was received.

Exactly a month after, I got an email today stating that my application was approved. And another email immediately after that with the shipping info.

 

 

 

Received my passport book on July 24. 

Received my passport card on July 26.

Currently waiting for my NC to come back from DOS.

[leymanai 60]

Joining the club 😅. Filed July 14th using regular service. Originally I was supposed to file with USPS but something happened and they could not find my name on their roster even though I had all my confirmation information. So they couldn’t take me in 🙄 had to go to city court administration to file for my passport there. Check has not been cashed yet.

[El Escocés 217]

1 hour ago, leymanai said:

they could not find my name on their roster even though I had all my confirmation information.

That must have been very frustrating. It was a 3 hour round trip for us to the closest USPS with an appointment - it would have been a rough drive home under similar circumstances. At the time, we also had an appointment with the local clerk but that was scheduled for the last day in August. 
 

good luck with your application.