Passport Application Frustration

I'm looking for any advice or past experience on a very frustrating passport application process.

Here is the story (and I apologize that it is a bit long). We have full legal custody of our grandson who is 8 years old. We are booked on the Conquest to leave on June 13, 2015.

On March 3, we submitted his passport application. It was marked "received" on March 10.

We submitted everything that they asked for: Birth Certificate, Custody Papers, Death Certificate on biological father, court documentation on Mother's whereabouts being unknown and the fact that she's been suspended from any contact with us or our grandson.

The application agency where we applied said that since we were over 3 months from our travel date, that there was no need to expedite. Turnaround time was then listed at 4-6 weeks for an application. It's still at that same estimate.

Even though we both expressed concern over turnaround time, they assured us that we had plenty of time and "not to waste our money". Giving in to that was our first mistake.

So, here we are, a week from traveling, and nothing. The website "is experiencing technical difficulties" 90% of the time and when it does work, I get the exact same status message that I got on March 10.

4 weeks ago, we began calling the number on the website to speak to someone. That has been mostly a waste of our time and taxpayer dollars as they seem to be unable to do anything but read to us from a script which basically says "all I see is that it is still in process at our Charleston office". They advise us to "call back tomorrow" for any updates.

I've submitted emails also, as directed on the travel.state.gov website.

Check out this response below. I've received it three times, from three different "agents". If I weren't so frustrated, it would be ridiculously hilarious. They can't access my application because the website is down, however, I can go online to their website to check the application?:eek:

Thank you for contacting the National Passport Information Center.

Due to ongoing website issues and upgrades, we are unable to reference your application. This does not affect the issuance of your passport. For immediate needs please contact us at the number below. You can also check the status of your application, via our online service https://passportstatus.state.gov/opss/OPSS_Status_ip.asp, using the “check application status” link.

For further information, please refer to our website http://www.travel.state.gov or call (877) 487-2778, for TDD/TTY users 1-888-874-7793 (Mon-Fri 8:00AM to 10:00PM ET; excluding federal holidays). If you need to contact us again by email, please include all prior messages/correspondence in your reply so we can review what has previously taken place.

Thank you.

National Passport Information Center

In the end, I know that I can travel with his birth certificate, however, it means an added day to my trip to go to another state to get a certified copy, and a trip to court to get another notarized copy of the custody papers (we'd need a spare to travel, as the original one is always tucked safely away). We would just like to have the passport in the event of a travel emergency.

Has anyone else been this close to travel with nothing?

Any advice or suggestions? I've given them detailed travel plans several times, letting them know how close we are to leaving.... and yet, :confused:

Thanks!

I would probably try contacting your Senator or Congressman and see if they can help you. It sounds very frustrating. Good luck. :)

Try to get a state issued ID and use that with the birth certificate. You can get one same day at the driver's license office...make sure you take all required documents. They are very inexpensive and your mind will be at ease in case the passport does not get to you in time for sailing. Our kids have been on 14 cruises with just a state ID and a birth certificate.

Contact you representative. But at this point that may be too late. I don't think expediting it would have helped in this issue.

Wow, that is ridiculous!! It makes me happy to be Canadian and have a passport office in the city I live. Only problem I had was picking the wrong day to go renew my passport (a Monday) and it taking 90 minutes to get my number called..

You need to either get BC/ID issued or call and ask for a supervisor. The only reason a passport would take longer than six weeks is if they needed more info or there was criminal convictions and they need to do more background checks......three months is insane....hate to say this, but perhaps it's like when I worked for student loans and someone's application accidentally fell and slipped down the elevator shaft...no one knew whose it was either!

I believe you can order a certified copy of any USA birth certificate online if you're the parent or that individual. If you have the smart last name, it might not be too hard.

Good luck!

It seems like you mailed in the application. My understanding is that for children under the age of 16 you have to apply for their passport in person at a designated passport location. The locations are listed on the State Department website. Even for a renewal, both legal guardians (parents, etc) have to be present with the underage child. There is a waiver that one parent can sign if they can't be present, but at least one guardian needs to be there.

Here is a link: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/under-16.html

I would see if you can get an expedited, in-person appointment to get the passport. You can also use the birth certificate and adoption papers at the port.

We are in the process of renewing our children's passports who are 15 and 13. We have to schedule in person appointments to renew. It's a big pain!

Edited to add: I just reread your post. You likely did apply in person and they have just lost it in the system. I am so sorry as this is incredibly frustrating and makes me worried about trying to renew our children's passports.

What a nightmare. I assume you've tried demanding that they escalate your call...but the truth is, it's probably true that the person on the end of the phone can't see any information due to the screwed up computer system.

I see that you live in Tennessee. If you happen to live somewhere like Chattanooga, I wonder how you feel about coming down to the regional passport office here in Atlanta? I know..that's not a great solution, and I don't even know if they could help you...you might end up having to start over. But it's a thought.

I have a feeling that, since yours is an unusual situation, your application might have gotten buried on someone's desk in the "I don't know how to do this one pile." And from there...stuff just got piled on top of it. It's shameful, really. 3 months?????:mad:

You're dealing with the government. I would have started the process earlier (4-6 months), or if I had only 3 months, I would have not believed them and done the expedite process.

Been through this stuff enough to know the government works to its own painfully slow process

As for your situation, if you have a back up plan to get a certified BC copy in another state, then do it and move on

Try to get a state issued ID and use that with the birth certificate. You can get one same day at the driver's license office...make sure you take all required documents. They are very inexpensive and your mind will be at ease in case the passport does not get to you in time for sailing. Our kids have been on 14 cruises with just a state ID and a birth certificate.

8 yr olds do not need ID.

If she gets her state rep on it, I bet that passport will show up in the system. All it takes is a call to their oiffice. I am just worried it will be too late. The earliest she can get the ball rolling is Monday at this point.

When we first cruised with our son he was our foster child. The Passport services required a notarized copy of court orders granting permission for us to get him a passport. We were made to understand that this is the case even for legal guardians. Now that we are his permanent guardian we no longer need the court order for the cruise line but if he needed a new passport we would have. Even the judge and social worker were annoyed with passport services when all was said and done. It took us about 4 months of back and forth to get it.

I applied for my daughter's passport application at the post office and she's 13. However, you can go directly to a passport office to get a passport the same day.

I would call one of your Senator or House Member first thing Monday. They have staff that does nothing but solve problems. I would research to see if one of them is in a leadership position, committee chair or on a committee involving the Department of State. Hopefully they will be able to help

You're dealing with the government. I would have started the process earlier (4-6 months), or if I had only 3 months, I would have not believed them and done the expedite process.

 

Been through this stuff enough to know the government works to its own painfully slow process

 

As for your situation, if you have a back up plan to get a certified BC copy in another state, then do it and move on

This sounds the best way. As for the rest of the paperwork you might need, just take the ones you have "safely hidden away".

It sounds like the main element missing is the BC, right?

We cruised a couple of years ago and my youngest had an expired passport. I only realized 3 weeks before cruising that it wasn't up to date (entirely my fault - should have checked sooner). Too late for expedited.

Theres a passport office in Miami so I booked a hotel next door for the Friday night and planned to travel down on the Friday and get a passport for her.

Spoke with the people who do the appointments and they told me what day to call to an appointment. They got it wrong so by the time I called they had all gone. I called probably 50 times and got nowhere.

We ended up cruising with a birth certificate an her expired passport and had no issue at all.

you might want to check with Carnival but if you have all of that documentation you mentioned then a copy of that plus the birth certificate should be plenty. you'll need the original or an official copy. Check with Carnival though - and remember the more info you take the better.

Good luck.

Wow, this is really worrying me as I have another thread on how long it is taking to get our passports for "children". My sons had to have their passports "renewed" ( I know that since they are children it is actually looked at as "new Applications"). They are 17 and 20. We were also told no need to expedite as we were right at the six weeks. Our status says being processed as it has for a month now.Our cruise is June 19 (we leave home on June 18).

we are also from TN...is something going on????

I did some research for you and it said "For emergency situations, you need to make an appointment and visit the nearest Atlanta passport agency or apply through a registered expediter such as Fastport Passport to get a passport fast."

Atlanta Passport Agency

230 Peachtree St NW, Suite 1000

Atlanta, GA 30303

"Passports are issued according to travel plans. Same-day passports are issued in emergency situations."

Automated Appointment Number

(Available 24 hours/7 days)

1-877-487-2778

Your situation is just terrible and I truly hope that you're able to get the passport somehow. Give the number above a call and see what happens. If going to Atlanta is too much, I would definitely get another birth certificate asap.

Good luck to you!

.......We were also told no need to expedite as we were right at the six weeks. Our status says being processed as it has for a month now.Our cruise is June 19 (we leave home on June 18).

 

we are also from TN...is something going on????

Yeah. Getting closer to the summer travel season. Best time to apply is January-February.

The state ID suggestion is a good one but some states cannot process them in a day. California mails out from a central facility and can take several weeks to get.

I would probably try contacting your Senator or Congressman and see if they can help you. It sounds very frustrating. Good luck. :)

The person you really need to contact is your local state Representative. They have a whole department that really does nothing but deal with things like this and they are amazing!

Since you only have 1 week though it may be an issue at this point. But I will say we had a lot of issues with my oldest DS's 1st passport. I had to keep providing documentation that I was his birth mother.... :rolleyes: But after calling the State Representative for the state he was born in, we had his passport with-in 2 weeks.

I almost feel there is a "flag" on some people or names in the system. I just got my oldest DS's 1st adult passport in the mail last week. The application was "processing" and they needed AGAIN all kinds of stuff repeatedly. We filled it in December....

I wish you the best of luck getting it straightened out or getting the other documentation you need!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice. I'm sitting here now, kicking myself repeatedly for not thinking of contacting our Senator or Congressman. That is an excellent suggestion!

It may well be too late to get the passport before we leave, but at least maybe we can get some forward momentum on the application.

It's easy enough to get a notarized copy of our custody papers as that is a 20 minute trip to the courthouse. The pain is going to be getting the certified birth certificate by making a side trip to Atlanta (for our flight) via Birmingham, but such is life. At least we have an alternate plan.

This has to be in the top 5 of the most ridiculous and annoying things I've experienced in my life. When it's time to renew his passport, I think I'll start a year in advance. Just maybe that will give our wonderful government employees enough time to return it on time. :cool:

You're dealing with the government. I would have started the process earlier (4-6 months), or if I had only 3 months, I would have not believed them and done the expedite process.

 

Been through this stuff enough to know the government works to its own painfully slow process

 

As for your situation, if you have a back up plan to get a certified BC copy in another state, then do it and move on

I seriously would have applied earlier, if we'd had the cruise booked longer. The fact is, I applied within 2 days of booking our cruise. It was a spontaneous decision at our grandson's request, to celebrate his 5th anniversary of living with us.

He loves to travel and has been all over the continental U.S. with us. I just never anticipated traveling anywhere where a passport would be required/helpful, otherwise we would already of obtained one.

Lesson learned: Spontaneity and the Federal Government go together like oil and water. They simply do not mix. :eek:

Wow, this is really worrying me as I have another thread on how long it is taking to get our passports for "children". My sons had to have their passports "renewed" ( I know that since they are children it is actually looked at as "new Applications"). They are 17 and 20. We were also told no need to expedite as we were right at the six weeks. Our status says being processed as it has for a month now.Our cruise is June 19 (we leave home on June 18).

 

we are also from TN...is something going on????

I highly doubt that there is anything wrong that has something to do with your state. Passports are a federal thing. My guess is that it's because it's the beginning of the summer and they are getting flooded with applications from people who want to travel this summer and have waited until the last minute to apply. Anyway, good luck to you and the OP.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice. I'm sitting here now, kicking myself repeatedly for not thinking of contacting our Senator or Congressman. That is an excellent suggestion!

 

It may well be too late to get the passport before we leave, but at least maybe we can get some forward momentum on the application.

 

It's easy enough to get a notarized copy of our custody papers as that is a 20 minute trip to the courthouse. The pain is going to be getting the certified birth certificate by making a side trip to Atlanta (for our flight) via Birmingham, but such is life. At least we have an alternate plan.

 

This has to be in the top 5 of the most ridiculous and annoying things I've experienced in my life. When it's time to renew his passport, I think I'll start a year in advance. Just maybe that will give our wonderful government employees enough time to return it on time. :cool:

I am not sure if you are aware of this but in GA you can get birth certificates at ANY county health dept. Just jump down to Dalton right quick and pick up a copy. I have done this for both my kids and my birth cert.

My son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter applied for passports 9 weeks ago. They had to make an appointment to see someone at the post office. The person they saw told them it would take 4-6 weeks, which is what the website states also.

My granddaughter got hers last Friday, my son got his on Tuesday and yesterday my daughter-in-law got a letter stating that the birth certificate she had sent in wasn't adequate as it didn't have the state seal on it. Now, I would have thought that the person at the post office would have told her that when she applied. He said all their docs were fine.

Now, she has to go get a certified copy of her b/c and mail that in the envelope they sent her. I know it's her fault for not having the correct documentation, and had she told me what she was using, I would have told her it was wrong, but I feel that the person at the PO should have told that what she had was incorrect.

Monday she will get her new b/c and mail it in. I am hoping that this isn't going to take another 9 weeks as we will have already gone on our cruise before then. Every time she checked the status for the family, it was the same message saying they received it and were working on it and it takes 4-6 weeks. What a bunch of malarkey!