Slow (no) Passport

[boozencruisen]

Here's the issue, my fiancee (two ee's means she's the girl right?), applied for a passport in mid December when we knew were going on a cruise. Since then AAA was taken the picture wrong twice, resulting in two return letters from the State Dept. saying the passport cannot be sent back. FYI this will be my 10th cruise, but my girl's first and my first dealing with the passport...

 

I have a few questions, we are going on NCL in about 3 weeks, can she call the State Dept, and ask for the info on her passport/birth certificate and then check in at port with the passport? AAA is paying for the cost of the original passpory fee plus (about 3 days ago) the cost to expedite it, well it make it in time to do online check in? We are going out of NOLA, if they are slow can we call ahead to say keep the birth certificate and we will pick it up from there?

 

Usually I don't worry about anything, but it's about 20 days out and she doesn't have the necessary documents. Will they come? If we don't do online check in can we still do it at port? My sister and her friend already have their luggage tags since they both have passports. What do we do if we don't do online check in before hand, tell the person at port what room we have? Or do we carry it to our room?

 

FYI since I don't think I've said it yet the cruise is the NCL Spirit on March 14th...

[uppitycats]

If you don't do online check-in, you can do it at the port. It just means you'll have to stand in line a bit longer. I'm hoping the expedited service will get it to you in time. Normal processing is about 3 weeks, which is all you have left. I hope it works out for you!

 

I don't quite understand the "picking it up from there" line. Is the passport office where it's being processed in New Orleans?

 

Anyway..good luck!

[smeyer418]

I don't quite understand the "picking it up from there" line. Is the passport office where it's being processed in New Orleans?

 

 

Each of the about 12 local passport offices have places where you can have your passport processed and back in one day-picked up at the pickup window. I have actually done this in NY twice.

 

But the fact that you mailed it to them doesn't mean the passport application is actually in New Orleans unless that is where the letters are coming from(and where the application is). They sometimes transport them to one of the other issuing offices to even out the load or use a national office that is not located in NOLA.

 

If they have the new pictures they should be able to get the passports to the original poster in plenty of time. Call your local congress person and see if they can get it out of the hands of what appears to be a real picky reviewer.

 

I am surprised that AAA has a problem like this. They take so many pictures they should know what to do...unless they got a bad batch of picture paper that turns black when heated to seal it in the passport book.

[cb at sea]

If she can quickly get another BC, she won't even NEED the passport....her BC and DL are fine.

Luggage tags are plentiful from the porters when you arrive at the ship.

[silentbob007]

 

I am surprised that AAA has a problem like this. They take so many pictures they should know what to do...unless they got a bad batch of picture paper that turns black when heated to seal it in the passport book.

 

I don't think the actual picture is used any more but rather scanned and printed directly on the passport as there are now no "raised" images.

[boozencruisen]

I don't think the actual picture is used any more but rather scanned and printed directly on the passport as there are now no "raised" images.

The problems with the pictures were the size. I didn't see the first letter, but the second said the size between hairline and chin has to be 3 1/8th inch, and her's were 3 1/4 inch. So you are right in saying the material it was printed on didn't matter.

 

If she can quickly get another BC, she won't even NEED the passport....her BC and DL are fine.

Luggage tags are plentiful from the porters when you arrive at the ship.

Any idea how long that takes? We are in MO now, but she was born in MI. If it's same state I heard it takes a matter of hours, but if it's different state do they have to send it out? Since it's all the Federal Gov't does it matter if she was born in a different state or is it still just same day?

 

I am surprised that AAA has a problem like this. They take so many pictures they should know what to do...unless they got a bad batch of picture paper that turns black when heated to seal it in the passport book.

Both pictures were taken by the same person. After the second letter saying the pics were wrong she called back to complain and ended up talking to a manager. He promised to compensate all charges and said the person who took them was new and reprimanded (sp?) for the issue. According to my fiancee the girl who took the pictures was also fairly rude. After the first letter the AAA girl read and said, "That is bullcrap," then slammed it down on the counter (I wasn't there so I'm not sure how hard the slam actually was, but it still seem unprofessional).

[Happy ks]

If you want to play it safe, request another birth certificate from the state where she was born. Every state has a different time frame, when I ordered my daughters it took about 10 days total.

 

With expediting the passport, I'd not be surprised if you had it in your hands this week at the latest.

[pauline664]

If it were myself, I would contact the state where she was born, and get the application emailed to you, and get it noterized. Most states have and exppress program, so you may be able to get it rather quick. But you will have to contact her state. The birth certificate and her current state pictured ID would be all you need. But the BC has to be a cerified copy with a raised emblem.

 

Wishing you a lot of luck, and a very Happy Cruise.

[chadci]

If you want to play it safe, request another birth certificate from the state where she was born. Every state has a different time frame, when I ordered my daughters it took about 10 days total.

 

With expediting the passport, I'd not be surprised if you had it in your hands this week at the latest.

 

Or if you're near the state Board of Health you might be able to walk in with propler documentation and take it home with you. I lost my wallet a few years ago and was able to do just that. Took about 45 minutes.

 

As for pictures, we went to our local WalGreens, paid $8.99 each, got 2 pictures and took them with our completed applications to the local post office ( that accepts applications) and I had my passport in about 10 days, birth cert a few days later. Hers took 14 days and again, birth cert a few days later. I don't remember where hers was processed but mine was Nawlins, her's was somewhere else... I think.

[nkereina]

I am surprised that AAA has a problem like this. They take so many pictures they should know what to do...unless they got a bad batch of picture paper that turns black when heated to seal it in the passport book.

 

I used to work at AAA and take passport photos. I can't speak for other offices but here in NY - we had to eyeball it. We just took the photo with a digital camera that had lines on it to line up the face, and then the picture was printed on a digital photo printer and we used the ruler on a paper cutter to trim it down to size. Since everyone did it differently, we frequently would have people returning photos - but usually before the passport would get sent out. The post office was good about being able to tell if the photo would work or not, and they would decline it and send them back to us and we'd do it for free. I think most places kind of do passport photos like this, it would be pretty high tech otherwise.

[mistergq]

its a little (just a little) more expensive, in the future, I recommend going to a Picture People or a store similar to that, and get your passport picture from them. Not only will the picture be better, but it will also be the correct size.

 

If you did expedited service, and you have the right pix this time, you should be fine. having said that, I would also get a copy of the birth certificate and have a back up plan.

[DreaminFP]

I'm from Michigan and recently had to get a copy of my birth certificate, most counties in Michigan you can order the birth certificate online you just need to know a little information it was $15 dollars iirc and it took about a week for me to get it, they also have express shipping available... Good luck to the both of you and I hope her passport comes in time but you might want to get a birth certificate just incase.

[conchead]

If you have a Walgreens go there and get your passport pic.

They take it with a digital camera, stick the memory card in a computer

hit the passport button, size the face to fit the box on the program

click ok and it prints out just like it is required. Quick and simple.

Also, request a BC from the state of birth and then you would be prepared either way.

Passport or Birth Certificate..something should get there in time.