Has anybody received a new pasport since the "Passport computer system meltdown"???

[tmcon01]

My wife applied for a new passport 6 weeks ago at local post office. Still haven't received it. Status sill says "being processed". We cruise to Alaska Sept 7. She is starting to freak out.

We didn't expedite because we had over 2 months and it seemed most people received their passports well under the 4-6 week time given by passport agency. But now with the Passport computer meltdown that happened around July 20th and still hasn't been completely fixed, we are starting to really worry.

 

Had we only know we would have expedited and probably would have gotten it before the computer crashed.

 

Since it is a round trip Alaska cruise, she could have gone with just her birth certificate, but now we don't even have that.

 

Has anybody received their passports in the last week or so and when did you apply?

 

If there is a problem with the application will they send the birth certificate back then or hold it until they get more info from us.

[wwcruisers]

Do you have time to order another copy of her birth certificate -- just in case the PP doesn't arrive in time? That might be a good back-up plan, but sounds like you'd need to get moving on it now.

Good luck -- with the PP issue, and your upcoming cruise! :cool:

[tmcon01]

We have already considered another birth certificate but by mail it takes 20+ business days plus mailing time both ways. Not enough time.

I guess if it comes down to it I'll have to drive there and get it personally. 1000 miles round trip. They say they can do it while I wait in person. Not looking forward to that.

[thehappycruiserchick]

Hi

 

I applied for my passport on June 18th and when I checked on the status two weeks ago they told me that I should be getting it August 11th but I got it a couple days earlier. I was freaking out a little too but you can check your status online. I didn't expedite mine either but as you can see mine took about 7 weeks to come and not a minute too soon because my cruise is about 3 weeks away

Edited August 13, 2014 by thehappycruiserchick

[tmcon01]

Thanks for the reply.

I keep telling her we still have more than 3 weeks but it doesn't seem to help her much

[sykimball1498]

I applied on July 7, 2014 and received my passport on July 29, 2014, a little less than three weeks. I am wondering if it took less time for me as I had a previous pasport years ago, but it was expired for over 10 years so I had to apply as if I were getting a new one as the old one had been issued in the mid '90s.

 

I hope you get it soon. My status went from being processed, to final processing for about 2 days and then it said it was being mailed and I got it the day it said it was being mailed.

 

I would keep checking the state website everyday and once it goes to final processing you should have it in about 4-5 days.

 

Once you get within 2 weeks of sailing I think they allow you to call the State Dept as well. There are also places that will help expedite it once it is within the 2 week period but I know that means more money you ahve to shell out.

[thehappycruiserchick]

I applied on July 7, 2014 and received my passport on July 29, 2014, a little less than three weeks. I am wondering if it took less time for me as I had a previous pasport years ago, but it was expired for over 10 years so I had to apply as if I were getting a new one as the old one had been issued in the mid '90s.

 

I hope you get it soon. My status went from being processed, to final processing for about 2 days and then it said it was being mailed and I got it the day it said it was being mailed.

 

I would keep checking the state website everyday and once it goes to final processing you should have it in about 4-5 days.

 

Once you get within 2 weeks of sailing I think they allow you to call the State Dept as well. There are also places that will help expedite it once it is within the 2 week period but I know that means more money you ahve to shell out.

 

 

Did you expedite the process because mine took long to come.

[sykimball1498]

We did not expedit the processing of the passport. The only thing I can think of is that we got through right before the system crashed.

 

The lady at the USPS also said all our paperwork was perfect when we sent them off and I also sent a copy of my marraige license to show the name change from my birth name. She said bridge documents make the process easier and quicker.

[Keith1010]

Let me offer a recommendation.

 

Call your United States House Of Representatives Office. They can be a great help to get this sorted out for you.

 

Keith

[tmcon01]

I was wondering about the marriage certificate. We didn't send it because it wasn't asked for but I kind of wondered why it wasn't asked for.

[tmcon01]

Let me offer a recommendation.

 

Call your United States House Of Representatives Office. They can be a great help to get this sorted out for you.

 

Keith

 

 

Thanks Keith

If it doesn't come in the next week or so we probably will be making that call

[Keith1010]

tmcnon01, you are welcome.

 

If it was me I would go ahead and get their help. This is an area that these offices are quite good at.

 

Best of luck with all of this.

 

Keith

[montekat]

Rather than drive 1000 miles RT to get another BC, you might consider doing it online. Many people have reported good luck with this site: https://www.vitalchek.com/birth-certificates

 

I don't know what they charge, but it may be better than a long drive just before you go on a cruise. Good luck!

[ddoc]

Call your Representative now. They help but aren't that fast.

[tmcon01]

Rather than drive 1000 miles RT to get another BC, you might consider doing it online. Many people have reported good luck with this site: https://www.vitalchek.com/birth-certificates

 

I don't know what they charge, but it may be better than a long drive just before you go on a cruise. Good luck!

 

 

Actually we considered Vitalchek until I read many many horror stories from people that were completely ripped off by them. Seems like a high priced gamble with a good possibilty of no results.

 

I guess I shouldn't research everything. I may well have gotten good results from them but now I'm very wary of trying them.

Edited August 13, 2014 by tmcon01
left something out

[Life is Good Cruising]

There is a question on the application asking for your travel plan. Did you indicate dates in those boxes for your upcoming trip?

[tmcon01]

There is a question on the application asking for your travel plan. Did you indicate dates in those boxes for your upcoming trip?

 

 

Unfortunately no. My wife told me the Post Office guy asked her and she couldn't think of it off the top of her mind and stalled and said "Uh..." and he quickly said "Oh that's alright, you don't need to put anything there".

 

My thought was "Oh great!!!..." when she told me that.

 

Live and learn.

[GTO-Girl]

Unfortunately no. My wife told me the Post Office guy asked her and she couldn't think of it off the top of her mind and stalled and said "Uh..." and he quickly said "Oh that's alright, you don't need to put anything there".

 

My thought was "Oh great!!!..." when she told me that.

 

Live and learn.

 

I read a post the other day and they called the passport office to get the true update of the status. Because of some glitch they were having it was showing "still processing" right up to the date they got it in the mail.

 

It would be worth a try......good luck!!!!

[tmcon01]

Yea I've read it many times that the status on the website is many times not updated before delivery and sometimes never even shows up as even having been excepted. The fact is that an actual current status isn't going to get it here any faster, but I guess it could ease the mind.

 

If only life came with do overs... everything would work out much smoother.

 

Oh I did email them a week ago and got a reply that they couldn't access the status because of the computer glitch problem.

 

 

.

Edited August 13, 2014 by tmcon01

[tmcon01]

 

Oh I did email them a week ago and got a reply that they couldn't access the status because of the computer glitch problem.

 

 

.

 

Here is what they actually wrote:

 

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.

[Capt_BJ]

You can signup for e-mail status notifications the same place you check status

 

IME the e-mail notifications were timely and accurate while the status online was not . . .

 

as I recall the e-mail notification even gave me the item number for the priority mail carrying the passport so I could track delivery (passport offices now use priority mail for no extra charge to facilitate tracking numbers)

[tmcon01]

We did sign up for status emails but have not received a single status email from them yet.

 

Maybe that's part of the computer problem they're having.

[tmcon01]

I would call them right now only I don't know if they would give me any information as it's not my passport.

Does anyone know if I can call and get info/update or only my wife (she's at work).

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I got mine , But I did pay for rush service ..

[NMLady]

I read a post the other day and they called the passport office to get the true update of the status. Because of some glitch they were having it was showing "still processing" right up to the date they got it in the mail.

 

It would be worth a try......good luck!!!!

 

That is what we did when my husband's still hadn't shown up weeks after I'd gotten mine. Passport office searched, found the application, and then expedited the processing. Since they evidently gave you a phone number, have your wife call them.

Edited August 14, 2014 by NMLady