Passport processing delayed!

[Tropic5115]

Hello Everyone,

 

I am sailing with a group of 8 on the Emerald on February 22. One couple made a last minute decision to join us and needed to also apply for passports. One of the passports came back already but the other is delayed because more information needed to be submitted, there is an issue with a name change. It seems like we should have that passport back in time but if for some reason something happens is it still possible to cruise with another form of documentation? This particular person does have an enhanced drivers licence but I know that probably isn't sufficient.

 

Thank you for your help!

[beg3yrs]

That's a closed-loop cruise from the US. All you need is government-issued ID (like a driver's license) and a certified copy of your birth certificate.

 

An enhanced driver's license might be OK, but check with Princess first.

 

Of course a passport is always the first choice.

[godawgs2012]

While this may seem a bit strong-handed, have that person who's passport is delayed contact their local Congressman's office. They will have someone there who is able to help with this issue. Either ask for a caseworker or the person who handles passport issues. I used to work for a Congressman and in some offices, their caseworkers handled them and in others, they had a staff member who handled passports along with their other duties in DC. They can usually get things moving along if there's an issue.

[Tropic5115]

Thank you for the advice! I know she would feel much better traveling with a passport if possible.

[GradUT]

I used to work in the Passport Section at an American Embassy. We absolutely HATED getting inquiries from Congressional offices about expediting passport requests. It required us to not only pull an application out of the queue (which was unfair to those who were patiently waiting their turn), but we also had to waste valuable time replying to the Member of Congress (via the staffer) about every step we had taken to expedite the application on their behalf.

 

We did the cruise on the Emerald in December. As already explained, since this is a closed loop cruise, your friend can travel using his/her official birth certificate and their driver's license as a photo ID. They should just plan on doing that in case the passport issue is not resolved by the time they sail.

[Homosassa]

While this may seem a bit strong-handed, have that person who's passport is delayed contact their local Congressman's office. They will have someone there who is able to help with this issue. Either ask for a caseworker or the person who handles passport issues. I used to work for a Congressman and in some offices, their caseworkers handled them and in others, they had a staff member who handled passports along with their other duties in DC. They can usually get things moving along if there's an issue.

 

The congressman's office is not going to be any help in this case. According to the OP, the issue is a name change and proper documentation is needed to link the change name back to the birth certificate. There is even more of as problem if the name has been changed several times due to marriages and divorces because documentation is needed for each change. If the proper documentation is available, a middleman will only slow the process.

[godawgs2012]

The congressman's office is not going to be any help in this case. According to the OP, the issue is a name change and proper documentation is needed to link the change name back to the birth certificate. There is even more of as problem if the name has been changed several times due to marriages and divorces because documentation is needed for each change. If the proper documentation is available, a middleman will only slow the process.

 

Not to be rude but you're quite incorrect - we were able to often facilitate the document delivery to the correct people much faster. Trust me, it's much faster for a Congressman's office to send something in to a congressional liaison at the agency than for an individual to send in information and it get lost in the mail room at the main headquarters until its routed to the correct department. I did this type of work for three and a half years - I'm quite familiar in which situations we could help and which we could not.

[cherylandtk]

Hello Everyone,

 

I am sailing with a group of 8 on the Emerald on February 22. One couple made a last minute decision to join us and needed to also apply for passports. One of the passports came back already but the other is delayed because more information needed to be submitted, there is an issue with a name change. It seems like we should have that passport back in time but if for some reason something happens is it still possible to cruise with another form of documentation? This particular person does have an enhanced drivers licence but I know that probably isn't sufficient.

 

Thank you for your help!

Actually, an EDL (Enhanced Driver License) Is all that is needed for a closed loop cruise; it works just as a passport card would in this instance.

[Homosassa]

Not to be rude but you're quite incorrect - we were able to often facilitate the document delivery to the correct people much faster. Trust me, it's much faster for a Congressman's office to send something in to a congressional liaison at the agency than for an individual to send in information and it get lost in the mail room at the main headquarters until its routed to the correct department. I did this type of work for three and a half years - I'm quite familiar in which situations we could help and which we could not.

 

Now let me explain how a congressional inquiry is handle at the federal agency (at least at my agency). The inquiry is sent by the mail room to the office that handles congressional inquiries (not to the office that actually would do the work). In that office, it lands in the inbox of whoever will be handling the inquiry in that office. With some luck, that person will not be at a meeting, out sick, or so backlogged that it takes a day or so to get to that envelope.

 

Once the request is reviewed, copies will be made (whenever the secretary gets a chance), and copies of the request will be sent to their supervisor of the group that will handle the request, the supervisor of that supervisor, the office director and the head office of that office director.

 

If necessary, meetings will be held to determine how the request will be handled and by who. The person who is assigned the request will receive it.

 

Now that is assuming that the congressional liaison happens to be in the same building as the person who will finally handle the request. If the liaison happens to be in Washington, DC and the processing office is in another building, city, or state, allow time for the intra-office mail to make it's way to all the higher ups, their review and decisions, and finally to the person who will be handling the request.

 

Although a tight deadline may be laid on that individual, that person can not drop all of the other high priority work or documents that by regulation has a short turn around time. The request will get the attention it needs when other items with higher priority have been done.

 

Now the person reviews whatever the dingbat congress person has sent in and determines the proper response. The response is drafted and sent back up the line for review and sign off (now remember there are far more sign offs on a congressional inquiry then on an item that would be normally handled).

 

Finally, the response is sent back.

 

Now compare the time this cluster- ahem- love making and extra handling takes to just sending in the documents directly to the appropriate office where the person who handles the original request is waiting to review and process the documentation. And by the way, the person would be probably really ticked off by the extra handling the congressional interference causes over a straight processing of the information. The processing will be done by the book and according to a strict adherence to any applicable regulations or operating procedures. This is in case the jerk in the congressional office that sends out the request causes any problems. Following the regulations and procedures stops any attempt to make a special case of the information and causing charges of favoritism or bypassing set procedures.

 

So that is the story from the other side when a Congressperson office thinks it is speeding up the process and really slows down everything because of all the extra review and attention.

 

So, there is the story from the other side.

[Boytjie]

Actually, an EDL (Enhanced Driver License) Is all that is needed for a closed loop cruise; it works just as a passport card would in this instance.

 

That is correct. Last year on the way to the airport (trying to catch one of the last flights of of New York before a big snow storm) my partner realized that his passport was not in the passport holder. Luckily he had an enhanced driver's license and was OK to cruise.

 

He would not have been able to fly back from St. Maarten if he had to - which we only found out back in Florida is what he should have done (detached retina diagnosed).

Edited January 27, 2015 by Boytjie

[majarosh]

Here here with passport issues due to a " short form " birth certificate.

Now, short version...adopted out of the state of NJ in 1953.

Worked with the state x 4 months to attempt to get the needed " long " form. The hospital closed down years ago...private adoption. ..." why don't you find his files " really...would have love to have been able...he passed years ago and MRS. would not release. Contacted NJ by phone ALL NJ Congressmen and Senators....nothing...no help.

OK....I'm in Florida...maybe THEY can help. Continued to get nowhere with ANY of the Congressmen....in fact I was told " good luck" all this while attempting to work with the NJ folks at vital statics....IMHO....IDIOTS ! We need this document..sent...wait 2 weeks....call to find out status oh you didn't send that document. Explained submitted ALL that was requested. So I call SENIOR FLA Senator...not even a call back. It's now 3 weeks before my cruise..I'm crying...no one will help me...discrimination I said....just because I am an adopted individual. I'm getting ready to cancell the cruise...one last effort...I called Marco Rubio office in Orlando...and I quote

" how can Mr. RUBIO help you" Explained the entire situation thru my tears.

From the day I called Marco's office 8 days later I had MY PASSPORT !

I don't want to start a political debate here...Mr. RUBIO has my vote ! HIS office was great and they actually kept me in the processing loop.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Forums mobile app

[JVilleGal]

Curious what they actually were able to do... I realize you got your passport, but did they manage to get you a long form?

 

I always figured the long form for Adoptees would simply have the names of your Adoptive parents and not the Bio parents?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Homosassa]

Here here with passport issues due to a " short form " birth certificate.

Now, short version...adopted out of the state of NJ in 1953.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Forums mobile app

 

Just curious. If you were adopted out of the state, which state did your adoptive parents live in and was a new birth certificate filed in their state?

 

If so, did you inquire for your certificate from that state? Sometimes all that is needed is to ask the right people for the information.

[godawgs2012]

Now let me explain how a congressional inquiry is handle at the federal agency (at least at my agency). The inquiry is sent by the mail room to the office that handles congressional inquiries (not to the office that actually would do the work). In that office, it lands in the inbox of whoever will be handling the inquiry in that office. With some luck, that person will not be at a meeting, out sick, or so backlogged that it takes a day or so to get to that envelope.

 

Once the request is reviewed, copies will be made (whenever the secretary gets a chance), and copies of the request will be sent to their supervisor of the group that will handle the request, the supervisor of that supervisor, the office director and the head office of that office director.

 

If necessary, meetings will be held to determine how the request will be handled and by who. The person who is assigned the request will receive it.

 

Now that is assuming that the congressional liaison happens to be in the same building as the person who will finally handle the request. If the liaison happens to be in Washington, DC and the processing office is in another building, city, or state, allow time for the intra-office mail to make it's way to all the higher ups, their review and decisions, and finally to the person who will be handling the request.

 

Although a tight deadline may be laid on that individual, that person can not drop all of the other high priority work or documents that by regulation has a short turn around time. The request will get the attention it needs when other items with higher priority have been done.

 

Now the person reviews whatever the dingbat congress person has sent in and determines the proper response. The response is drafted and sent back up the line for review and sign off (now remember there are far more sign offs on a congressional inquiry then on an item that would be normally handled).

 

Finally, the response is sent back.

 

Now compare the time this cluster- ahem- love making and extra handling takes to just sending in the documents directly to the appropriate office where the person who handles the original request is waiting to review and process the documentation. And by the way, the person would be probably really ticked off by the extra handling the congressional interference causes over a straight processing of the information. The processing will be done by the book and according to a strict adherence to any applicable regulations or operating procedures. This is in case the jerk in the congressional office that sends out the request causes any problems. Following the regulations and procedures stops any attempt to make a special case of the information and causing charges of favoritism or bypassing set procedures.

 

So that is the story from the other side when a Congressperson office thinks it is speeding up the process and really slows down everything because of all the extra review and attention.

 

So, there is the story from the other side.

 

I'm not trying to hijack the OP's thread - but things in your agency may be handled this way (and I appreciate your name calling by the way - very mature and probably the reason most people think the federal government is inept. I'm proud to say that this jerk helped hundreds of veterans get their backlogged benefits and actually helped bring an internationally abducted child home back to his parents - if that makes me a jerk who worked for a dingbat congressman who actually cared about his constituents, then so be it).

 

I would garner that 99% of the agencies I worked with I strove every day to have a working relationship with the liaisons and actually had their personal desk numbers and emails - so things did get handled. It's amazing what you can get done (even in the federal government) by simply building relationships.

 

I stand by my advice to the OP - and since you haven't indicated you work for the State Department I will continue to stand by my advice to the OP because I know it works. If you do, then I apologize and will defer to your judgement since its clear you've come here only to belittle my advice to the OP.

[majarosh]

I live in Florida and born in NJ....The vital statics in NJ via phone sending and RE sending (via fax)

I DONT CARE. THEY'RE IDIOTS !

Took me MONTHS ...I was just about ready to fly up and get it done going up to the office and do counter service .EACH time I would send documents I was VERY CLEAR..."do you need a thing else"

 

On the other side of this insanity...my daughter (born in Fl) went right up to the counter in New Port Richey, Fl to get a certified copy of birth certificate AND marriage certificate and bing bam boom...done

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Forums mobile app

[majarosh]

Bravo !

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Forums mobile app