Expidited Passport Advice!!

[Lvs2Cruise2]

Not to beat a dead horse about passport stuff, but if anyone is thinking whether or not to expidite... DO IT!! Just got off the phone with agency, and regular passports are taking 10-12 weeks. And if you do expidite it, write EXPIDITE very large on your envelope before mailing it. I mailed my renewal and name change on 2-9, they received it on 2-12, and the guy on the phone told me since I didn't write EXPIDITE on the envelope, it probably is at the bottom of the pile!! Glad I paid the extra $60!! No where on the application does it say to write that on the envelope. I don't travel until April 22, but the guy told me if I don't receive it 2 weeks before, I have to go to a Passport agency in Chicago or Philadelphia.... I'm in Cleveland!! I also mailed them my original of my marriage certificate.. just hope they didn't "misplace" this stuff!! Just to warn everyone ... don't forget to WRITE EXPIDITE on your envelopes!! Happy Cruising!!

[scomyrwil]

You can check on your progress of your passport on the web. Go to the Departmant of State and look for passports. There is a place where you can check on line how your application is going.

 

I agree to write EXPEDITE all over the envelope. Send it Priority Mail. Go to the Post Office they can help. Once you have done that, cut and paste the following site in your browser and follow the instructions. This will tell you of your status.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html

 

I did this and received my new passport within 2 weeks after I sent it in.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[url=http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html][/url]

[Lvs2Cruise2]

I've been checking the status of my renewal everyday for the past 2 weeks!! It says it's not in the system yet. They received it on 2-12 (that's what the certified mail receipt says). The guy on the phone told me since I didn't write expidite on the envelope (no one at the post office told me and filled out the forms there and told them I was expiditing it!) that my application was probably at the bottom of the pile because how would they know it is to be expidited? I'm not panicked yet, my trip isn't until April 22, but I would like to know how much longer it's going to take since my "Expidited" application has already taken 3 weeks and it's STILL NOT in the system!

[CruiseZapper]

my hubby and i sent ours off at the same time, used one check. we gave the check and paper work at the library, this was on jan,28th, mine cleared online stat, last week , his still has not cleared, the check has already cleared our bank, looks like them both paid with one check that they both should have been in the same envelope,grandson sent his in a week and a half after we did and his is already showing up,

[Sheffie]

If it hasn't come a couple of weeks before the cruise, I suggest that you just go down and get another certified copy of your birth certificate. This, with your driver's license, will allow you to cruise this year.

[Happy ks]

my hubby and i sent ours off at the same time, used one check. we gave the check and paper work at the library, this was on jan,28th, mine cleared online stat, last week , his still has not cleared, the check has already cleared our bank, looks like them both paid with one check that they both should have been in the same envelope,grandson sent his in a week and a half after we did and his is already showing up,

 

 

When my husband and I applied for ours they did not allow us to pay with one check, it had to be 2 separate checks. I'd check into this if I were you.

 

Sometimes there are other reasons a passport takes longer. If his name is similar to someone who would not qualify for a passport (crime, back child support, warrants even for traffic violations etc...) they may be doing a more thorough background check on him.

 

Still, I'd do a check to find out what the hold up is. It's best to give yourself plenty of time before you need the passport than to scramble close to your sail/travel date.

 

Good luck, I hope htis works out soon for you :)

[mollyeilis]

That's too bad the PO doesn't tell you to mark the envelope.

 

Looking at the official info on http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_831.html :

 

"If you mail in - clearly mark Expedited on the envelope"

 

 

Every PO post makes me more and more sure that we will NOT use their services, we'll go to the city auditor's office listed on the passport site that does passports...

 

 

On that same page it states:

 

"After you apply - You will receive your passport: Normally, it takes 2 weeks to receive your passport from the date you applied. Because of unusually high demand, it is now taking 3-4 weeks and possibly longer if you renewed by mail and did not mark “Expedite” on the mailing envelope. If you haven’t received your passport and are traveling within the next 10 days, please call or email the National Passport Information Center." (I italicized the sentence, and that last bit is actually a link on their page)