Passport waiting game continues (1 Viewer)

[Joseph S]

If you need a passport next year, you might as well apply now. :frowning:

They quoted 4-6 weeks when I applied. Somewhere along the way it went to 6 to 8 and now 10 weeks. Mine still isn't fully "processed" and my "10 weeks" is due before priority mail can deliver it. They've apparently also dumped the joke of a "receive by date" counter on the status web page too. I'm guessing some of you have been waiting longer than this and others needed another heads up.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

I sent my renewal in on 7 February 2007 (form, old passport, new photo, and check). They cashed my check about 6 weeks later. So far no news for me.

Joe, was yours a new passport or a renewal?

 

[Joseph S]

Mine was a new passport.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Wow, things have really changed since last year. We got passports in about 4-5 weeks last spring.

 

[Michael Warner]

Yep that whole North American international air travel requiring a passport deal seems to have totally snuck up on the State Department. They really should have been better prepared and realized that barely 25% of Americans already had their passports meaning that hundreds of thousands would need them for the upcoming summer travel season. We applied for our two sons 10 weeks ago and their applications are just now showing as being received. Fortunately we don't strictly need them this year as we're traveling by sea but it will be much easier to have them on hand.

Like Scott I had to renew mine last year and it took less than three weeks using standard service.

 

[DaveF]

This is not good to hear. Mine's due for renewal; I plan to send it in later this month. Last year, my wife's took the normal 4-6 weeks for a new Passport. I hope my renewal doesn't get stuck in this morass for months and months!

 

[Holadem]

You guys should try dealing with the INS/USCIS

--
H

 

[mylan]

Yikes, we are going to be going for ours on Friday for a cruise on July 22. I'm not sure if we really need them but according to the cruise line it is "strongly recommended" in case we have to fly out for an emergency or other unforseen reason. We have also seen ten weeks for a time line but if it goes fourteen we may be in trouble.
We are still trying to get our papers in order, I have only an abstract of birth certificate and not the real deal but my wife is going to try to get mine today using that and our marriage license.

 

[Joe D]

As Holadem said, try dealing with INS. They are backlogged YEARS for their greencard paperwork.

 

[Bonnie*F]

There was an article on MSNBC last month regarding the problems getting a passport. Fortunately, I got mine last year - took about 6 weeks - because I, at that time, was preparing to go back and forth between Canada and the U.S. and just didn't want to deal with the hassle of having my driver's license, a notarized copy of my birth certificate, proof of employment and a blessing from the pope! (Or so it seemed ).

If you're interested, the link to that story
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17651115/

For those trying to get their passport, good luck!!

 

[Jason Seaver]

Yeah, I'm glad I did it last year too. I go to Montreal for a film festival once a year, and seeing that it would require a passport soon I figured that the price and effort required wasn't going to go down.

 

[Francois Caron]

Same here only I got mine for the summer of 2004 when I went to NYC, over a year before the new regulations went into effect. I thought I was overreacting a bit back then, but as it turned out it was the smartest move I've done. The passport also made crossing the border so much easier compared with what my fellow travelers on the train were going through with their ID cards. All the various news reports on the subject never seem to mention this little fact.

 

[Mary M S]

Does each state have its own processing que? Texas does not seem to be currently running beyond the recomended allowance.
My husband had to get one for work last year so I got mine at the same time knowing I might need it for Mexico in the future. Glad I did, I got to play part-courier and see him on one of his business trips, - since I already had mine and was available for the chore.

My son's just received theirs, also for work (and hopefully if we can fit it in, Mexico this year.) They were in no hurry but I believe they applied just last month and it 'felt' like they came promptly in the mail this last week. I would guess it was a 4-6 wk turn round. (did not pay attention to the dates) My S-I-L was just talking about her sons going on trip for scuba to Mexico this summer. I told her she better get them in pronto! I'm sure as spring heats up there will be many familes not used to the new requirement when setting their plans - clogging the system and sweating getting their children's by departure dates this summer!

 

[MikeH1]

Wonderful news. I'm supposed to be going to Las Vegas for a wedding at the end of July...I see now I had better get the passport asap.

 

[Joel C]

Man, I finally sent in my application after much procrastination around two or three weeks ago. I was hoping to have it by the start of June to plan a trip to Europe with my girlfriend. Hope I get to go! She, of course, is an old pro and has backpacked around South America and lived in France so she thinks it's idiotic that I don't have one at age 25.

Interestingly enough, we went to Seattle last week and it was her first domestic flight.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

My passport came in today's mail...so that's 10 weeks.

 

[mylan]

Good to know. We just went in today and they said 10 weeks, which will be June 22nd. We need it by July 21 so we do have some wiggle room. We were about fourth in line and the whole process from entering and leaving took a hour and a half.

 

[Chris Lockwood]

> Yep that whole North American international air travel requiring a passport deal seems to have totally snuck up on the State Department. They really should have been better prepared and realized that barely 25% of Americans already had their passports meaning that hundreds of thousands would need them for the upcoming summer travel season.

I guess the people wanting passports could not have been better prepared and realized that the new laws would mean higher demand for passports and longer waits?

I'm surprised 25% already have passports, considering how many people never leave the country.

 

[Joel...Lane]

We went down to the post office about two weeks ago to renew our 6 year old's. Hopefully renewals are quicker to process than new ones. They're going to the UK in July so it had better get here. I'm not worried though. He has dual citizenship so he does have a current UK passport and could use that. I think getting back in the country could be a problem though.

 

[Joseph S]

It took 11 weeks, but the wait is finally over.