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Whatr can I do to get information about my passport? |
Travel Info I applied for both my passport and my future husband's March 13. At the time they told us that it would be a 10 week processing period, and to call the 1-800 number if I haven't received them within 2 weeks, we are seventeen days from our departure date, and I cannot contact anyone at the 1-800 number! I have called 35 times today and the recorded message states that the call volume is too high and that it won't connect me. It suggests that I check online (I have, and all it says is that my passports are processing) and to call back. We will lose a 2200.00 trip if our passports do not come in..any ideas? Travel Tips My friend had the same problem. Chances are, you'll have to end up going to one of the Regional Offices. He wasn't even able to get a live person on the phone until he was 14 days away from his travel day. They told him over and over that it was half way through processing. He ended up securing an emergency appointment (through his senator's office) at the regional passport office and was able to get a passport the day before he left (and he found out that they hadn't even touched his passport at the processing center yet - he had submitted his passport 10 1/2 weeks prior to his departure date). Here's the deal: 1.) Like Barry suggested: call your congressman's (or senator's) office and ask them to request a congress expedite on your passport. Our congressman's office wasn't able to get through to their "special" contact at the passport offices but maybe yours will have a different number to call. Your passport application is given a number once it's received - you'll need to give them that number so they can make the request. 2.) the operators at the passport offices told my friend that they usually have about 18 open appointments each day at the regional agencies for "emergency" passports. try calling around 7:00AM EST to secure an appointment for the same day. 3.) If you are within 3-5 days of your travel date and still have not received your passport, ask your congressman's office to at least secure an emergency appointment time for you to go to your regional offices so that you can wait from 7:00am and walk out of the office with your passport at 4:00pm the same day. Good luck! I'm sorry that you have to go through this kind of stress prior to your wedding. Others I mailed my passport renewal application in early January and received the new passport 7 weeks later. However, the crush of new applications (caused by the rules change for air travel to Canada, etc.) didn't really start until late January. All the information I see on Answers from people who have applied recently indicates it is taking about 12 weeks from the date you mail the applications. You should call the office of your US Representative (Congressman) and ask for help. They (probably their staff) should be able to get a human on the phone to provide a status report on your applications. Call tomorrow as Monday is a federal holiday (Memorial Day) and you need to get the process going. The staff at your US Representative's office can also help you make an appointment at a passport office if it becomes necessary for you to go in person to get your passports in time. Good luck! If you are leaving, or you need your passport for a foreign visa, within 14 days and need to make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency: Automated lines to make appointments are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The best time to call is between 8:30 p.m. and 9 a.m., Eastern Time. Telephone Number: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793. Telephone number for customers with telecommunication devices for the hearing impaired. This telephone number cannot be accessed by a standard touch tone or rotary dial telephone. Customer Service Representatives and Operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays. Representatives are also available for limited weekend hours for emergency situations in which travelers are leaving in 7 days or less. Automated Information available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have a travel emergency, please call the Center to speak with a customer service representative. Do not e-mail. Here is a website that could help too. http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/a... I don't know where you live, but you might have to physically go to the agency to get things moving. (as a last resort) I applied for my kids passports on Feb 24, and just got them in the mail yesterday... 13 weeks later. Call your congressman... they will have someone dedicated to do this.... the lady I spoke to was really nice. As it turned out, my passport was already in the mail the day I talked to her... but she was still willing to help... Call them now... |
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