Expedited Passport

Passport timelines

Looks like the passport processing has slowed down again, it almost been 20 days since I applied and nothing yet, has anyone been able to get through the NPIC 877 number?
 
Huracan said:
Hi Mario,

Don't have an answer for your question. I myselfe asked the passport agency about a week ago about if or when they were going to complete the transition to the e-passport. This is the first I hear about hassle. By the way, the U.S. is not a VWP country, the European and some other countries are ;) and there should not be a problem to travel to Europe with a recent passport that is non-RFID. However, I understand that an uninformed or vengeful border officer could try to hassle or make a comment about the non-RFID passport. However, this should still be legal and fine to be used in Europe, it's just the U.S. that demands the e-passport as far as I know.

My 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Huracan,

VWP countries work with the U.S. on a reciprocal basis. If the U.S. mandates epassports for those 27 countries, then I think it's prudent for them to mandate it in return. What my friend experienced does not surprise me at all bec. he was specifically told by a French customs officer while crossing by URail that he should have an epassport if his passport was issued this year (which it was). Not a huge deal for him but it did cause some inconvenience. OTH, all VWP countries in Europe have been issuing the epassport for a while now, some as far back as 2004!
 
Hi Mario,

I respectfully disagree with you. The principle of reciprocity works in many cases, but not always. The U.S. asks Mexicans to obtain visas, but I don't think the opposite is true. There are other examples like this, and the e-passport is another example. The U.S. asks VWP travelers to have an e-passport, but the opposite is not true. As far as I know, the only country in the world demanding electronic passports to enter the country is the U.S. I have followed the news and I haven't heard of any other country.

I believe that French customs officer was ill-informed (which doesn't surprise me, not because of being French or anything, but because it is difficult to keep all this passport information straight). I understand that these misunderstandings can occur from time to time and that perhaps an e-passport can lead to a more hassle-free travel experience. If there was such a requirement for e-passports to travel to Europe the U.S. would probably have completed the transition by now (or it would be all over the news this summer).

My 2 cents
 
NYC Passport Agency

Any experience at the NYC Regional passport agency?
do you guys know what time they close and if it's always busy.
I took an appointment on May 25th at 11:30 am (last one available for that day) and I'm planning to go there after my oath (scheduled at 1:00 PM) in Newark. do you think they will give me trouble if I pretend I was late.

Another question: do they give the RFID passports at the regional agencies or just regular passports?
if not I'm planning to travel on June 7th do you think I will get the passport on time if I apply thru post office?
 
The oath ceremony could take up to 2 or 3 hours and by the time you get to the passport office, they might be closed, you may want to reschedule the appointment to another day. If you are planning on traveling June' 7th, the expedited passport may take longer than 2 weeks, so your options are make a new appointment or explore "Rush passport" services like some other members utilized to get the passports in 2 or 3 days but it is going to cost an additional $95 dollars on top of expedited processing.



akram88 said:
Any experience at the NYC Regional passport agency?
do you guys know what time they close and if it's always busy.
I took an appointment on May 25th at 11:30 am (last one available for that day) and I'm planning to go there after my oath (scheduled at 1:00 PM) in Newark. do you think they will give me trouble if I pretend I was late.

Another question: do they give the RFID passports at the regional agencies or just regular passports?
if not I'm planning to travel on June 7th do you think I will get the passport on time if I apply thru post office?
Click to expand...
 
Huracan said:
Hi Mario,

I respectfully disagree with you. The principle of reciprocity works in many cases, but not always. The U.S. asks Mexicans to obtain visas, but I don't think the opposite is true. There are other examples like this, and the e-passport is another example. The U.S. asks VWP travelers to have an e-passport, but the opposite is not true. As far as I know, the only country in the world demanding electronic passports to enter the country is the U.S. I have followed the news and I haven't heard of any other country.

I believe that French customs officer was ill-informed (which doesn't surprise me, not because of being French or anything, but because it is difficult to keep all this passport information straight). I understand that these misunderstandings can occur from time to time and that perhaps an e-passport can lead to a more hassle-free travel experience. If there was such a requirement for e-passports to travel to Europe the U.S. would probably have completed the transition by now (or it would be all over the news this summer).

My 2 cents
Click to expand...

Huracan - you make some valid points (Mexicans and entering the U.S). Can't argue with a wise man like you :D

Screw the French.

Just kidding :)
 
akram88

Save yourself some headaches and use a passport expeditor. I used one. Check my sig. - my appl. was processed yesterday and they expect to have it back to me either on Thursday or Friday!! Unbelievable 2-3 day turn around. Capitalism at it's finest, in other words, show me the $$$ :)
 
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Application Status

I just checked my passport application status. Anyone know what the foll. means, ie. what's the English interpretation of this :D ?


Thank you for submitting your passport application! It is currently being processed.
Your passport application locator number is xxxxxxx.

Note: We have been experiencing a problem with the online status check system affecting only the application locator number. This does not affect the processing of your application. If the number above is 10 digits long and starts with 10000, please do not worry. If you need to contact the National Passport Information Center, you will have to provide at least your name and date of birth instead of the application locator number. Otherwise, please provide the locator number above.

Please verify pick-up date and time from your Will-Call receipt. Your passport will be ready at that time.

In the event of an emergency and you are unable to pick up your passport, please contact the National Passport Information Center.

FYI: I am using a passport expeditor to handle our passports and they are doing a 2-5 day rush. I expect my passport either Thursday or Friday.

Looks like Pump's response above is exactly like mine except paragraph 3 (in bold).
 
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Huracan said:
Hi Mario,

I hope you get the new RFID e-passport.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I know, I hope so too.

I just found out that my application was sent to the Philly agency for processing ..... lets hope they issue the new e-passports otherwise I'm going to be really bummed out :( . In fact, I made it a point to tell the courier that I want an epassport and to make sure it's sent to an agency that does that. So I'll keep my fingers crossed for another day or so.

I posted the question about Philly/Miami and RFID passports above but no one responded. I find it hard to believe that no one here got theirs from Philly...:rolleyes:
 
Philly/Miami

I answered before. Here it is again;:p
My TimeLine
10 Nov 06 Mailed N400 to TSC
05 Dec 06 FP in NOLA
20 Dec 06 IV letter rcvd
29 Jan 07 IV in JAX, passed
29 Mar 07 Oath letter date (from TSC Mesquite)
03 Apr 07 Oath letter post-marked
05 Apr 07 Oath letter recvd
27 Apr 07 Oath date in Pensacola, FL, nice ceremony, very well done
:rolleyes:
27 Apr 07 Mailed Passport Expedite Application, used express mail/moneyorder
03 May 07 (appox) Passport processing number showed online
11 May 07 Passport arrived, (exactly in 14 days):)

:D Note, my passport application went to Philadelphia, but my passort arrived from Miami. The tracking of my next-day envelopes is shown below.:D


Label/Receipt Number: EB32 0387 485U S
Detailed Results:
Delivered, April 30, 2007, 11:40 am, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19101

Arrival at Pick-Up-Point, April 30, 2007, 11:18 am, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19101

Arrival at Unit, April 30, 2007, 9:27 am, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19104

Enroute, April 28, 2007, 7:40 pm, PENSACOLA, FL 32501

Label/Receipt Number: EB32 1560 445U S
Detailed Results:
Enroute, May 11, 2007, 9:02 am, PENSACOLA, FL 32501

Enroute, May 11, 2007, 7:08 am, MOBILE, AL 36675

Enroute, May 10, 2007, 1:05 pm, MIAMI, FL 33152

Acceptance, May 10, 2007, 6:16 am, MIAMI, FL 33101
 
I went to Houston Regional passport Agency and applied in person since I am traveling next week. They issued me a passport in 5 hours.
 
Status changed to mailed

My passport application status changed to completed processing and it has been mailed to you. Here is exact text.

"We have finished processing your passport, and it has been mailed to you.

You paid for overnight delivery. This means you should receive your passport on or about 05/18/2007."
 
Got it!!

We got our passports this morning. It took 3 days!! Wow!

Awesome looking e-passport - each page with different historic symbols of America, all in color. Looks like an artistic piece of work. Whoever designed it deserves a thumbs up.

For those of you who are worried about the shape the original Naturalization certificates and other documents come back in: Ours came back intact - no folds or creases. Also my kids' birth certificates came back in pristine shape. Go! state.gov! - good job :). FYI I enlcosed each Naturalization certificate and the birth certificates in a plastic (transparent) envelope - so that they could either see it without removing it from the sleeve or remove it entirely if they wanted to check the authenticity.

Take care guys and thanks for all the help! I'll pop in from time to time to offer help.
 
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Anybody know how we sign a minor's passport? On the passport it says that the passport is not valid until it's signed! So...... how does a 3 year old sign? If anyone has info. on this please post.

Thanks
 
When reporting receiving a passport please share with us if it is an old stype passport, or a new RFID, e-passport (i.e. electronic passport). This will help get an approximate idea of how is the transition to the new passport going across the country.

Thanks.
 
Akram88 - Yes they issued me e-passport.

Mario123 - Either Parent can sign their kid(s) passport.
 
Passport Execution fee?

Hi!

My wife (a US citizen) will renew her passport next year. We have noticed that the Post Offices collect a $30 Execution Fee when you submit a request at the Post Office, raising the regular fee $67 to $97.

Would someone know whether the Passport Agency would collect only the regular $67 ($55 application + $12 security) fee?

Thank you!
 
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