Expedited Passport

[asitel]

Please let me know the status of your Passport on-line. Is it listed as "Routine Service" or "Expedited Service? I applied as expedited Passport service as my local County Clerk with the express mail delivery.
Thanks if you can respond my question,
LN

Just as I've said in the quoted post the description has changed from initial 'routine service' to say 'expedite service' on the same day (probably half a day difference).

If you read this thread you'll find that it is routine for them to initially enter all applications as 'routine' (some pun was intended) even if they are really expedite. Some time later (in most cases I remember reading about) the description changes to say 'expedited' for those who did expedite service. That 'some time' varies from half a day in my case to (I've thought) up to a week in other cases. Most likely you should be fine with your travel (unless you need visa). You could wait few days and then call them if description does not change. In general it looks like they picked up speed a little compared to the problems in the beginning of summer.

Not a legal/binding advice!

 

[lngo07]

Thanks for your advice.
I will wait for a couple of days to see the status will change from "Routine Service" to "Expedited service" or not.
Be patient that is the key to be succeed.

 

[Asif2000]

How do you actually expedite the service?

I went to the county tax office to apply for my passport. I "expedited" my passport by paying extra money (i.e. $127 instead of $67) but is that all?

They didn't ask me about sending or receiving it in an overnighted envelope and the additional charges associated with that.

 

[Asif2000]

Yep, you got it. Not only Naturalization Certificate came in a flimsy brown envelope without "Do Not Bend" stamp, it was folded in half. Oh, the bonus: second passport picture was included.

Also, there is no way to track express mail if you received tracking number while applying at the post office. They mail passport from different facility, so the label you filled is used neither for the passport nor for the certificate.



Mailed N400 09/15/06
RD 09/18/06
PD 09/18/06
ND 09/26/06
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InfoPass 02/13/07
Service request 04/20/07
Interview notice 04/30/07
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Oath notice 06/28/07
Oath 07/23/07
Passport applied 07/23/07
Passport received 08/06/07

The Nat Certificate doesn't have the address on itself I believe. I wonder why the state department is going through this extra hassle to not only pay extra potage for the seperate delivery of the certificate but they also implemented a system to keep track of the individual's address to mail the certificate. Seems like its more prone to potential mistakes.

 

[Huracan]

I believe the extra hassle comes from changes of procedure. They put a mega passport production facility online a few months back. My guess is that they send the passport data electronically to that facility so the passport gets printed there, your nat. certificate probably stays in the passport agency which has your address to send it back. Passport gets sent from the passport production plant. Don't complain, they're trying to do this to get the passport quicker to you.

 

[dandan123]

How do you actually expedite the service?

I went to the county tax office to apply for my passport. I "expedited" my passport by paying extra money (i.e. $127 instead of $67) but is that all?

They didn't ask me about sending or receiving it in an overnighted envelope and the additional charges associated with that.

What you paid for is the expedited service as far as the passport agency is concerned.

You can also choose to overnight it to cut down on a couple of days.

 

[kagemusha]

What you paid for is the expedited service as far as the passport agency is concerned.

You can also choose to overnight it to cut down on a couple of days.

The reason I paid for express delivery was to ensure that they wouldn't just leave my precious documents in my mailbox without my having to sign for them. As it turns out they did leave my passport on the front porch (although signature was required for delivery) and the naturalization certificate arrived by first class mail and was left in my mailbox.

-KM

 

[Asif2000]

The reason I paid for express delivery was to ensure that they wouldn't just leave my precious documents in my mailbox without my having to sign for them. As it turns out they did leave my passport on the front porch (although signature was required for delivery) and the naturalization certificate arrived by first class mail and was left in my mailbox.

-KM

So basically, paying extra for the overnight delivery both ways is the waste of money.

 

[Huracan]

It looks like that's the case now. I am not planning to use overnight, but I am planning to use expedited, but that's just me.

 

[lngo07]

I paid the expedited Passport service total $189.50 at County Clerk office but the status on-line was listed as "Routine Service" as some reasons.
It is taking 10-12 weeks to receive the passport as what it said on the status.

 

[McMahon]

I hope it is clear to the applicants that they should mark Expedited on the envelope as the State Department writes http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_831.html

 

[Asif2000]

^^ How did the amount add up to be $189.50?

I paid $127 check payable to the U.S Department of State and $30 cash to the county clerk. hmmm

 

[lngo07]

I paid $143.25 (Application fee) + $30 (Acceptance Fee) + $16.25 (Express Mail) = $189.50
I hope I will receive my passport in the next 2 to 3 weeks since I need it for my trip to China in Sept.

 

[Asif2000]

Why $143 though?

The passport fee is $67.00 and $60 is for the expedited service, the total application fee should be $127

 

[lngo07]

I think $127 + $16.25 = $ 143.25 even though the clerk did not explain it to me. She just told me to write the mount if I wanted to apply expedited service.

 

[fremontca]

Fee for express mail return is 16.25

143.25 is also what I paid US Dept of State (127 + 16.25 for overnight return)

Why $143 though?

The passport fee is $67.00 and $60 is for the expedited service, the total application fee should be $127

 

[lngo07]

Yes, I think you are correct....!!!! I paid for express mail for both way.

 

[Asif2000]

I was asked to write a check for $127.00 for the expedited service. The clerk didn't say any other way.

 

[bubagump]

Is this a revision of the "expedited" timelines?

First of all, great forum. I have been lurking for a while and have learnt a lot from this board which helped me through the naturalization process.

The department of state's passport timelines webpage has the following statement:

Effective August 16, 2007, the Department’s standard for expedited passport processing completion, as defined in 22 CFR 51.66, is ten business days from either: 1) receipt of your passport application at a Passport Agency/Center; or 2) if the passport application is already at a Passport Agency/Center, the date your request for expedited passport processing is approved. Expedited passport processing is considered complete when the passport is ready to be picked by an applicant or when it is put in the mail to the applicant.


Is this something new? What do you guys think this means?!

Webpage located here:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/processing/processing_1740.html

 

[Asif2000]

First of all, great forum. I have been lurking for a while and have learnt a lot from this board which helped me through the naturalization process.

The department of state's passport timelines webpage has the following statement:

Effective August 16, 2007, the Department’s standard for expedited passport processing completion, as defined in 22 CFR 51.66, is ten business days from either: 1) receipt of your passport application at a Passport Agency/Center; or 2) if the passport application is already at a Passport Agency/Center, the date your request for expedited passport processing is approved. Expedited passport processing is considered complete when the passport is ready to be picked by an applicant or when it is put in the mail to the applicant.


Is this something new? What do you guys think this means?!

Webpage located here:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/processing/processing_1740.html

This page (the link you provided above) has changed as of August 16th apparantly.

The whole text on this page for Expedited passport as of August 13th 2007 was the following (I got it by opening a "cached" version of this page from google)


***Expedite Service: Currently, Expedite Service takes 2-3 weeks to receive your passport from the date you applied. It may take longer for customers who apply for a renewal by mail without “Expedite” marked on the mailing envelope. If you haven’t received your passport and are traveling within the next 7 days , please call or email the National Passport Information Center.