US Passport review: Delay of US passport 190

I already have my passport but my sister and I are supposed to be going to Europe 2 weeks from today and she has yet to receive hers. We sent it out on March 12th, over 14 weeks ago and over 16 weeks before our departure date. We didn't think we would need to expedite it but now we're both starting to freak out!

Having read a lot of these posts... She has spoken with someone at the 877 number and knows that her passport is being processed in Charleston (she got the processing message on the website back in April and called June 8th and yesterday when she had not received her passport yet) but they won't tell her anything else or help her out at all. She is visiting friends in Connecticut and considered just going in person to the agency there to get it, but can't get an appointment... She got some of the phone numbers for the Charleston agency off that PDF list that a couple people posted... Should she start calling them now or should she wait until next week? Any input would be appreciated.

I've had a really tough year and this was supposed to be my reward... I really don't want to go to Europe without my sister...

FYI... as my previous log stated i called the watch dog group @[protected] and I got results! My son 's Passport was completed yesterday 06-19-07 and delivered to our house @8:48 am by Fed-Ex (It was over night 1st AM delivery). He 's leaving today @ 1pm with the treat of his group.

If you find you are 3-4 days from taking your trip CALL the watch dog group. Be polite since screaming and yelling doesn't get you anywhere and I think you'll get a better response... good luck...

Tell your sister to call the Charleston office now. Call the number that the previous poster stated. I wouldn't wait. You are within 2weeks of travel, and past the window promised by the passport office when your sister applied for her passport. Be very polite to whoever answers the phone in Charleston. These people are working under very stressful conditions, and it is not their fault the govt dropped the ball.

The passport "watch dog" number is also helpful, but I don't think they get involved until the window is really closing in, i.e within a week of departure and no passport.

Good luck!

I've read many posts on this site and i took action. i really appreciate all the info that is being broadcasted through this forum. I applied for my passport on March 19th and still haven't gotten my passport. I checked the status online and it showed it was being processed. We leave for the Philippines on July 6th of this year and wanted to make sure I got it before then. I called the 1877 number on the site and all i got was a waste of an hour and then to hear a hang up tone. i called [protected] and got to a rep named Nadia who was able to track down my passport and it was in Charleston. She said it was in the final stage of being completed and should be mailed out by next Monday. She told me to call her if i still don't get it. I suggest everyone call that number and try to find out where the passport is even if you aren't due to leave in a month. Good Luck and ill keep everyone updated.

Well, my sister called that watchdog number first and she said they were really nice but that they told her they couldn't help her because we're still almost two weeks from leaving, but to call back if she doesn't receive her passport within 3-4 business days of when she needs it... she also contacted her senator and they said they would work on it, but that was late yesterday morning and she has yet to hear from them. She called the Charleston number that the person listed at the bottom of page 4 of these comments, the one for the manager or whatever of that office... she was really polite to the lady, saying "I know you guys are busy" and what not, and the lady was not nice to her at all. She told my sister "I'm not the person you are supposed to call" and said if she wanted her passport guaranteed on time she should have had it expedited. She then told my sister that her passport was up for production and she'd get it in plenty of time. I guess my sister has exhausted her options for now and we can only wait until this time next week to call anybody again if she doesn't have it by then.

This is a nightmare.

Just started calling today 14 days before a month long trip to Europe. I have included all tips so that it may help others.

National Passport Center [protected]

Passport status requests [protected]

Washington passport desk at [protected].

US Consular Task Force (WATCH DOG) [protected]

US Department of State phone directory unclassified
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82073.pdf

The following is a list of the abbreviations you will see next to the employees name in the directory. Assuming you know where it’s being processed look for the following. Once you have found someone make sure you have your passport locater number, name, DOB, SS# ready.

CA/PPT…………………………………………………….Office of Passport Services CA/PPT/BN…………………………………………………..Boston Passport Agency CA/PPT/CG………………………….……………………..Chicago Passport Agency CA/PPT/HH……………………..…………………………Honolulu Passport Agency CA/PPT/HN……………………………….………………..Houston Passport Agency CA/PPT/LA………………………………………….…Los Angeles Passport Agency CA/PPT/MM…………………………………………….……..Miami Passport Agency CA/PPT/No…………………………………...……….New Orleans Passport Agency CA/PPT/NPC……..……………………National Passport Center, Portsmouth, NH CA/PPT/NY……….……………………….………………New York Passport Agency CA/PPT/PA…………………….………………………Philadelphia Passport Agency CA/PPT/SE……….………………….……………………….Seattle Passport Agency CA/PPT/SF……………………..……………………San Francisco Passport Agency CA/PPT/SIA…………………………………………….……Special Issuance Agency CA/PPT/SM……………………….……………………….Stamford Passport Agency CA/PPT/WN……...…………………………………….Washington Passport Agency

Email your congressman at http://www.house.gov/

Email your Senator http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Just for fun call
Maura Harty. Her line is [protected].

Good Luck to you all!

Last week, I called the 606 number and was informed that there's no batch number assigned so they're not able to expedite the service in anyway. We applied first week of April. So this week, I called my congressman's office and have also called the Charleston passport center directly (my son's locator number started with 312). The congressman office took down all my info and said they'd work on it. When I called the Charleston ppt center (based on a phone number in the earlier post), a very nice lady answered the phone immediately, got my info and said would call me back. This was this Tuesday. And she DID that afternoon. She said she'll expedite the service and would try to have it delivered to me by the end of the week by FedEx. Today is Thursday, just 2 days after the phone call, I have the passport in hand. In fact, the congressman office called this morning to tell me that I'd be receiving today and provided a FedEx tracking number. We leave next week and am so glad to have found this board. Please you're leaving for a trip soon, please keep trying, there are nice people out there willing to help and I guess we do have to work the system (or the lack of). This site has been INVALUABLE and I'm sure that we'd miss our trip if it hadn't been for the information provided here! Good luck everyone. And THANK YOU to everyone who have posted the helpful information.

I got my passport yesterday Fed-Ex ! after 14 weeks and hours upon hours on the phone. Calling Senators office you name it I tried it! you have to stay on it and it should pay off. I called the 877 number and got through twice a day im sure they were sick of me calling I bet they had my passport picture as a screen saver or my picture up as a phone stalker! Keep calling and asking for them to send an email to have it rushed ! Good luck to those who are still trying great info on this board.

Please post your success stories it gives great encouragement it did for me anyway.

Im off to Greece on July 14th : )

Hi,

I feel all your guys pain. I did the same thing... applied in April for trip at end of June. My advice would be to call your congressman as soon as you are within the 14 day period. I talked to my congressmen and they called on a Thursday and my passport was in my hand on a Saturday. Just in time for the trip.

You can find your congressmen online. Call any in your area and they will tell you according to your district which congressmen is your representative. You have to go sign a privacy act paper that says they can call on your behalf, but wala it works.

Sorry to hear some of you have missed your trip. This just isn't right. The government should have more forethought before changing requirements on travel. It is just plain ridiculous!

First of all I feel the frustration of getting a passport. I applied for a renewal in mid March for a trip at the end of June. Here it is June 24th and still no passport in hand. I cannot believe it would take so long to renew a passport. Thanks to the post on this board I was able to track my passport to the New Hampshire passport processing center. I'm concerned that this is a center that is way behind. The reason I say that is another person applied through mail the same time as me and they received it a month ago. So my guess is that her passport was sent to a different center. I called my Representative within two weeks and have heard nothing except to say they will find out more on Monday morning. I will be calling the watchdog number tomorrow morning bright and early. I also called my senator Bill Nelson who is chairmen of the senate committee who is investigating this fiasco. I''m hoping he will be able to do something. Thanks to all the people that gave information in this site and I'm hoping that I will be receiving mine this week.

My husband and i are taking a trip to mexico that was not planned. We sent for our passports expedited 3 weeks ago. Paid for overnight delivery. I received my passport in the mail today, however my husbands we have not received. It has been processed and the tracking from the postal service has not updated in 2 days... So, hopefully it didn't get lost... We're not leaving until the end of July but this whole passport is truly a MESS! They need to get it straightened out FAST! How awful for everyone to miss out on their trips...

Now 8 days away from departure. I have called everyone and they tell me it will be received by me a day before my trip. I live in Maryland does anyone know if they will issue passports on the spot if I go to the dc office? One day is cutting it to close for me...

MB

Praise report! I called congressmen Dave Weldon, Senator Bill Nelson, and the watchdog number posted on this website and my passport is arriving tomorrow afternoon. I cannot believe the quick response I received from everyone. I called Senator Nelson this morning and by 3 o'clock I had a call stating that my passport has been processed. I wonder if it has anything to do that he is heading the committee that is investigating this backlog. I did do something besides calling the office, I wrote two letters to Senator Bill Nelson on his website this past Saturday since his office was closed and then I called this morning. My Congressmen Dave Weldon was so helpful as well working the issue diligently on my behalf. I checked the fedex site and its posted and on its way. Mike have you called your Senator and Congressmen about the issue, I'm sure you have. I know my congressmen told me that it would be in my hand 3 days before leaving on my trip. Be careful who's telling you the one day info because I have read some post on this site. I believe the Senator and Representative will have the most accurate information. Thank you Bill Nelson and Dave Weldon's staff for an excellent job on my behalf. Hope everyone the best in getting there passports and THANKS again for everyone sharing the information they picked up along the way.

Update: Just read this last night on the state travel site:

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

You requested delivery by regular mail. Passport Agencies use Priority Mail. This means you should receive your passport on or about 06/30/2007.

That would be 4 days before my trip... We will see

Final update!

Just called the talk force and they gave me a fed ex tracking number that says the following:

Jun 26, 2007 8:10 am
On fedex vehicle for delivery

How happy am i! Wooohooo

I have renewed faith in our system! With deepest sorrows for all of you who haven't received your passports in time for your trip. And to those who are panicking use the task force at [protected]. Ask for jamie or dave they are great! Thank you all for this board as a collective group we can help one another.

Peace mb

Thank you to everyone on this site who helped me out! My sister received her passport by FedEx yesterday morning! Let me just recount what worked for us...

Started by calling the 877 number on 6/8, at which point we had sent her passport app out twelve and a half weeks before and were leaving in three and a half weeks. They told her that her passport was in Charleston being processed and that it was "almost finished". Well, 6/19 rolled around and still no passport so she called again. Again they told her that her passport was being processed in Charleston and was "almost finished". She told the woman she spoke to that she had been told that a week and a half ago and the woman agreed to send an email to the Charleston office reminding them of her travel date.

At this point we really weren't happy with the "customer service" she was receiving from the 877 number and that's when I found this website. First she called the watchdog number (the 202 one) but although they were really nice, they said they were really focusing on people who were leaving in 3-4 business days and so couldn't be much help to her. They checked on her passport and confirmed that it was being processed in Charleston. The woman there told my sister that she should get it in plenty of time but that if she didn't have it by "this time next week" to call them (the watchdog number) again.

On 6/20 my sister and I were still really nervous about the whole situation, so she went to the website for our senator, Jim DeMint, and filled out a form on there with comments about her situation. They called her within a half hour of her filling out the form and said they would work on it. They emailed her late that afternoon saying that they were working on it and would keep her updated either by phone or email.

On 6/21, after some discussion, and after the replies to my post on this site asking whether she should contact the Charleston office immediately or wait until this week, we decided that she should call one of the Charleston numbers. We called the one that was listed at the bottom of page 4 of these comments, as being the number for the manager of that office, and a woman named Shirley answered. My sister was polite and even apologetic, saying she knew they were busy and explaining her situation. Shirley wasn't exactly nice about it (she asked my sister if she had expedited her passport, and when my sister said no, we were told she didn't have to expedite it because she was applying so early, Shirley said "well, you should have had it expedited" in a very rufe tone) but she did take my sister's locator number and said that her passport was "up for production" and she should have it "in plenty of time".

At that point we decided to wait until Monday 6/24 before contacting the senator's office again, and then, yesterday morning, my mom called to tell me that a FedEx guy came to the door at my parents' house with my sister's passport in his hand! I was so relieved I could have cried. It turned out that it was most likely contacting our senator that got her passport put through, and let me tell you, I am DEFINITELY voting for Jim DeMint next time around!

So that's what worked for us and thanks again to everyone who helped on this site!

I am in the same boat. Paid for expedited service and nothing for 6 weeks. I have to leave next week. I guess I will have to change the ticket at a cost of $900 for the three members of my family. My passport was not even expiring till November, 2007 but the State Department put the word out that passports had to be valid for 6 months before one could travel. This is absolutely amazing! This does seem to be some kind of a scam!

I agree, if possible I would love to start some kind of lawsuit... IF I don't receive my passport...

My best friend and myself applied on March 21st for our passports... We leave on July 3rd and our plane tickets are a discounted rate so are non-refundable...If we weren't broke ### college students we might consider rearranging plane tickets and lodgings and such as a possibility... But we aren't so we can't and don't.

Fortunately my mother grew up with one of the senators in my state (indiana) so hopefully calling him today and Mr. Lugar will help. Thanks to this site I will try the watchdog number as well... I so hope we get them in time. We leave on the 3rd of July... we have six days, actually, under six days, to get our passports... Good lord this is so terrible. Told 8-10 weeks and now told 10-12 weeks from when we applied and it is already on the 13th week... my passport is simply "processing" when I check on the website or phone number...

I send my passport for renewal over 10 weeks ago and I was told that there was plenty of time for my scheduled travel abroad. I am supposed to leave today and still no passport. I made countless phone calls and countless e-mail, but no answer. Where are the congressmen to ask some question from the authorities. There has to be some accountability. Why people who answer the phone can not help? The rep on the phone just tells that she/he will send an e-mail to the passport processing office. I was told today that passport processing office does not answer e-mail of rep either.

I think the site to track passport and send e-mail is an insult to us since no one responds to the e-mails. The phone calls are worse since they can not help either.

I wish news media would take this news and embarrass the Visa office and the people who run it. Instead of Paris Hilton, they can report on real news. Who cares what Paris ate in jail.

In a meanwhile the airlines are winning since we have paid for tickets that can not be used and are non-refundable. This is an insult. Where are the elected people? Of course, taking vacation...

I am thankful for all the people that gave the phone numbers to call...

My story started April 8. We submitted NEW passport application for our 2 daughters - got these in 8 weeks. Submitted my RENEWAL application on April 9 - haven't received it. We are leaving this Sunday, July 1.

Yesterday, I called my Congressman - Xavier Becerra 31st District for California. The man I spoke with said all he can do is send an e-mail and that it's pushing it to get my passport in 2 days.

Then I called the WatchDog and they told me to call this morning (it's Thursday and I'm leaving on Sunday). So I did. I got through right away and was transferred to a nice gentleman that gave me some HOPE...my passport is halfway done & gave me a FedEx tracking #. I am to call again today at 1 pm (CA time) to get an update.

So...I'm praying not just for my passport but for all those in the same situation. It's things like this that ruin society's faith in its own government.

I read an article that said the taxes upon taxes that is added to our airline tickets is used to finance / support smaller airports that are used by CORPORATIONS and the well-to-do. Why?

My husband, my two children, and myself all applied for new passports on March 12. At 14 weeks I started calling my Senators and they were so swamped and I really got minimal help. After finding this website this past weekend I called the Task Force(202#) early Monday Morning (15 weeks). She said they had been book printed and to call back the next day if no tracking numbers available. Long story short, I got very ill and couldn't call until this morning. The Task Force was great and gave me all 4 tracking numbers (according to the website they are "still processing"). I tracked the #'s and they will be here tomorrow hopefully. Keeping my fingers crossed. Good luck to all and thanks again.

This is a repost of the same info I have posted prevoiusly for help for others. New info included! Good luck to you all!

By the way here is a fairly sure way to ensure you will get it in time! Believe me i have called all departments and i think this is the fix.

Don't wait untill you are 14 days out from your trip! Regardless of what you read don't do it! call three weeks out and tell them your leaving in a week .

They never ask you to send any info verifying your flight. This is a fact! It may change in the future if enough people start doing this but for now if your reading this get on the phone and start calling. Make sure whatever date you pick you must stick with it. They include this in the " email request for expidited passports".

My experience:
June 21st

Just started calling today 14 days before a month long trip to Europe. I have included all tips so that it may help others.

National Passport Center [protected]

Passport status requests [protected]

Washington passport desk at [protected].

US Consular Task Force (WATCH DOG) [protected]

US Department of State phone directory unclassified
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82073.pdf

The following is a list of the abbreviations you will see next to the employees name in the directory. Assuming you know where it’s being processed look for the following. Once you have found someone make sure you have your passport locater number, name, DOB, SS# ready.

CA/PPT…………………………………………………….Office of Passport Services
CA/PPT/BN…………………………………………………..Boston Passport Agency
CA/PPT/CG………………………….……………………..Chicago Passport Agency
CA/PPT/HH……………………..…………………………Honolulu Passport Agency
CA/PPT/HN……………………………….………………..Houston Passport Agency
CA/PPT/LA………………………………………….…Los Angeles Passport Agency
CA/PPT/MM…………………………………………….……..Miami Passport Agency
CA/PPT/No…………………………………...……….New Orleans Passport Agency
CA/PPT/NPC……..……………………National Passport Center, Portsmouth, NH
CA/PPT/NY……….……………………….………………New York Passport Agency
CA/PPT/PA…………………….………………………Philadelphia Passport Agency
CA/PPT/SE……….………………….……………………….Seattle Passport Agency
CA/PPT/SF……………………..……………………San Francisco Passport Agency
CA/PPT/SIA…………………………………………….……Special Issuance Agency
CA/PPT/SM……………………….……………………….Stamford Passport Agency
CA/PPT/WN……...…………………………………….Washington Passport Agency

EMAIL THE FOLLOWING AND ASK FOR A CONGRESSIONAL REFERRAL AND GO TO A PASSPORT CENTER IF YOUR GETTING TO CLOSE AND DON'T THINK YOUR GOING TO GET IT ALTHOUGH THE TASK FORCE IS VERY EFFECTIVE.

Email your congressman at http://www.house.gov/

Email your Senator http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Just for fun call
Maura Harty. Her line is [protected].

Update: 25th of June.
Update: Just read this last night on the state travel site:

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

You requested delivery by regular mail. Passport Agencies use Priority Mail. This means you should receive your passport on or about 06/30/2007.

That would be 4 days before my trip... We will see..

Update: June 26th
Final update!

Just called the talk force and they gave me a fed ex tracking number that says the following:

Jun 26, 2007 8:10 am
On FedEx vehicle for delivery

AND RECEIVED!
How happy am i! Wooohooo

I have renewed faith in our system! With deepest sorrows for all of you who haven't received your passports in time for your trip. And to those who are panicking use the task force at [protected]. Ask for Jamie or Dave they are great! Thank you all.

Update! Thanks again! Came today. 15 weeks 4 days. 1 week exactly until trip.

Hey everyone, I know this mess is maddening beyond words, but it's not (at least not mostly) the Dept of State's fault. It's the legislature's and the president's. There's been an enormous spike in passport applications (in the vicinity of 50%) due to the new passport law, but of course the law was an unfunded mandate. The existing workforce pretty much had to take on a 50% increase in workload, as well as deal with (rightfully) angry customers all day. I feel sorry for them honestly, what a horrible job.

With regard to a class action, the government has sovereign immunity, which pretty much means it (and its agencies) can only be sued if they agree to be sued. Some exceptions have been carved out of this immunity, but I can't imagine this passport issue would qualify. However, while there really isn't any way to get financial compensation, I think that everyone's representatives should be inundated with these complaints non-stop until the problem is solved. People writing and passing laws should be held responsible for not foreseeing the obvious outcomes and adequately providing for them.

As crappy as this is, and even though I missed a trip, I keep telling myself this isn't the worst anyone's been shafted by the government lately - at least they didn't stick me in an unarmored hummer in Baghdad. Actually, that doesn't really make me less mad...

I was needing to renew my passport and have been reading all the horror stories on this and other forums. It turns out not as bad as I had expected. Here's my story:

June 15, 2007- Mailed "Expedited" renewal request (81/2 x11 envelope return-receipt requested) to National Passport Processing at Philadelphia, PA. I included a 8x10 pre-paid, self-addressed return postal envelope along with check. I made sure the envelope I sent was clearly marked "Expedited". I have no upcoming travel plans so left that part of application blank, although my old passport is completely full, after having new pages added a few years ago and having just returned from Thailand.

June 21, 2007- Checked the U.S. passport website and they had received my passport renewal and it was in processing.

June 29, 2007- Received my new and old passport in the mail.

June 30, 2007- Received the return receipt from my first mailing.

I was amazed it came back so fast. The new passport even had extra pages in it as I had requested.

Hope this might help someone also get their passport renewal faster.

Emily Joyce--

Really, how can you say that this issue is the president's fault and not that of the state department? He is not the person in charge of hiring enough people to process passports. Just as some people have told those of you who didn't get your passports in time that it is your fault for not applying early enough (although I DO NOT agree with that), it is the state department's fault for knowing this legislation was being put through and not hiring enough people. There are A LOT of people who travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean and the department of state is a bunch of idiots for not thinking that they would receive this huge influx of applications and for not hiring the people to deal with it.

It is true that it is essentially impossible to sue the government, but because of sites like this they were required to take action by allowing people who had merely applied for a passport to travel to certain destinations and they have steadily been taking more action since that. I doubt this would have happened had people not stood up for themselves.

And by the way... the government does not draft people for the war in Iraq. That doesn't necessarily mean I agree with it, but these people chose to join the armed services and should have known at that time that there was a chance of them being sent off to war. They weren't just "stick them in Baghdad", unarmed Hummer or not.

My point in all this? It doesn't really matter whose fault this whole situation's is, it still shouldn't have happened, but in the end, the president has enough blame on his shoulders and doesn't need any more.

Last 5 days, I have been trying to call [protected] number to get an appointment for passport renewal in emergency mode. I have been calling during late night hours (2-3AM), during the day and also tried calling on Saturday and Sunday. After long messages and few rings, it gets disconnected citing heavy call volume. I tried to talk to CSR after 90 minute wait but she was not able to help at all. I wonder how degraded this service has become and what could I do to just get an appointment.

I live in the DC area, and I applied for my passport more than 15 weeks ago. I called the 877 number, and apparently my application is 'a little more than halfway done'. I also made an appointment at the DC passport agency. But does anyone know how you would apply for a new passport if one is in progress already? I need my birth certificate, but it's with the first passport, and I don't have any other eligible proof of citizenship.

Well, if you are having problems getting your passport, call the task force US Consular Task Force (WATCH DOG) [protected].

I was calling the 1877 number can kept getting rude, can't do anything people that said they had requested that my passport be expedited since my travel date was 14 days away. Well, my travel date came and went. Luckily, I was able to push the date back. I found this site searching for how to file a complaint. I saw the post about the task force. I called them last Thursday. They are super nice and polite. I called back on Monday. She noticed they still had not touched my passport even though they requested it be processed. She said she would take care of it and to call her back the next day. I checked the passport site the next night... showed that it was done and had been shipped. Man, she did in 3 days what the passport center couldn't do in a month.

Call the Task Force. After they take care of you, get their name and send them a little gift!

As many other people on this Board, I applied for my passport well before my trip and paid the extra money to have it expedited. This, of course, didn't happen and two weeks before my trip, I was still without my passport. I continuously called the 877 # and was told a million different stories about where my passport was and how long it was going to take for me to receive it in the mail. Luckily, I live in a small town and was able to get a hold of my congressperson who got me an "appointment" at the San Francisco Passport agency. When I got to the passport agency (the day before my trip) I found that this "appointment" was completely unnecessary, as there were many, many people in line who didn't have appointments and the people that worked there did not care that I had an appointment. After a very long day and standing in line for a total of 6 hours, I walked out of the passport agency with my passport in hand 12 hours before my trip.

My advice to everyone is to not even bother calling anyone. Go to the nearest passport agency (it doesn't matter which one you go to) and re-apply in person. You will need an additional copy of your birth certificate (which you can get from whatever county you were born in) and you may have to pay again (I didn't) but you are guaranteed to live the passport office with your passport in hand that day (as long as you are serviced in the morning). Plan on getting to the passport office @ 6:30-7:00 am and waiting in line all morning. Also plan on it being an all day event, as you will have to pick up your passport later on in the afternoon. Good Luck!

Postscript... while I was in San Francisco, I was told by the agent who was assisting me that the Los Angeles office had lost my original application and all the "work" that I had been told they were doing on my passport was merely them trying to find my application. ###.

PSS. Nicaragua was amazing.

We had applied for our daughter's passport on March 30th and after 15 weeks there was no passport. It was no use calling the 1-877 number. Finally, we called the watch-dog number on July 11th. The customer service rep Theja was very nice an co-operative and assured that she would get it speeded up. We checked the status today (july 13th) and voila it has changed from "still processing" to "done processing and mailed". Wow!

Thanks to the US Consular Task Force and the suggestions on this complaint board, we will be getting our daughter's passport just in time.

Anyone, needing their passport urgently should call the US Consular Task force (WATCH DOG) at [protected].

It is incredible to read the stream of comments about the US Passport mess over the past 6 months. Thank goodness someone had the sense at least to allow those of us flying into Canada ( and Mexico/Caribbean) the option of bringing birth certificate and driver's license plus proof we had applied for our passport. My husband and I applied for our passports April 11th here in Texas. We are cruising to Alaska in August. We still don't have them 13 weeks later. I really feel for the people who devoted days to working on getting something done so they could travel abroad. I believe they had a hearing on Capitol Hill recently, but what good did that do? You would think some of the major travel companies would be raising all kinds of noise. I am certain congressmen don't have to wait for their passport! I have warned my son (whose passport expires next June) that he needs to start now for a renewal!

I had to change my flight and all my family (4 of us) because my babies passport is still in process... it was supposed to take 2-3 weeks and it's been 4 weeks and still no passport.. I've called about 7 times and all i heard is call tomorrow to check the status, there is nothing we can do. We do not know ho to help... blah blah blah.. i had to cancel and gonna have to pay to change ALL our tickets. Plus we are not gonna be able to assist to a very important family member wedding and everyone had schedule vacation during our stay to see our babies and visit us. We still don't know an estimated date for my baby's passport to arrive, from ALL the millions of passports they've done they can't tell in average how long would it take for and expedite passport to arrive. Every one in the customer service passport agency had a different story. Two days before our trip Heather said the passport was almost done and they were gonna ship it next day. I called next day and Natasha told me that the passport was still in process and should be done that day, next day... nothing i had to cancel... Why they said it would take 2-3 weeks and THEY ARE STILL saying it's taking 2-3 weeks... If i knew it would take longer i just would schedule my flight later and could save all this stress and headaches, the money, and about 6-8 hrs of trying to reach the appointment line, and the agent to talk to..

I am now down to 24 hours before my flight. I am 100% behind ANY legal action against the department of state that can be mustered.

A couple of tips for those out there with the same problem.

1.) Call your representative. Almost EVERY congressman/woman has someone on their staff to handle this. DO it as early as you can. If you're waiting till the last week (like I did), you're waiting too long!

2.) Have the National Passport agency up your flight date. Some of the peole there will do this. Plead. Beg.

3.) Show up at the passport office. Be prepared to wait as long as you can.

If anyone has any information about legal action against the state department, please let me know.

Firstly I would like to thank the guys here for all the useful information, without your help, probably I will not take any immediate actions to get my son's passport.

Here is my story:

(7/23/07 midnight, will leave for China. )
6/9/07, applied passport (w/ expedite service fee) for my son;
7/9/07, two weeks before our leaving, started to call 877..., said they would do it ASAP;
7/13/07, call 877... again, same answer, suggested me calling every day;
7/16/07, call 877... again, said my son's passport is still in process;
Started to search on internet, luckily found this forum, decided to call Watch Dog line 202... next morning and go personally to Local Passport Agency at LA (luckily, which is close to my place).
7/17/07 (today),
5:30am, got up (went to bed at 2am after reading all the posts in this forum), called 202..., answered by a very nice gentleman named " Gary". He said he would get the application processed the same day and mailed out tomorrow.

6am, got Local Agency. There was a line about 50 people on one side of the Federal Building. All these people had no appointments and for many of them, it was the 2nd time they were here because according to them, they were told by the officer that emergent process was only for people whose departure time was within 48hours.

8am, officer started to check the documents of people without appointment (people w/ appointment started to get service at 7am). It seemed that only people w/ proved airline info. (within 48hrs) could get the tickets that enabled them to get into the building. I decided to tell the office the fact (that I will leave next Monday night).

Surprisingly, he did not send me home as I thought, instead, he told me to go to two "Will Call" windows on the east side of the Federal Building. After the officer there checked the on-line status copy (maybe something else) and asked if I would like to pick up the passport the same day. Of course Yes.

1pm, I got back to the Federal Building. After waiting for one hour, I got the passport of my son.

My suggestions:

1. call Watch Dog line 202..., they are nice people and would like to help you though I am not sure if they play some roles in my case.

2. go to Local Passport Agency personally if possible! Bring all the documents with you. If you applied already and you do not want to go in person, maybe you can get the help from a friend ( or travel agency?). But frankly, I do not know if that will work or not. One thing I know for sure is that I can have someone to pick up my passport if I authorize him/her to do it.

Hope it helps,
Good Luck
MZ

Here are a couple links to help. This site gathers and compiles the best tips out there (including ones that are in this forum)-

Click the first link in the first paragraph for a long list of tips-
http://whirledview.typepad.com/whirledview/2007/07/passports-conti.html

Also be sure to check out this timeline from a congressional intern-
http://whirledview.typepad.com/whirledview/2007/06/dealing_with_th.html#comment-74658946

By the way, if you are trying to call the NPIC at the 877 number, I had the best luck calling Friday nights around 9. I only had to wait 10-15 minutes each time.

One other thing- if you need a new birth certificate because you are reapplying for your passport, you don't need to use vitalchek.com and pay a small fortune for shipping. Go to http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm for info on how to get it within your state. For example, in Maryland you can go to a local health department and get it the same day (according to the website).

Good luck!

I visited the site and yesterday it was expedited and now i checked today and its on routine.I've applied June 30th and its July 19th. I have 8 days left to fly to the UK to see my girlfriend, We've planned this for months and months. They put my passport application on hold because there was not enough identification, however i applied at the post office with my cousin who is 21 and has a drivers license who vouched for me and i (18 years old) used my birth certificate and permit as identification which they accepted. So what is going on here?

Hello, is there anything we can do? These people must be stopped.

ccrook@vocecomm.com

My complaint is a little different than most of the others. Our twelve week waiting period is over and our vacation has come and gone. My husband never received his passport so we had our," long dreamed of family vacation" without a key member of our family. To say this was a devastating experience would be the understatement of the year! My husband was born in the Philippines at Clark AFB so only has his original birth certificate...no copies. To get a copy, we've been told it takes 4-6 weeks. I made many calls & sent many e-mails to the State Dept. to be sure there would be no problems with his birth certificate. Assured that there was not and was told not to worry if we did not get the passport in time because we were traveling to the Carribean, all he needed was a valid government issued i.d. and proof that he had applied for his passport. We made it all the way to the boarding gate only to be told that we additionally needed a copy of his birth certificate! State Dept. had the original & 4-6 weeks to get a copy... DISASTER! Went back home & called the State Dept & was assured that they would do everything they could so that my husband could join us. My husband insisted that the rest of our family go and he would meet us there once he received his passport. Suffice it to say that he received his "emergency" passport 7 days after we had returned. The emotional toll this had on our family can't be described and nothing anybody can do to take any of that away. However... I want our money back!

In response to the comment by Anthony, this is his girlfriend. After days of working with the consulate task force and the charleston passport center I can say 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 07/26/2007. My advice is call as EARLY as you can, my boyfriends passport was on hold (due to lack of ID) so we had to get 10 documents scanned + a supplement sheet filled out in a day or less. Using overnight delivery is costly but it gets there. I also recommend you send YOUR OWN prepaid overnight delivery envelope, FedEX or DHL is fine. We paid over $80 extra for this but it's been worth every penny. The passport will arrive a day before we leave and I couldn't be happier. Originally when we applied we bought our extra documents but the woman who helped our application at the post office said we didn't need them, BIG MISTAKE. You NEED the extra ID to prove your US Citizenship. If we had gone with our better judgment we wouldn't have been put in that predicament. I've never been so physically sick with worry in my whole life, this is a huge relief and I bawled my eyes out when I saw the application status had changed. Even when things seem totally hopeless keep trying.

CALL the consulate task force (watchdog) they really help. Also talk to the watchdog about getting Muriel at the Charleston passport center to help your application. She called us today and told us to fax over our documents+supplement sheet with her name written on each one. She said she would then review them with her supervisor, and tonight our passport status has changed and our DHL tracking number now works. This site has been a godsend if I hadn't found this we'd be $1000 out and going through a lot of heartache. THANKYOU!