Can I travel with my new US passport that has the wrong place of birth?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA, LH, BA
Posts: 294
Can I travel with my new US passport that has the wrong place of birth?
I received my passport last week. I submitted the renewal about three weeks ago, so the turnaround time was actually much faster than I expected.
Unfortunately, I just noticed that it has the wrong place of birth. I'm not Swiss, but it shows Switzerland in the place of birth field.
I couldn't understand what went wrong until I looked at the actual renewal form that I mailed it. I filled out the form online on the State Dept's website then printed it out. Unless Swizerland had recently annexed Swedent, I don't think Stockholm is in Swizerland. On the form, it shows place of birth as "Stockholm, Switzerland" and I assume I missed that when I printed out the form. The expired passport that I submitted showed the correct place of birth as Sweden.
I tried the online form filler again and realized what I must have done. Sweden is just above Switzerland in the pull-down menu. I must have goofed and selected Switzernland by mistake. I did have to type in "Stockholm" so that was correct.
Will it be safe for me to travel next week and deal with the mistake after I return? Also, will they charge me the passport renewal fee again. I admit that I probably deserve 90% of the blame... but I think the passport agency deserves at least 5% or 10%, no? They have me on file from all the previous passports... plus the expired passport that I submitted with the renewal form. Or are these renewals never checked by a real human? I'm sure if I submitted a check that's $1 less than the standard renewal fee, my renewal would have been rejected and returned to me pronto!
Unfortunately, I just noticed that it has the wrong place of birth. I'm not Swiss, but it shows Switzerland in the place of birth field.
I couldn't understand what went wrong until I looked at the actual renewal form that I mailed it. I filled out the form online on the State Dept's website then printed it out. Unless Swizerland had recently annexed Swedent, I don't think Stockholm is in Swizerland. On the form, it shows place of birth as "Stockholm, Switzerland" and I assume I missed that when I printed out the form. The expired passport that I submitted showed the correct place of birth as Sweden.
I tried the online form filler again and realized what I must have done. Sweden is just above Switzerland in the pull-down menu. I must have goofed and selected Switzernland by mistake. I did have to type in "Stockholm" so that was correct.
Will it be safe for me to travel next week and deal with the mistake after I return? Also, will they charge me the passport renewal fee again. I admit that I probably deserve 90% of the blame... but I think the passport agency deserves at least 5% or 10%, no? They have me on file from all the previous passports... plus the expired passport that I submitted with the renewal form. Or are these renewals never checked by a real human? I'm sure if I submitted a check that's $1 less than the standard renewal fee, my renewal would have been rejected and returned to me pronto!
#2
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,475
From the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs website:
Correct a Data or Printing Error
A passport issued with a data error (e.g., name, sex, or place of birth) or printing error (e.g., data is missing on the biographical page, discoloration, crooked printing, etc.) can be corrected at no charge if the passport is still valid.
To correct a data or printing error:
The validity of the new, corrected passport depends on when you report the error.
A passport issued with a data error (e.g., name, sex, or place of birth) or printing error (e.g., data is missing on the biographical page, discoloration, crooked printing, etc.) can be corrected at no charge if the passport is still valid.
To correct a data or printing error:
- Complete Form DS-5504.
- Submit form by mail with your passport, one color photo, and evidence of the error (e.g. your U.S. birth certificate showing the correct spelling of your last name).
- You will not have to submit any fees.
#5
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Place of birth is one of the data points which US CBP and many countries use Thus, it is potentially problematic and something I would want corrected.
Your profile does not show your location, but if you are near a Passport Agency, this is something you can have corrected in person in a few hours if you show up with the erroneous passport, the properly completed form and photo. There is a number listed for you to call on the State Department website, but you can also simply show up early (before opening time) and explain your predicament.
Do not make this about fault because that is irrelevant.
Your profile does not show your location, but if you are near a Passport Agency, this is something you can have corrected in person in a few hours if you show up with the erroneous passport, the properly completed form and photo. There is a number listed for you to call on the State Department website, but you can also simply show up early (before opening time) and explain your predicament.
Do not make this about fault because that is irrelevant.
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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Place of birth is one of the data points which US CBP and many countries use Thus, it is potentially problematic and something I would want corrected.
Your profile does not show your location, but if you are near a Passport Agency, this is something you can have corrected in person in a few hours if you show up with the erroneous passport, the properly completed form and photo. There is a number listed for you to call on the State Department website, but you can also simply show up early (before opening time) and explain your predicament.
Do not make this about fault because that is irrelevant.
Your profile does not show your location, but if you are near a Passport Agency, this is something you can have corrected in person in a few hours if you show up with the erroneous passport, the properly completed form and photo. There is a number listed for you to call on the State Department website, but you can also simply show up early (before opening time) and explain your predicament.
Do not make this about fault because that is irrelevant.
The more such erroneous passport is used by the bearer, and the longer it’s left as is, the greater the chance of a error-fix request being reviewed more closely.
#7
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,813
'Place of Birth' incorrect on new passport
An adult friend of mine applied for her first-ever passport two years ago. The place of birth is listed as the state where she lives, and not the state she was born in. She is a natual-born US citizen. Not sure if she put the wrong info on the application, of if they messed it up. She has never been out of the country, but plans to drive to Canada soon for a short vacation. I see there is a form to correct this change, but it takes at least a few weeks.
Any reason to think using the passport as is will be an issue?
Any reason to think using the passport as is will be an issue?
#9
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
An adult friend of mine applied for her first-ever passport two years ago. The place of birth is listed as the state where she lives, and not the state she was born in. She is a natual-born US citizen. Not sure if she put the wrong info on the application, of if they messed it up. She has never been out of the country, but plans to drive to Canada soon for a short vacation. I see there is a form to correct this change, but it takes at least a few weeks.
Any reason to think using the passport as is will be an issue?
Any reason to think using the passport as is will be an issue?
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,103
An adult friend of mine applied for her first-ever passport two years ago. The place of birth is listed as the state where she lives, and not the state she was born in. She is a natual-born US citizen. Not sure if she put the wrong info on the application, of if they messed it up. She has never been out of the country, but plans to drive to Canada soon for a short vacation. I see there is a form to correct this change, but it takes at least a few weeks.
Any reason to think using the passport as is will be an issue?
Any reason to think using the passport as is will be an issue?
It may cause a problem on the return to the US, if CBP has doubts about her identity and/or citizenship despite the presentation of her US passport. But that shouldn’t be a show-stopper either.
Data entry errors do happen, do get missed and don’t always get fixed as fast as they should. But this isn’t likely to cause a major problem for most.
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA, LH, BA
Posts: 294
Anyway, I discussed with the passport agency and they said it would be very simple to correct. I wouldn't even need to provide any documentation, since all of my previous US passports have the correct country of birth listed. The only issue is that they would have to charge me the stand passport renewal fee, since I freely admitted to them that it was my mistake. (grandma was right when I was a kid... "keep you mouth shut and don't volunteer information and admit nothing")
I have since used the passport with wrong place of birth and nobody seemed to care that I had become Swiss, probably because nobody wanted to mess with a neutral country?
Should I wait until the next generation of US passport to come out to correct this? Since the new one is supposed to come out this or next year anyway, there's no sense in paying three times, right? (once when I got the one with the passport with wrong place of birth, another one to correct it, then again to replace it with the new design passport)
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
The OP may not have made an error; many internet sites use scroll bars for selecting data entries, these sometimes "move" when you move your mouse anywhere on the screen--to prevent this from happening, in many instances, you have to click the mouse over an empty area.
On AA.COM for example, when I check in for an intl flt I have to enter my birthdate and expiration date of my pp, the scroll bars for the month and date(s) have a way of scrolling off what I originally selected.
On AA.COM for example, when I check in for an intl flt I have to enter my birthdate and expiration date of my pp, the scroll bars for the month and date(s) have a way of scrolling off what I originally selected.