Passport Question
 

Sorry if this is the wrong forum....move if needed.


I sent my passport into US Gov't for more VISA pages since I filled up the book.

Since I mailed it in on 6/23/09 I closed a big international contract which requires me to travel out os USA on 7/05/09.

Any way to expediate the process? (I called this weekend but they are closed on weekends)

PLEASE thoughts....I WILL buy dinner!!!!!!!!!!

Thx Tasnam

This might be one of those issues that your Congressman could help you with. I'd certainly call him/her in the morning and see if they can intervene, even if you have to pay a fee for expedited processing.

Really?


I never would have thought that would be of importance to them?

search this forum, but I think you can go to your closest U.S. passport agency (Boston) and get an emergency 2nd passport issued. I think they have a validity of 2 years.

You're paying their salary.

Think of their staff as customer service for government purposes ;)

My parentfigures were able to get their recent passport renewals rushed when a last minute trip popped up after a phone call to Rep. Pierluisi's office.


It also happens to seem silly forcing one to travel 1,000 miles to Miami to have an emergency passport issued, and then fly back to San Juan to catch a 45 minute, 96 mile flight to Tortola BVI.

Note to anyone and everyone that reads this thread. As has been pointyed out on every single one of the literally hundereds of threads on this subject, do NOT make the same mistake as the OP, and when you need extra pages, get them at a mission abroad, service generally less than an hour and free.

Please clarify, "get them at a mission abroad".

What does this mean?

Call again today. The closest passport office to Portland is Boston. It is in the Tip O'Neill building (on the second floor), which is adjacent to the North Station / Boston Garden on Causeway Street. You'll need to have proof of your itinerary.. also wouldn't hurt to call Sen. Collins' or Snowe's office either...

and I think "a mission abroad" means an embassy or consulate...

Embassy or consulate. I'll be visiting the US facility in Copenhagen on Thursday to get additional pages added to mine. Many will say that you have to mail it in or leave it for them to mail back to you but they can/will do the service while you wait if you ask nicely.

To the OP, once the passport is in the hands of the feds I'm not sure how easy it is for them to find it in the workflow, pull it out and expedite it. I know that there is an option when you submit it to pay for expedited service but it is too late for that now.

At the US passport offices in the larger cities you can get extra pages in a typical 2-4 hr. Best to make an appointment in advance. The CongressCritters are too busy being seduced by lobbyists to get into passport matters but YMMV.

MisterNice

I would expand on that and say within 15 mins through 2 hours. I have probably had close to 20 books added over the years to different passports and although the time has increased and has taken as much as 2 hours, I have never heard or seen it take 4 hours. SBM, that's a new one, I have never heard of missions abroad wanting to mail them back, and for that matter I cannot recall any thread anywhere on FT where this has been stated (and there have been many threads on the subject).

I should also note, as it seems that the knowledge all has to be restated everytime, that some missions do require scheduled meeting times for ACS, however that they are often available online and possible even same day.

This. I've gotten additions at Tokyo, Hong Kong, The Phillipines, Taiwan (NOT recommended). Never in the United States unless I'm getting a new passport.

Has anyone had pages added at the embassy in Paris? Looks like you need to make an appointment online, just wondering if it's a smooth and easy process like the other embassy's that people mention.

From http://denmark.usembassy.gov/passports.htmlI'm guessing that in person it will not be an issue at all but the default seems to be mailing it in. In PTY is was morning drop-off and afternoon return per the email conversation I had with them. That meant no extra pages for me there a few weeks back.

In Bermuda their web page says (emphasis mine):
I believe that BDA sends the passports back to the USA for processing rather than handling it locally.

Those are my past couple visits to countries where I was there on a day that the embassy/consulate was open and neither worked out well for me. Hopefully I'll have more luck in Copenhagen on Thursday morning. I'll be at the front door at 9am and am hoping to be on a train to Helsignor at 10am.

Did you send it in requesting expedited service, and paying the expedite and rush return fee?

I sent my passport in last week to get pages added for trip coming up later this month.

I paid the $60 expedite fee, and the $14.85 for return rush mail.

I sent the passport in at noon Tuesday 23 June. The passport should have arrived by noon Wednesday 24 June. New pages were added Friday 26 June. The passport was mailed from the passport agency on Friday 26 June by Priority Mail (not overnight). It arrived on 30 June. Just over 7 days turn around.

I would recommend only purchasing a fully refundable ticket. I would also look at backup plans, like delaying the meeting.