U.S Passports & International Travel review: fake promises, no passport received! 41

It's been about 11 weeks waiting for me. I feel your pain!

I leave in 1 week and have been waiting 11 weeks for my passport. Everytime I try and call the 877 number, I get disconnected due to high call volume. I live in Buffalo, NY and was told I might need to make an appointment in Boston! What? So now I supposed to fly to Boston to get my passport before I leave the county?

I a writing in frustration regarding the passport system. This starts back in March 15, 2007 when we applied for our passports. We applied at the Woodward park Station 755 E. Nees Ave. Fresno, CA 93720 and the passport representative/the person who took our money assured us we would have our passports in plenty of time. When no passport came and I could not track them, I talked to Bob in the New Hampshire office and several other operators/supervisors. I spoke with Bob on May 3, 2007 and Bob promised me our passport to be delivered on May 9th the latest May 10th (I wish I would of recorded the call)when that didn't happen I contacted the Passport office via the telephone number posted on their official website. I followed the prompts when I call on the recorded message and then a message announces that there are no agents available I did this several times. So I call back again and again, and again, Maybe this time I will get an answer. Finally, I get someone on the phone. I tell the operator/assistant the story and he can't even find us in your system. I ask to be passed to a supervisor her name is Willamena, she finds us in the system and she assures us we will receive our passports by Monday, May 14, 2007. She suggests that I call on Saturday to get the tracking number. So again I call and call and call I finally get through, I am on hold and get hung up on all over again. Finally I get through this morning and I speak to an operator and they can't see any tracking number. I ask to talk to a supervisor and she tells me that I will probably have to make an appointment at the LA office I guess to get a passport express service. She passes me to the automated appointment department and I go through a list of dates and there is no dates available for appointments at the LA office. So I call back again and only by sheer luck I get through right away. I spoke to Brett in the Kentucky office, he passes me to Laura his supervisor and she says they will send an email to have the agency contact me today. She says to call on Monday so I do that I just got off the phone with Sara from New Hampshire she tells me I am most likely not going to get my passport in time. My girlfriend applied for her passport at the end of March she paid for a expedited service and she got her passport two weeks later. To me this is the government runny a muck. Basically this shows that if you give me more money I will give you your passport. i am going to email everyone/agency that I know and tell my story. The sad thin is I am told I am only talking to a national call center. We are being told a pack of lies for these guys and our tax dollar pays their salaries. If there is anything I can do to solve this please help me!

We have purchased our tickets and spent over $3,000.00 for them. I am so upset with the whole process. Again, the cashier from the Post Office said we would get our passports in approximately 6-8 weeks and we would be able to track them on line in 3 weeks. We have not been able to do either. Everything that I have been promised has not happened. Please, my husband and I are 55 years old and are really looking forward to our trip of a life time...

I applied for my passport on April 28 and paid the expedited fee of $172. I was told that I would received my passport in two weeks. My friend applied for her passport on April 26 and also paid he expedited fee and received her's in one week. I am still waiting for mine. I check the status on-line and I keep getting a message that it is being processed. I have tried everyday for hours to get a representative on the phone with no success. My trip is scheduled for May 30th and I don't know what to do. I think it's just crazy and ridiculous! This is the US we should be able to handle the increase in applications as well as any other country but yet again we fall short. I am so angry and frustrated because I have been unable to get any help at all!

I applied for my passport w/ my brother on March 13. We were told we would receive them by May 9. We most certainly did not receive anything. So on May 21, I called the help center because I'm scheduled to leave tomorrow, May 27, and he says he will send an e-mail... Thanks buddy, because when I called again on the 23rd, the person said that there was no record of me calling or an e-mail being sent. I had the senator call my congressman. He called the people at the passport agency and they told me all I could do was make and appointment in DC (2.5 hours away) for the next day... The day of my final exam. There was no way I could make it and there was nothing left to do. So when I spoke w/ them again yesterday, they gave me a tracking number and said that both passports had been sent out that morning. FedEx has no records of the tracking number or any package coming to my address... I'm scheduled to get on a plane in 23 hours... Sadly, I won't be... Even worse, FedEx won't run on Sunday (tomorrow) nor Monday (Memorial Day). The earliest I leave is Tuesday night or Wednesday. My brother and I were planning on going to Europe by ourselves for a new adventure before he had to start his real job and before I had to go back to school. Worst experience of my life... and I've wasted a good chunk of my life's savings... thanks US government.

Does anyone have contact info of someone whom we can complain to that will make a difference... Or is this just a B!(&^ session?

My girlfriend is in the same boat as everyone else here. Here are the basic facts (as i have emailed this story so many times I am tired of typing it).

- She applies March 06 (note I apply March 14) we leave June 04
- 7 Weeks later, it cant be tracked online
- We email, and they say its in Charelston
- We call shortly after, and they can't find it... few calls later
- They have her birth date wrong!
- Call back 2 weeks before departure, they do nothing.
- I receive my passport May 21... Thats right, i apply later than her, and get it long before her.
- We call Tuesday May 28, they say they wont talk to us till friday.
- That being a load of crap we call Wednesday May 29, they say we wont do anything till 48 hours before departure.

We are now out over a thousand dollars, but much worse, we are out of a rare opportunity for a wonderful vacation abroad.

Words can't express my anger.

I've always wanted to take my girlfriend with me to Japan. I have traveled there many times and love the place. In the first week of March we went to apply for her passport. They told her it would be here by the week of May 20th. I realized I lost mine, and went to re-apply for my new one the next day.

No passports yet.

After about a week I finally get through to an operator. I give her my info and she says that she will process it, then she talks to my girlfriend. We are laying in bed (this is about 6:15AM because thats how early you have to call if you want to get in touch with them without saying CALL BACK LATER) and I said, "So what did she say to you before she hung up?"

"Oh, that it's not a for sure thing that we'll have them before we leave." (Mind you, she was half tired).

"WHAT THE F**K!?!?!" was all I could say. I've been trying to get back on the phone with them ever since (90min) and still no way of getting in touch.

Reading these stories has scared the crap out of me. I've always wanted to take my girlfriend abroad and show her something new, something she has never been able to see.

When we first applied, they told us May 25th. So I got my plane tickets and hotel for June 10th. If you are all having these troubles... Who's to say they aren't lying to me as well.

We missed our overseas vacation since the passport came 3 days after the departure day. That is after I called for 2 weeks every day trying to expedite it. I applied March 11, and the Postal worker assured me that there is no need to expedite since our trip is May 26. She also said " You can just call in the 4th or 5th week and have it expedited. Just give them the credit card info and they will process it faster" Seemed so simple.

Hours and days on the phone, the 1-877 representatives say that the only thing they are doing is "sending messages" to the processing center. The rep also said that there is no guarantee that someone is actually reading these messages or doing something about our desperate requests.

I guess we have to deal with it now since the chances to get reimbursed for the cancellation and rebooking fees will be not be paid but by us.

Same crap, different day. I was promised my passport in 8 weeks. I've been waiting 12 weeks. My flight leaves in 6 days. I've tried contacting the National Passport Center [protected] number day and night for the last two weeks. I've NEVER gotten through to anyone. The "try again at another time" message is all I hear. The online checking your status is useless. It says that my passport is being processed and has said this for the last four weeks. I sent an email status check (available form the National Passport Center webpage) and got a response saying that "per my email" they would let the appropriate people know of my urgent need for a passport. Yeah, right. I also contacted my congresswoman who took all my information and said she would call back Wednesday (yesterday) or Thursday (today) and let me know what she found out. I won't hold my breathe.

I originally applied for my passport on feb 15,2007 for atrip i had purchased for over 2500 dollars for me and my finance to become engaged. At the courthouse i was told 6 to 8 weeks so they said i had plenty of time being that the trip was not until may 15.

Well as stated b everyone else the 1 877 number is a complete let down and i often think the messages that are on there just run continuously. Well two weeks all the way to 2 days prior to my trip i was constantly lied to being told that my passport was being expedited . It is now june 2 i have missed my trip and almost 4 months later no passport i am outraged it only took awake for the fee they charge to be taken from my account. Who do you place formal complaints with about this total mess of a situation.

I'm curious to know which passport office everyone's applications are being sent to? Mine was sent to New Orleans, 12 weeks ago.

Hope someone can sue the agency

Apparently there is a complaint department. You have to write to: National Passport Center, 31 Rochester Ave. Portsmouth, NH [protected]

I applied in march 19th. As of today i still do not have my son's passport. The people answering the phones are more than incompetent. DON'T WAIT FOR YOUR PASSPORT! CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN OR GO TO A PASSPORT OFFICE ASAP. Don't believe them when they say it will be there tomorrow... it never will. In less than two minutes i had my congressman's aide expedite my passport. Called congressman this Tuesday afternoon and i have my passport in my hands today, FED EX delivered it this morning. So don't even bother calling the Passport agency, just have your congressman take care of it. it's the only way you'll get it on time.

I did finally get my passport, but this was due entirely to my congressman. I contacted them just days before my trip and they made enough "noise" to the proper people and got my passport overnighted the day before my trip. Ironically, the passport laws were changed one day after my flight out of the country. Apparently, the government was aware of the problem, I just wish they would have done something about this earlier so that people didn't have to miss out on trips.

Applied per instructions at a US postal office thinking they would know what they were doing.

Week + later I received a letter that documentation was missing. I verfied at the PO and through toll free number that these two additional items were all that was needed. Yup yup.

Received a call today that more documentation is needed. Called the toll free number to ask why? Was told that the US passport service is NOT one agency and each and every passport application is up to the discretion of the agency/office that receives it.

It should be on the US passport webiste that this application procedure is anything but a procedure, unless you want to compare it to an appointment with a proctologist.

My fiance applied for his first passport in July 07. They kept him waiting till end Oct, then said he needed to provide more ID. He took in more ID. They said it would go through in time for his flight...he was coming to me in UK for Christmas. £ weeks before his flight was due to leave, he was getting panicky...called and they said his application was being processed. One week before his flight, he called again to be told it was being refused due to insufficient proof of ID.
Too late to cancel flights, he lost all monies, and his passport application fee was not refunded either.
He reapplied in April 08. I went to USA to go with him. He submitted many documents...they refused all but 2...his birth certificate and his work credit card with photo ID. (He had no drivers license at this time) They chose those 2 pieces of ID from all he offered, said that was all that was needed. He offered army papers, work records, medical records, mortgage papers, you name it...all deemed unnecessary. In June 08, he contacted them again, and was told it had been shelved due to lack of ID. They said they needed his drivers license and his mothers AND fathers death certificates. By now he had his license back, so took it down, and applied for the death certs. When they arrived, he took those down too. In October, he contacted them again to be told it had been refused because the ID reached them too late.
He immediately went back there and reapplied a THIRD time, this time with drivers license, birth cert, mothers and fathers death certs, baptism cert, work records(he has worked for the State of NY for the past 21 years) army papers, (he served in the US Army for 6 years before that), social security number, medical papers, bank and mortgage papers, and was told, no prob, should go straight through now. Yesterday, 22 January 08, he was told this application was also refused due to insufficient ID. He has so far lost THREE application fees, $1000 for flight tickets, and taxi fares on several occasions to get to the offices. WHAT ELSE CAN THEY POSSIBLY NEED AS ID? He didnt need that much ID to FIGHT for his country... but he does to travel out of it? He has written to his member of congress, and to the state governor. Neither has replied.
We are distraught. We have had to cancel our wedding plans twice now. His gifts still sit under the tree which stays up year round...waiting for him to arrive. My children were very distressed he didn't make it, were looking forward to seeing him.
Why is he being held a prisoner in the land of the free?

If anyone has any idea what we can do to break this deadlock I would be so grateful...also, is there any way we can make them refund the application fee? I have never known such incompetence in my life...

This is the worst service in the world and has ruined many peoples dreams including mine. the world is now empmty and worthless because of not only a loss of money but a loss of my dream, once in a lifetime vacation. Only get your passport this way if you dont plan on ever leaving the country.

I have been trying to get my passport since August 2010. It is now May 2011. I did not have an original certificate of live birth, but have followed all the steps necessary to prove my citizenship. I have sent everything requested of me, including a newly obtain Delayed certificate of birth, affidavants, childhood photos, sibling birth and early childhood records, parents proof of land ownership and early work/tax records from my teenage years. My last submission was Feb 2011. I have not had any feedback from WPC. I've called several times only to find out that the calls are answered by a call center in the midwest somewhere, not even close to the Western Passport Center. It is so frustrating not to be able to speak to one individual working on my application. All the call center tells me is that it is being processed, but they will not verify if they have all my submitted information. These people are government employees. Shouldn't they be providing efficient services to the TAX PAYERS. The last e-mail I received from a Robo-agent was to file a complaint with the National Customer Service Manager. I wonder if I will receive any better service from this agency.

i agree the system is useless! i went to the post office in milwaukee to get my passport i had a month and a week in advanced from my trip i asked the lady filing my passport if i needed to do it quicker she stated no. I gave her all my identification and no where on the application did it say the amount of time my drivers license had to be issued and she didnt stated a problem. 10 days before my trip i got a letter saying my identification was not valid and they sent me about a 10 package pages of different identification i had to summit in and to fill out. i also had to pay the extra 60 dollar fee and the 20 dollar to send it to them and 12 for them to send it back to me in time for my leave. it is now 48 hours before and all they can say is their trying their best. i have been calling every day since and half of their workers do not know what to tell me. i refuse to have to send extra money and change my complete flight because of the lack of knowledge these people have and the ability to do their job.

### I am going through the military to get mine so I can go live with my husband in England BC he is stationed there. I been waiting over eight weeks n still don't ###ing have mine. Talk about pissed off n to top if off I'm pregnant. I would have thought the damn military would know wtf they were doing but noooooo. I'm so drove right now...

I suggest always keeping written records of communications (even a written note of any phone calls with as much detail as possible) with the US government concerning your passport request; inform your members of Congress and ask them to make enquiries; if you suspect you are being denied a passport write to the Deputy Assist Secretary for Passports Services Ms Brenda S. Sprague asking her to issue you a passport or give you reasons for whyshe is not doing so; and if you don't get a reply, contact a lawyer to sue the US government in Federal Court where you can ask for damages and legal costs.

I applied for my passport a few months ago and i recieved my passport about aa month ago ... I NEER RECIEVED MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE ! THE LOST MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE ! MY ORIGINAL COPY !

I got a letter from the passport office today telling me that: Thank you for recent passport application. The evidence of your birth occurred, and the US citizenship or nationality you submitted is not acceptable for passport purposes for the following reason: the certificate shows that your birth was recorded more than one year after your birth occurred, and the evidence used to create the delayed birth record is not sufficient. And they go on to say please submit a certified birth certificate, for the birth certificate to be acceptable, is must—–
1 be issued by the office of vital statistics of the state, county, or city where your birth occurred
2 show your full name at birth
3 indicate your date and place of birth
4 list the full names of your parents
5 bear the embossed, impressed, mutli-colored, or raised seal and signature of the issuing authority, and indicate a registration or file date that is within one year of your birth.

I wrote back saying—To whom it may concern; I’m so totally confused, Basically why would I need and delayed certificate of birth if I had a birth certificate within one year of my birth, I called and the passport lady customer services department and was also confused. It is not my fault that my parents were so irresponsible, but they were native Americans and did not trust the U.S. Government.
I was born in the back seat of a car on the Fort Apache Reservation, I have contacted the reservation but they only record births of tribal members.
I was born 6 weeks early and my parents ‘thought that I would die so the a priest came to baptized me, I have contacted the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup but because the baptism happen so long ago and the speed of which it was done that they no longer have these records, but I do have my mother’s family bible showing my birth.
My mother was born on the Big Cypress Reservation in Florida on 6/6/1940 and had ran off with my father at 14 years of age. My father was born in the Alberta Canada in the Northwest Territories on 5/15/1923, both of my parents were Native American. My father had me home schooled because we never stayed in one place long.
I became pregnant at 19 years old and was kick out of the house and all communication was cut off, I have tried for years to locate them but to no avail, I have not seen or heard from them in 39 years and I doubt that they are alive
I have scan and sending copies from my mother’s family bible and I’m sending you certified copies of my children’s birth certificates as well, So please send them back when you no longer need them.——-
This is not right the way they (passport office) treat people who have no control of what their parents do or do not do. If there is help for people in my situation please help. I live day by day and I 59 years old. Please help

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Additional information I gave them my marriage licenses-- a letter from a woman that was there at my birth notarized.

Its amazing that this Country has won any wars with all the idiocy and bureaucracy within the Federal Government. I recently submitted an application for a new passport since my old one had expired over 10-years ago. My company got a call for me to run a construction project out of Country and had 2-weeks to be there. So we procured a courier service to execute an application for a new passport within 48-hours. With all the fees that we required amounted to over $500.00. We filled out all the forms that are required by the Passport Agency but somehow did not see in the "fine print" that the Letter of Authorization that allows the courier service to make decisions on my behalf during the process to be filled out handwritten. Now keep in mind, this is only required at the San Francisco Passport Agency office and no other office in other parts of the Country. Despite the fact that the form was legible and had my original signature applied, the agency reject my application because the "Authorization Letter" was not handwritten. You mean to tell me that some bureaucrat who has been given some power can at his / her whim require some bs rule that can cost not only delays but more fees to resubmit if one form is not handwritten? This goes beyond the pale of common sense. Why is it that we the public have to abide by procedures and deadlines else suffer the consequences (i.e. IRS) yet they don't seem to think they need to be accountable for anything? This whole process has not only cost my company money but 3-days of my time considering the time spent at the post office for the initial stages of processing this application and believe me, those at the Employees at the Post Office have absolutely no people skills when it comes to working with the public. Someone needs to remind these Government Employees who actually pays their salaries and who they work for. If I treated my customers like the Federal Government treats taxpaying citizens of this Country, I would have no customers believe me.

My 16 year old son went on a mission trip with our church on July 4th. We applied for his passport on May 12th. Meaning we would have the passport by June 23rd. When we did not have it by then we started checking online. The online passport update did not work any of the times for the 2 weeks we tried. We called the 1st time in the beginning of June when they told us that we had nothing to worry about and that our passport will be on time (4-6 weeks). When it didn't come we called again and they just told us they didn't know what the hold up was and that we should call back tomorrow. Which turned into us calling everyday and being on hold for 30-40 minutes and getting no information. At this point my son had fund raiser for this $1500 trip (we don't have $1, 500) and we already had the tickets so we were going to have to pay back each person who contributed to his trip. When I called again on June 30th, 3 mailing days before his trip the passport still wasn't sent. They said that I would have to pay another $74 to be sure we get it so they can expedite it and send it over night. we did everything we should have in order to have it sent on time and it feels like it was being held with no explanation and we were forced to pay what we should have had to in order not to be out $1500. i feel like it was extortion, making us pay for something that we should have already had in order to get it.

Where can we complain to? Someone please tell me!

My son applied for his passport during Mar 2015 but still now we are not get the passport or confirmation or rejection.. Web side saying your passport is being processed. Called 877 more than 10 times, they also says same word, send email more than 10 times they says call 877. Send 3 letters by post, no response. My son now completed his high school and get admission to college. College authorities needed passport or green card. Till am not received any response. Can some one help me to get the passport or green card.

I have the same issue.. I apply at the City Hall on July 29, 2015 then start to process my passport on August 3, 2015. I paid extra $60 for expedited and $15 for overnight shipping. Until now September 17, 2015, I still didn't recieve my passport or any kind of contact from the Agency. I've been in contact with the customer service from National Passport services but all they can do is send them a notification every 14 days. I even talked to their supervisor but they can't do anything as well. They suggested that i can write to the Agency myself which I did last week but still no response or anything from the Agency. I'm getting so frustrated and depressed because I really need the passport so I can continue working. I'm currently out of job and I dont even know when or what other steps can I take to get my passport asap. They sent my application in Sterling, Va. eventhough I live in San Francisco.

I am viewing lot of complaints about non receipt or US passport and no correct answer via phone, email or in person. If any one knows name name /phone number of their supervisor or lead or any higher official of State travel who can fix this issue and help the American to get their passport within specific time. All the original documents were held with them for more than 1/2 years without any reason. Simply they are asking whether you are travelling or not. but absence of original documents like Green card lot of American missing their good chance for jobs and education. I am one of the American suffering for more than 8 months. OH GOD PLEASE HELP AMERICAN PASSPORT AGENCY TO GIVE SOME MORE WISDOM TO EXPEDITE THEIR SERVICE. If any one know the right person to contact please post on this web site so that every AMERICAN get benefited. thanks

After visit with passport office with my son and got the passport. thanks JESUS

After visit passport office with my son alongwith all documents inoriginal and got the passport. within 2 days thanks JESUS

A letter to White House

I have complaint against Washington DC passport services. I have applied for my daughter passport last year when she was 15. I paid expedite fee.Her father is in pakistan and out of contact. Passport office required her custody letter which I provided but they want something looks like american ( I didn't get it and still do not get it) Anyway officer told me as per federal law, The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 22, Section 51.28 provides that U.S. passport applications for children under the age of 16 require the consent of both parents or legal guardians.. but once she will be 16, she will be out of this requirement. I traveled to washington Dc from North Carolina in October right after she turns 16 ( I took my day off, kids take their day off from school, rent a car) reached there in morning after driving whole night. There officer asked me about why my daughter pic is in Hijab( muslim headcover) I said as her wish whenever she wants she takes it or take it off. she denied her birth certificate which was accepted by previous officer. My husband travelled to Pakistan for her birth certificate and got it back. This year in January as per officer instructions I mailed the original birth certificate. Today I got letter that Washington DC considers her 15 and she need to send the custody letter. SERIOUSLY. She born in september 30 1999. here is email from Passport office. Are they too lazy to calculate the age from her birth certificate? I and my husband (her step father) both are citizen. Washington DC office wants me to run around and thats it. I went there three times and each time it was a run around.

I will really appreciate if you have some mercy on this poor girl case, she is brilliant teen just like other Americans. Kindly please do not discriminate her due to her name, her birth place and picture in hijab. We pay as same taxes as others do, we help volunteer and do community services. She surrenders her green card, she already sent her birth certificate so she cant sit in driving school. Please Please Please have mercy on this girl and issue her a passport.

We have planned a family re-union in the grand cayman. My daughters, grand children, sister and families. I am 69 and likely will never be able to do this again. My daughter has not yet received her passport ! we leave this saturday morning, february 13th and her young 4 year old son and she and are distraught at the the thought they won't be able to come ! what is going on? she asked for them to process and overnight it, and was willing to pay the fee, they said"ok" and now have informed her that "it didn't work" ( her credit care?) but did not inform her, and "said" it will go in general mail. We don't know if it will be here friday. This is cruel in my estimation, inefficient and highly incompetent. No one seems to care at all. The woman she spoke to today was rude and abrupt and unkind. My daughter asked if she could please talk to her superior, and she said "no"! there is no one else for her to talk to !" i am considering getting a lawyer and billing them the $5000 for the tickets and $6000 for the accommodations ( our cost). Can anyone help us ? please !

Date requesting EXPEDITED new passport: May 2nd
Date my check was cashed: May 8th
Date I started calling begging for knowing why the Expedited passport is not yet received: May 25- five times until June 2nd and no one called me back from Charleston center.
Date I received a letter from Charleston : June 5th.
The item they are missing: "The birth certificate supplied does not contain the file date". (Please let me know if you honestly understand what this means and what they want from me.) I would like to add I have sent them the original birth certificate and the same translation that the USA embassy has issued my green card with.
Trip date: June 21st.
I am so frustrated and have no idea who to turn to and what to do. I don't think I will be able to go on my trip which means losing a lot of money, but just wanted to share this so that maybe someone hears my voice and does something for this irresponsible section.