View Full Version : OK Passport Office



Karried
09-20-2007, 06:49 PM
This is tough because I believe in being 'Safe instead of Sorry' but still... I wish this office would have been better informed and given accurate information.

We went Aug 27th to get our Passports for a trip to Acapulco Nov 20th. The Government website said 4 - 8 weeks for Passports. I was a little concerned because I don't like cutting it that close.

We walked in a few minutes before 4:00pm with all of our applications filled out, birth certificates and our pictures taken. The lady looked at the clock, asked if we everything filled out and proceeded to tell us we were lucky because since it was exactly 4:00, she didn't have to take us... okay..... they close at 5:00pm. But she took us because we were prepared. She told us that we were fortunate because she has seen people stand in line for hours and when the clock hits 4:00pm - they turn them away. (Advice for anyone else getting passports ... don't show up one minute past 4:00pm and print and fill out forms/application in advance).


As we were signing everything and writing 4 separate checks for a total close to $400 the lady informs us that the passports will arrive in 4 months! I said 'what?!' the Gov website says 4-8 weeks...she says ' it hasn't been updated in years." But for an additional $240 dollars, you can have them expedited and they 'might' arrive in time.

I was so disappointed..

I said, 'no', obviously we're not going to be able to book it with that uncertainty.

I had heard about the delays so I was thinking approx 3 months should have been enough time.

Anyway, I decided it just wasn't meant to be so we left and decided to do something local that week instead.

Guess what arrived today, Sept 20th?

Yeah, 4 passports.

Instead of sipping a Mai Tai in a Hammock on the white beach, I'll be feeding a llama food pellets at the Arbuckle Wild Animal Park... yipee.

Thank you Mrs. Pessimistic Passport Lady... ( sing that to the tune of Budweiser ... Mr Gigantic Taco Salad Inventor) lol

ps. It could be worse, I could have booked the trip, and she might have been right ... I would have been out a pretty penny.

Oh GAWD the Smell!
09-20-2007, 08:34 PM
That's really crappy.

Why DOES it take that long anyway? :numchucks

bwana_bob
09-21-2007, 12:35 AM
Regulations effective this year (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) require all passengers who fly outside the country to carry a passport. This includes exotic locales such as Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda - all of which previously allowed travel sans passports. Starting next year, the rules extend to travel into Mexico and Canada by car as well as travel via cruise ships. The State Department was completely overwhelmed by the increased volume of applications - a classic case of lawmakers enacting legislation without ensuring that systems were ready to handle the impact of the change. This was a big news story throughout the spring and early summer. The expediting option - expensive - was also heavily touted in various reports.

In a briefing June briefing, Maura Harty, the assistant secretary for consular affairs, acknowledged that the State Department did not expect the flood of applications. "What we did not anticipate adequately enough was the American citizens' willingness and desire to comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative in the timeframe that they did," Harty said.

The local office was just passing along the best information they have - better to underpromise and overdeliver - as you indicate with your purchase decision. At least now you have your passport so that you can drive to Mexico for cheap Tequila and to Canada for discounted pharmaceuticals.

Oh GAWD the Smell!
09-21-2007, 12:56 AM
I'd also like to know why it costs so damn much for what it is. Where does the money go?

oldglory
09-21-2007, 06:34 AM
It took them 21 weeks to get mine done........

Karried
09-21-2007, 07:11 AM
wow, 21 weeks! yikes.

Yes, we're glad we have them and now if we do want to travel anywhere, one less thing to worry about.

I don't think travel insurance would even have covered 'lack of passports' as a reason to refund total trip cost.

Speaking of... I now highly recommend travel insurance. I use Insuremytrip... although I've never had to use it, they were really professional and affordable.

A few years ago, we boarded a cruise ship early and were waiting to sail. We were in the inside restaurant having lunch and we see all these emergency personnel run past.

One of the friends we were traveling with is a firefighter so he offered to help.

Turns out a lady was unconscious and no one knew why. Her family was frantic. She had a seizure or something. The family told my friend that she has never done that before and they had no idea why she was unconscious.

They loaded up this lady on a stretcher and a huge group followed her off the cruise ship.. I heard them asking, 'where do we get our luggage off?, what hospital are you taking her to?' and all these questions. It was horrible. I thought about them the whole trip.

I never found out what was wrong with her but all week I saw the faces of her concerned family and her kids.

As well as dealing with hoping she was alright.. I was hoping they all had travel insurance to take another trip when she recovers.

It takes a huge amount of preparation to go on a cruise and they must have been so disappointed.

I also learned something, most insurance companies won't cover you if you get hurt while you are inebriated. That's strange to me.. a lot of people who get hurt while on vacation may have had a cocktail or two (they are on vacation after all!) while enjoying the activities. I imagine that a blood test would show how much was too much. But something else to consider while traveling.

PUGalicious
09-21-2007, 08:16 AM
I'd also like to know why it costs so damn much for what it is. Where does the money go?
Dick Cheney's Swiss bank account

gmwise
09-21-2007, 07:40 PM
Ok,
1st off no one likes the new procedures and safeguards placed into passports, but well worth the new secuirty once its all in place.
The accusation of someone getting kickbacks without the evidence is libel, maybe they didn't teach common sense or courtesy in your "university".
I rather have the safe guards in place.

dismayed
09-21-2007, 10:03 PM
I applied for a passport at the beginning of this month. I heard the same story, they told me to expect it in January. Oddly enough I received it 2 weeks to the day later.

In all fairness, I know that it was taking a very long time to process passports just a year ago. Maybe Uncle Sam finally solved his problems and forgot to mention this to his underlings.

Oh GAWD the Smell!
09-22-2007, 05:24 AM
Ok,
1st off no one likes the new procedures and safeguards placed into passports, but well worth the new secuirty once its all in place.
The accusation of someone getting kickbacks without the evidence is libel, maybe they didn't teach common sense or courtesy in your "university".
I rather have the safe guards in place.

There's no new security measures involved in obtaining a passport. Just more people wanting one due to restrictions on OUR travel.








I'm really Dick Cheney's Socialist doppleganger.

Dave Cook
09-23-2007, 02:27 PM
Speaking of new passports, have you seen the new ones? They look ridiculous.

What's with the coloring book pages? A little cheesy, if you ask me. Stick with the basic blue so you can tell where you've been.

gmwise
09-26-2007, 05:13 PM
hey little britches {Oh GAWD the Smell!}, do you have a new passport?

I didn't think so.

metro
10-04-2007, 03:58 PM
Yes, as Bwana Bob said the new WHTI has created much more demand than normal. It's a simple supply and demand issue. Or Labor vs. Demand. With common places such as bahamas, mexico, canada, and carribean now requiring passports, many people who previously didn't need a passport all the sudden need one. Karried, can you not still book your trip for next month? Surely you didn't buy prepaid tickets to the Arbuckles did you? I book all my trips at the very last minute, never have had a problem and usually save a substantial amount of money.

bvilleokie
10-04-2007, 04:27 PM
I applied for a passport the first part of September at the Norman Sooner Station post office. The clerk there told me I had plenty of time to get my passport before my trip to Bermuda in Nov. That it took 6-8 weeks normally. Not wanting to push my luck, I expedited the process for an additinal $40.00 and my passport arrived within 2 weeks. I am confused but not surprised the OK passport office gave you such negative info that was very obviously incorrect.

Karried
10-04-2007, 06:37 PM
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing Metro. I tried to book my trip after I got my passports but the problem I had was trying to get flights over Thanksgiving week. The price went up substantially and the flight combos were horrible.. in the meantime, we were invited go to South Carolina to visit family instead. So, I cancelled my Arbuckle trip and changed that date to Oct so we can see the falls and enjoy the leaves changing (hopefully).