Comments on: The Simple Solution to a Last Minute Passport Snafu ($$$) http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/ Everything About Money You Were Too Polite To Ask Wed, 22 May 2013 01:47:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: oldflame http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-31414 oldflame Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:29:50 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-31414 I did this dance when a last-minute opportunity to visit NYC came up this summer. I was in red alarm anxiety mode for the week between when I realized and when I got my new one. As you say, sometimes it is just nice to have a problem you can actually solve with sufficient money. If I could actually pay 100$ a month to the government to get rid of racism forever I'd be up for that. Unfortunately, it's not always happy stories. A pair of ladies who were there at the same time as me weren't able to get theirs in time because one of them had lost their passport and not reported it as lost so they'd have to go through additional ~terrorism~ paperwork. I did this dance when a last-minute opportunity to visit NYC came up this summer. I was in red alarm anxiety mode for the week between when I realized and when I got my new one. As you say, sometimes it is just nice to have a problem you can actually solve with sufficient money. If I could actually pay 100$ a month to the government to get rid of racism forever I’d be up for that.

Unfortunately, it’s not always happy stories. A pair of ladies who were there at the same time as me weren’t able to get theirs in time because one of them had lost their passport and not reported it as lost so they’d have to go through additional ~terrorism~ paperwork.

]]> By: Tuna Surprise http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30927 Tuna Surprise Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:10:46 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30927 Be very careful with the passport office. They can technically refuse to expidite you if you booked your ticket months ago but just now noticed your passport expired. I had a friend who was denied when they saw the booking date on her ticket! They did expidite me when I got my British visa (which they wouldn't put into my passport because I didn't have on blank front/back page) but they gave me sooo much shit about it. But it wasn't my fault! The British home office didn't say anything about the front/back requirement until they had the visa ready. Be very careful with the passport office. They can technically refuse to expidite you if you booked your ticket months ago but just now noticed your passport expired. I had a friend who was denied when they saw the booking date on her ticket!

They did expidite me when I got my British visa (which they wouldn’t put into my passport because I didn’t have on blank front/back page) but they gave me sooo much shit about it. But it wasn’t my fault! The British home office didn’t say anything about the front/back requirement until they had the visa ready.

]]> By: cmcm http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30852 cmcm Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:40:10 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30852 I'm amazed that a last minute passport only costs $170! I would have expected it to be much more. I’m amazed that a last minute passport only costs $170! I would have expected it to be much more.

]]> By: jkizzlemurphy http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30845 jkizzlemurphy Wed, 16 Jan 2013 05:33:23 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30845 I'm just really excited that a Breaking Dawn: Part Two screencap is included with this post. I’m just really excited that a Breaking Dawn: Part Two screencap is included with this post.

]]> By: Sunny Schomaker@facebook http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30792 Sunny Schomaker@facebook Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:02:10 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30792 Ah, so many memories. Despite applying for a new passport nearly four months before I was to leave for France, the (at that time) new requirements for a passport to get into Canada or Mexico meant a serious logjam. How serious? Serious enough that I had to go three hours southeast to Chicago the day of my flight. (I got there at 2:00 am the day of my flight. There was already a line.) As I recall, I didn't have to pay the expedited fee because it was their screw-up. Fun fact: I had originally applied for my new passport in February, left in June, returned in August, and received my copy of my birth certificate (that I sent in February, mind you) after Thanksgiving. But yes, the employees at the Passport Agency were champs. Ah, so many memories. Despite applying for a new passport nearly four months before I was to leave for France, the (at that time) new requirements for a passport to get into Canada or Mexico meant a serious logjam. How serious? Serious enough that I had to go three hours southeast to Chicago the day of my flight. (I got there at 2:00 am the day of my flight. There was already a line.) As I recall, I didn’t have to pay the expedited fee because it was their screw-up. Fun fact: I had originally applied for my new passport in February, left in June, returned in August, and received my copy of my birth certificate (that I sent in February, mind you) after Thanksgiving.

But yes, the employees at the Passport Agency were champs.

]]> By: Amber Stewart@facebook http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30770 Amber Stewart@facebook Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:44:51 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30770 I've been fruitlessly trying to print out the DS-82 form all day because my passport expired this January, and of course today is the day my boss tells me I might possibly (maybe, small chance) go to Korea very last-minute. SOOOOOOOOOO yeah. I’ve been fruitlessly trying to print out the DS-82 form all day because my passport expired this January, and of course today is the day my boss tells me I might possibly (maybe, small chance) go to Korea very last-minute. SOOOOOOOOOO yeah.

]]> By: katethegreat http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30769 katethegreat Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:37:55 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30769 I have done this too-! I discovered my passport was missing after having moved and having planned a trip for less than a week after the move (not smart). Drove to the office in Detroit (nearest to my then-home city of Cincinnati) in the wee hours in the morning, waiting to get a call to see if they could give me an appointment. And they did! Despite there being LITERALLY no one else there (and me being able to see through the reflection in the glass that at least one employee was playing solitaire), that step took 4 hours. BUT I got a passport about an hour later, and made my flight to Mexico. Thanks, government! No, really! I have done this too-! I discovered my passport was missing after having moved and having planned a trip for less than a week after the move (not smart). Drove to the office in Detroit (nearest to my then-home city of Cincinnati) in the wee hours in the morning, waiting to get a call to see if they could give me an appointment. And they did! Despite there being LITERALLY no one else there (and me being able to see through the reflection in the glass that at least one employee was playing solitaire), that step took 4 hours. BUT I got a passport about an hour later, and made my flight to Mexico. Thanks, government! No, really!

]]> By: Sorbee http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30765 Sorbee Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:25:52 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30765 Grammar nerd time: I think the conditional refers to the mood, not the verb tense. Grammar nerd time: I think the conditional refers to the mood, not the verb tense.

]]> By: Katey Rich@facebook http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30747 Katey Rich@facebook Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:31:47 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30747 I did EXACTLY this, but on Christmas Eve and in the Atlanta passport office, after the gate agents for my flight to Cancun told me my passport was too damaged to get me there. The camaraderie in that office, especially on Christmas Eve, was palpable, and the employees were so INCREDIBLY nice-- they weren't even supposed to be working Christmas Eve, but they showed up to help out idiots like me who were in a bind. Hooray for government employees! I did EXACTLY this, but on Christmas Eve and in the Atlanta passport office, after the gate agents for my flight to Cancun told me my passport was too damaged to get me there. The camaraderie in that office, especially on Christmas Eve, was palpable, and the employees were so INCREDIBLY nice– they weren’t even supposed to be working Christmas Eve, but they showed up to help out idiots like me who were in a bind.

Hooray for government employees!

]]> By: OhMarie http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/the-simple-solution-to-a-last-minute-passport-snafu/#comment-30745 OhMarie Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:19:50 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21675#comment-30745 Awwww, your line group sounds fun! Awwww, your line group sounds fun!

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