Passport Question???

Greetings All,

This is a first time post to this group.

Just curious, I am a US citizen that will be applying for a first passport
tomorrow or next Tuesday. I am going to pay for the expedited service
($60.00 extra) which is supposed to hurry my passport back to me within 2
weeks. I am only 5.5 hours away from the Chicago office where I was told by
the US Passport hotline my application would be going. Is it going to take
the entire 2 weeks to get my passport back? Is the passport office kind of
hit and miss as far as sticking to their estimated return times? I have
talked to some people who have not even paid the expedition fees and
received their passport back in less than a week and even a couple people
that paid the the expedition fees and it took a month or so to get it.

Does anyone know of a quicker way to get a passport without paying insane
charges to some 3rd party company???

Thanks In Advance, Just Dickie

In article gfole.11599$IC6.8186@attbi_s72, Just Dickie
wrote:

Greetings All,

This is a first time post to this group.

Just curious, I am a US citizen that will be applying for a first passport
tomorrow or next Tuesday. I am going to pay for the expedited service
($60.00 extra) which is supposed to hurry my passport back to me within 2
weeks. I am only 5.5 hours away from the Chicago office where I was told by
the US Passport hotline my application would be going. Is it going to take
the entire 2 weeks to get my passport back? Is the passport office kind of
hit and miss as far as sticking to their estimated return times? I have
talked to some people who have not even paid the expedition fees and
received their passport back in less than a week and even a couple people
that paid the the expedition fees and it took a month or so to get it.

Does anyone know of a quicker way to get a passport without paying insane
charges to some 3rd party company???


Go to the Passport office w/ a International air ticket.... 24/48hrs $$$


jay
Thu May 26, 2005




Thanks In Advance, Just Dickie

Thanks for the quick reply.

I should have clarified a little better in the first post. That's my fault.
I really am not able to travel to Chicago. Is there know way to speed the
passport along without paying one of the 3rd party companies or driving 5 -
6 hours to Chicago?

I've read about getting my local US Senator or US Representative involved
once I send the application off to speed it along but didn't know if it
actually would help speed the whole process up. Any ideas or opinions on
this from anyone?

Just Dickie


"Go Fig" wrote in message
...
In article gfole.11599$IC6.8186@attbi_s72, Just Dickie
wrote:

Greetings All,

This is a first time post to this group.

Just curious, I am a US citizen that will be applying for a first
passport
tomorrow or next Tuesday. I am going to pay for the expedited service
($60.00 extra) which is supposed to hurry my passport back to me within 2
weeks. I am only 5.5 hours away from the Chicago office where I was told
by
the US Passport hotline my application would be going. Is it going to
take
the entire 2 weeks to get my passport back? Is the passport office kind
of
hit and miss as far as sticking to their estimated return times? I have
talked to some people who have not even paid the expedition fees and
received their passport back in less than a week and even a couple people
that paid the the expedition fees and it took a month or so to get it.

Does anyone know of a quicker way to get a passport without paying insane
charges to some 3rd party company???


Go to the Passport office w/ a International air ticket.... 24/48hrs $$$


jay
Thu May 26, 2005




Thanks In Advance, Just Dickie

I am going to pay for the expedited service
($60.00 extra) which is supposed to hurry my passport back to me within 2
weeks. I am only 5.5 hours away from the Chicago office where I was told
by the US Passport hotline my application would be going. Is it going to
take the entire 2 weeks to get my passport back?

I have heard of no one in the last three years that has waited more than
10-11 days to receive their passport via normal channels.

You could call the Chicago office and try to wheedle an off-the-record
answer to your question.

Ours took 11 calendar days....Kentucky to the New Orleans PP office and
return.

I think there is even a place online, or a phone number that you can call to
check the status once you have filed your application. I remember doing
that and being told that our applications were already processed and our
PP's were in the mail.

BTW, many Post Offices now offer to take your photos. Ours gets $12.00,
which is 60% of what a local photograper gets.

Thanks for your reply and sharing your experience with the Passport folks. I
will try to contact my Chicago office and go from there.

Just Dickie


wrote in message
...
I am going to pay for the expedited service
($60.00 extra) which is supposed to hurry my passport back to me within 2
weeks. I am only 5.5 hours away from the Chicago office where I was told
by the US Passport hotline my application would be going. Is it going to
take the entire 2 weeks to get my passport back?

I have heard of no one in the last three years that has waited more than
10-11 days to receive their passport via normal channels.

You could call the Chicago office and try to wheedle an off-the-record
answer to your question.

Ours took 11 calendar days....Kentucky to the New Orleans PP office and
return.

I think there is even a place online, or a phone number that you can call
to check the status once you have filed your application. I remember
doing that and being told that our applications were already processed and
our PP's were in the mail.

BTW, many Post Offices now offer to take your photos. Ours gets $12.00,
which is 60% of what a local photograper gets.

I sent my passport in for renewal (San Francisco office) five weeks ago.
Did not ask or pay for expedited service. Got it back 3 weeks ago. They
don't seem particularly slow these days. My husband did pay for expedited
service for his, got it back in a week.

Good luck.

Just Dickie wrote:
Thanks for your reply and sharing your experience with the Passport folks. I
will try to contact my Chicago office and go from there.

Just Dickie


wrote in message
...

I am going to pay for the expedited service

($60.00 extra) which is supposed to hurry my passport back to me within 2
weeks. I am only 5.5 hours away from the Chicago office where I was told
by the US Passport hotline my application would be going. Is it going to
take the entire 2 weeks to get my passport back?

I have heard of no one in the last three years that has waited more than
10-11 days to receive their passport via normal channels.

You could call the Chicago office and try to wheedle an off-the-record
answer to your question.

Ours took 11 calendar days....Kentucky to the New Orleans PP office and
return.

I think there is even a place online, or a phone number that you can call
to check the status once you have filed your application. I remember
doing that and being told that our applications were already processed and
our PP's were in the mail.

BTW, many Post Offices now offer to take your photos. Ours gets $12.00,
which is 60% of what a local photograper gets.




Our Wegman's supermarket charges $8 for passport photos.

"Just Dickie" wrote in
news:gfole.11599$IC6.8186@attbi_s72:

Greetings All,

This is a first time post to this group.

Just curious, I am a US citizen that will be applying for a first
passport tomorrow or next Tuesday. I am going to pay for the expedited
service ($60.00 extra) which is supposed to hurry my passport back to
me within 2 weeks. I am only 5.5 hours away from the Chicago office
where I was told by the US Passport hotline my application would be
going. Is it going to take the entire 2 weeks to get my passport back?
Is the passport office kind of hit and miss as far as sticking to
their estimated return times? I have talked to some people who have
not even paid the expedition fees and received their passport back in
less than a week and even a couple people that paid the the expedition
fees and it took a month or so to get it.

Does anyone know of a quicker way to get a passport without paying
insane charges to some 3rd party company???

Thanks In Advance, Just Dickie

OK, It probably will not take the whole tiem but they like to hedge
their bets. I have gotten mine back within two weeks without the
expedite, but have seen others wait and wait, it is usually inversely
proportionate to your need. With the new passport regulations going into
effect in Jan. there will be more and more pressure on the passport
office.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

"Just Dickie" wrote in message
news:gfole.11599$IC6.8186@attbi_s72...
Does anyone know of a quicker way to get a passport without paying insane
charges to some 3rd party company???

Thanks In Advance, Just Dickie

Mail it in well in advance of any travel. They then return it instantly as
they know you won't need it.

JohnP

John Pezzano wrote:
"Just Dickie" wrote in message
news:gfole.11599$IC6.8186@attbi_s72...

Does anyone know of a quicker way to get a passport without paying insane
charges to some 3rd party company???

Thanks In Advance, Just Dickie


Mail it in well in advance of any travel. They then return it instantly as
they know you won't need it.

JohnP


It takes less than 2 weeks.