Passport Nightmare!!!

Towards the end of April I mailed my passport renewal application. I requested a book, a passport card, and overnight delivery so that I would be sure that I would have it prior to my trip. about 4 weeks later I look online and saw when it should arrive. I began going to the mailbox every day to check for it. I received my passport card and in a separate envelope I got my old passport and all my documents. I continued to check for a week and a half and nothing came. Worry began to creep in and I decided to call the National Passport Center. I requested a tracking number and proceeded to check the delivery status. To my Horror it had been "delivered" over a week a go and the signature had allegedly been waived.

In a panic I called them back explaining what I had seen on the USPS website. They requested that I fill out a form (DS86 - which basically says you never received you book), and mail it in overnight. At this point I would be cutting it close. I asked if their was any way I could get this resolved at a regional office. The agent told me to wait until 14 days prior to my travel date to call in for an appointment. Relieved I marked my calendar to 14 days prior.

The day came and I called the number for my appointment, and followed the instructions. Minutes later I found out that there were NO appointments until the day of my trip!!! I called the center again and asked if they could help me set up an appointment other than that because of the situation. They said NO. The agent recommended that I overnight  my application and pay for over night shipping. I was on the edge!! A million things crossed my mind -would it be back in time - would it get lost again -should I mail it or not. I got in the car to mail it and then decided to ask around to see what people would tell me about their experiences with emergency passports.

I decided I would show up at the regional office and see what They could do for me. I arrived early and took the elevator to the 3rd floor where the office is located, an officer stood guard checking documents. I explained my situation and he asked me to go back to the 1st floor and see the officer their. I went down and  much to mu surprise there was a HUGE line I had failed to see when I arrived. I explained my situation again and showed him my Proof of Delivery (POD) from the USPS. He initialed it and I skipped the line. I got up stairs and was checked in and asked to wait. I waited about 5 minutes and was called, questioned about the whereabouts of the new book that should have arrived, and then asked to return on Tuesday to pick up the reprint with a receipt they gave me.

Here is what I learned this week

-The call center will always say you can not show up with out an appointment.

-For a lost passport printing out your POD goes a long way, and will save you time and money (I was charged nothing-I'll update if that changes on Tuesday)

-If you need an emergency passport show up as Early as humanly possible- the lines are pretty long

-Bring proof of travel