Passport Problems

[daveyknew]

So I went to Scotland / England maybe.. 4 years ago, and in the meantime I've misplaced my passport. I remember thinking about sending in a lost passport form a few years ago, but I can't remember if I actually did.

I am going to go get my passport in person at the Dallas Passport office, but will this be an issue?

Can I just say I shredded it because I thought it was expired? It can't be delayed, so my questions.

A. Will a lost passport become an issue?
B. Should I say it lost or tell them I shredded it?
C. Whatever else I should know.

Thanks

d

[juliagulia]

Don't lie. Tell them you lost it. Actually, I'm not even sure it'd be a problem. But yeah. Don't lie. You'll just screw yourself over.

Good luck!

[expatben]

I agree with Julia don't lie especially if you cannot remember filing the passport as lost or not. I don't know about the rules for American passports but I lost my British one a while back and I as well as an application I had to fill in a seperate form telling them the last place I saw it. Aside from that it was a standard renewal. Out of intrest, when do you need the passport?

[daveyknew]

The problem is I need it by June 9th. California is overnighting my birth cert to me, then I can go to the passport office. But I don't have months to wait to file a "lost" form especially with the security restrictions tightened up.

Suggestions?

[Elizabeth]

It looks like you can report it lost and get a new one at the same time. Expedited service is supposed to take about 2 to 3 weeks vs 4 to 6 for regular processing. If I remember correctly, expedited costs like $100 extra but its worth it to get your passport in time for your trip!

[joe7f]

So I have some passport problems. This is mostly a vent.

Last week I spoke to the State Department and they said that expedited renewals run, as Elizabeth said, 2-3 weeks. At the time I was leaving 18 days later. Smack between 2 and 3 weeks.

You can only apply in person if you are leaving with less than 14 days. There is a big ol' week long crack I fell into. After speaking with them, they said that if I overnight it there and pay for overnighting it back, I will be fine (in fact the woman said I would likely receive it in 3-4 days). Okay great!

7 days later I find out that it was processed as "routine" instead of expedited. Why? Apparently I paid 20 bucks MORE than I was supposed to.

Why not call me and ask me what to do? Or hell, just keep it, use it on our 14 trillion dollar national debt. Maybe I'll pay the interest for a 1ms period of time. I just don't get it. So anyway it has been placed under review and I will get a call back in 2-3 days.

This puts me in a really uncomfortable position. I leave two weeks from yesterday and if I need to wait 3 days for a phone call that's Thursday. If I don't get anything, then I will have to call Friday. leaving me 5 mailing days to receive my key to travel the following Sunday.

To incompetent government failing to do its most basic duties

--Joe