Member- bellenga
- 9 years ago
- Wedding: July 2010
Two hours after I received the call that the mail handler (call from Post Master from the location) said that she had scanned the envelope and placed it in my mailbox over a week ago and SAYING SHE SPECIFICALLY REMEMBERED DOING SO, the PASSPORT WAS FOUND AT THE POST OFFICE. Was not even in the truck. So what was the handler exactly remembering???
Luckily NO ACTION had been taken by US State Department regarding making my passport invalid so I returned home today to find it SAFELY IN THE MAILBOX!!!! Yipee! Woo hoo! I am Jamaica bound Mon!
But if in the event YOUR passport is "misplaced" (ie lost or never received after you apply for the passport), here are some easy tips to follow that will save you several hours of calling around trying to find out information.
1)Call the State Department 877-487-2778. Hit option 1 for English (if that’s your language) and then press 3, and then press 1. That will put you directly into the queue (sp?) to speak directly to a LIVE person.
2)ask them for your tracking number so you can follow online to find if you passport was received properly, if it was delivered, or if some problem exists. They can also help you track it online but you need the numbers. These people were very helpful btw!
Ask them for the number of your passport issue too! This will come in handy later. Also ask for the MAILING ADDRESS of the regional passport issue office so you can later overnight it to them..see way below ok? It all will make sense I promise!
3)After that call, immediately follow up online and print off the tracking information.
4)Next call the local branch of the USPS that handles your mail. Be NICE! They are overworked as we all are.. ask to speak to the post master who is in charge of that location and explain your situation to them. Have them ask the handler the whereabouts of your package if it is showing it is indeed delivered (mine showed it had been delivered TO MY HOME SIX DAYS AGO)
Now comes the rough part. After the call, it may take hours to find out if it is found. Ask the post master to phone you by the end of the working day to see if it is located. If it’s NOT…wait 48 hours. Max. Wait less time if you’re travelling in less that five days ok?
5)In the meantime while waiting, be proactive and go to the website http://www.foia.state.gov website. Left click on forms. When the forms page pops up, go down to the section entitled "passport". Click on DS-86, fill in the form online and print it off. There are other valuable passport related forms there too in case yours is later on lost or stolen btw! Now go get your checkbook. Write a check for $14.85 and address it to the State Department and in the info part write "reissue of passport never received".
Now type a letter to the State Dept. describing your imminent (less than 1 week) travel plans or when you are leaving. (I personally had written mine already and included in the fact it was my engagement trip btw ) and tell them that you are including the amount for overnight return delivery ($14.85) and that could they please reissue it asap to you. Once it is re-issued, they will overnight it back to you! I included in the letter I drafted also my name, address, SSN and date of birth and cell phone number. Also include in big bold letters/numbers on that letter, the passport issue # you received earlier in the previous call.
Paperclip the filled out DS-86 form with check in front and letter in back and overnight it to the regional passport issue office.
That’s it! This way you should have little downtime.
Hopefully your passport will be found after you’ve begun the initial steps as mine was, but if it is not…then you are the Bride with a plan!
