My passport

[akdiver 3]

I sent my passport in to have pages added - in the middle of August. I included a note asking them to replace the cover, since they could not read the magnetic strip the last time I went through customs. I also included two photos.

So, one day, I got a call from the passport processing center. They wanted to let me know they would not replace the cover, unless I wanted to apply for a new passport and pay the fee. I told them no thanks, just add the pages to the existing passport (which is valid for another 4 years).

A few weeks later, I sent them a letter asking them where my passport is. By this point, it had been a month since I first sent it in.

A few weeks after that, I got another call from the passport processing center. They told me they were replacing the cover on my passport after all, and they wanted me to send them two photos. I pointed out that I sent them two photos with my passport to begin with - but I would send them two more. I also verified that they would return my old passport. They SWORE to me that they would return my old passport. I asked them several times, they said yes, yes, yes.

So, I get mail from the passport center. Any guesses on what is in there? Yes - you guessed it. A brand new passport and no old passport. While it is nice to have received a brand new passport (good for another 10 years) without paying the renewal fee, all I really wanted was pages added to my existing passport - and I certainly wanted the old one back - and they told me multiple times they would send it back. At this point, I'm guessing they shredded it.

###### morons.

[raphandarrin 0]

aw, sad story, *teardrop*

[NickD 202]

I sent my passport in to have pages added - in the middle of August. I included a note asking them to replace the cover, since they could not read the magnetic strip the last time I went through customs. I also included two photos.

So, one day, I got a call from the passport processing center. They wanted to let me know they would not replace the cover, unless I wanted to apply for a new passport and pay the fee. I told them no thanks, just add the pages to the existing passport (which is valid for another 4 years).

A few weeks later, I sent them a letter asking them where my passport is. By this point, it had been a month since I first sent it in.

A few weeks after that, I got another call from the passport processing center. They told me they were replacing the cover on my passport after all, and they wanted me to send them two photos. I pointed out that I sent them two photos with my passport to begin with - but I would send them two more. I also verified that they would return my old passport. They SWORE to me that they would return my old passport. I asked them several times, they said yes, yes, yes.

So, I get mail from the passport center. Any guesses on what is in there? Yes - you guessed it. A brand new passport and no old passport. While it is nice to have received a brand new passport (good for another 10 years) without paying the renewal fee, all I really wanted was pages added to my existing passport - and I certainly wanted the old one back - and they told me multiple times they would send it back. At this point, I'm guessing they shredded it.

###### morons.

Wife had to bring her old and new foreign passports for her citizen interview to verify her trips out of the country, not keeping that old passport can cause problems since you have to prove everything about anything.

There is a passive chip embedded in the cover of the newer passports, passive in the sense that they can't add a battery to it for power as the battery would go dead. The energy of the reading sends an RF wave that is used to power it to bring it to life where it sends back an encrypted code. Believe the data is stored in a flash ram where an extremely small charge in each memory element determines whether that cell is at a logical "1' or a "0", that can be wiped out by a strong magnetic field.

Some claim this data can be sniffed by a lowly spy, but not sure exactly what they would do with it unless they are a lookalike, and some sell shields to protect you from identity thief, not sure about that either. One thing the chip does, and not sure how they use it, puts your PP data into a database, so big brother can keep track of you.

Still do not know with over 9,000 agents, they cannot verify your data and send copies of it, cheap passport comes in nice thick cardboard envelop that I had to sign for, the certificate of naturalization from exactly the same address comes in first class in a cheap brown envelop, why couldn't they slip that in the same envelop as the passport? And why did they send it way down to New Orleans when it could have been sent to Chicago? A thousand miles closer to us.

Feel calling the DOS morons, is a complement, idiots is more appropriate.

[almaty 19]

why do you hate america?

[akdiver 3]

why do you hate america?

because of what it has become...

[SpiritAlight 1]

Wow!

[almaty 19]

why do you hate america?

because of what it has become...

wow, brother ak..i always jest..and post that...and you are the first person to have an answer..thanks for your honesty

[akdiver 3]

why do you hate america?

because of what it has become...

wow, brother ak..i always jest..and post that...and you are the first person to have an answer..thanks for your honesty

No sweat (:

[MissStacey 1]

A little story about the passport office:

My husband has a friend who worked at the Passport office here in New Orleans (he got a better position at another office in a different State so he has moved)

They have a quota per day and can not go over it. One lady he worked with at the office who has been there for many years and was incredibly fast and competent would have her quota met by about 2:00 everyday. She would then have to spend the rest of her day pretty much sitting around and waiting until home time. She was not allowed to continue and process more applications.

Makes no sense does it?

[Otto 83]

A little story about the passport office:

My husband has a friend who worked at the Passport office here in New Orleans (he got a better position at another office in a different State so he has moved)

They have a quota per day and can not go over it. One lady he worked with at the office who has been there for many years and was incredibly fast and competent would have her quota met by about 2:00 everyday. She would then have to spend the rest of her day pretty much sitting around and waiting until home time. She was not allowed to continue and process more applications.

Makes no sense does it?

She should be fired for 'making the others look bad.'

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

A little story about the passport office:

My husband has a friend who worked at the Passport office here in New Orleans (he got a better position at another office in a different State so he has moved)

They have a quota per day and can not go over it. One lady he worked with at the office who has been there for many years and was incredibly fast and competent would have her quota met by about 2:00 everyday. She would then have to spend the rest of her day pretty much sitting around and waiting until home time. She was not allowed to continue and process more applications.

Makes no sense does it?

She should be fired for 'making the others look bad.'

yeah, she's affecting the ego of her co-workers and creating a hostile workplace! she should be canned for being so efficient! we can't have that in a government office!

[NickD 202]

why do you hate america?

Not a question of hating America or more precisely, the United States of America, if I were to return to the country I came from, it would be here. Americans have been suckered in for less government regulation, perhaps thinking they would limit the powers of the IRS and other agencies that have complete control over our lives. But instead deregulating laws that were meant to protect us, such as foreign companies taking over our communications industry, reducing tariffs that our costing us our jobs, deregulating the price of energy, so corporations can charge us whatever they feel like charging, and not to mention Wall Street.

We have a new form of slavery, it's not that someone owns us, but indirectly owns us in the amount of money we can earn and how much of it the government takes away for God knows what. Just like recently where the airlines are now outsourcing 77% of the aircraft maintenance to countries that do not have an EPA, ERA, DOT, FAA, or OSHA to deal with, plus they can make a couple of more bucks. And we are spending trillions to fight for a war because of first a lie, now because we are fighting it to give freedom to a people that don't even want it.

Wasn't fun to be drafted to fight a war that congress didn't even declare and the news today lies about some GI saying how great it is to protect this child and he is doing good when thousands have limbs blown off and are having their bonuses taken back because they can no longer fight. We are no longer represented by our representatives, all hand picked by two parties that claim to be enemies, but working together to screw us with one crook or another. But all this is happening because Americans aren't doing anything about it, too busy either trying to make ends meet, or smoking crack.

Reason why I believe AK and I are criticizing is not because we hate this country, it is because, we love this country, get that straight. And we are guilty before the USCIS and have to prove our innocence? Of course we do, all in the line of national security, but that is exactly the same thing Hitler said.

[Fandango 1,439]

whoa nellie!

[SpiritAlight 1]

why do you hate america?

Not a question of hating America or more precisely, the United States of America, if I were to return to the country I came from, it would be here. Americans have been suckered in for less government regulation, perhaps thinking they would limit the powers of the IRS and other agencies that have complete control over our lives. But instead deregulating laws that were meant to protect us, such as foreign companies taking over our communications industry, reducing tariffs that our costing us our jobs, deregulating the price of energy, so corporations can charge us whatever they feel like charging, and not to mention Wall Street.

We have a new form of slavery, it's not that someone owns us, but indirectly owns us in the amount of money we can earn and how much of it the government takes away for God knows what. Just like recently where the airlines are now outsourcing 77% of the aircraft maintenance to countries that do not have an EPA, ERA, DOT, FAA, or OSHA to deal with, plus they can make a couple of more bucks. And we are spending trillions to fight for a war because of first a lie, now because we are fighting it to give freedom to a people that don't even want it.

Wasn't fun to be drafted to fight a war that congress didn't even declare and the news today lies about some GI saying how great it is to protect this child and he is doing good when thousands have limbs blown off and are having their bonuses taken back because they can no longer fight. We are no longer represented by our representatives, all hand picked by two parties that claim to be enemies, but working together to screw us with one crook or another. But all this is happening because Americans aren't doing anything about it, too busy either trying to make ends meet, or smoking crack.

Reason why I believe AK and I are criticizing is not because we hate this country, it is because, we love this country, get that straight. And we are guilty before the USCIS and have to prove our innocence? Of course we do, all in the line of national security, but that is exactly the same thing Hitler said.

Some good points here.

I doubt any of us ("aliens") would have moved here if we hated it.

Speaking out about our civil liberties being eroded is unpatriotic?!

Ha!!

It is your right.

Read his/herstory.

Edited October 7, 2008 by SpiritAlight

[spookyturtle 9,465]

With USCIS and the IRS your are guilty until you prove your innocent. Murder someone and they have to prove you did it.