Passport Application Process & COVID

[N400NYC 380]

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/passports/passport-covid-19.html

 

Anyone who has applied for a passport recently will know that it's a huge mess right now - like everything else.

 

I became a citizen in mid March. I had been due to travel in late March and because of that was eligible for an in-person passport application. I had an appointment on March 16 in NY but that was cancelled by the passport center. I was rescheduled for March 23 but then on March 19 there was an announcement that passports would only be issued in-person for those flying within 72 hours for a life-death emergency. That same day also became the last day for submitting an application for expedited processing. I found that out 4pm on the day of the deadline. 

 

I applied the very next day on March 20 through a post office and the only option was regular processing (advertised by then as 6-8 weeks).

 

On April 3, Dept of State issued another update stating that they are now basically only focusing on in-person emergency passport applications for those with a life-death emergency. And that there will be "significant delays" for anyone who has submitted an application recently via the "regular processing" route. To me that sounds like months. This is precisely the scenario I had tried to avoid but COVID had other others!

 

And yes I know I can't travel right now anyway, but I feel very uncomfortable not having a passport in hand and with my citizenship document not being in my possession for months on end.

 

My fiance is in South America and my elderly parents are in Australia. God only knows when I will have a passport and when there will be permission to travel again. 

 

I struck it lucky with getting my oath ceremony in just before those were suspended. But my lack ran out at the passport application stage!  

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by N400NYC

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

Very bad luck indeed, did you make copy of the certificate? Cross fingers that they don't misplaced your citizenship certificate. Otherwise, it will cost more time and money.

[millefleur 5,046]

**Moved from US Citizenship General Discussion to Passports, etc. - What to do now that you are a US citizen**

[N400NYC 380]

1 hour ago, millefleur said:

**Moved from US Citizenship General Discussion to Passports, etc. - What to do now that you are a US citizen**

OK...a suggestion - this sub forum for passports is not very active...which is why I purposely posted it in the other section. 

2 hours ago, NancyNguyen said:

Very bad luck indeed, did you make copy of the certificate? Cross fingers that they don't misplaced your citizenship certificate. Otherwise, it will cost more time and money.

I have a copy, yes. But a copy isn't much use. And it takes 6 months to get a new one. So I certainly hope they don't screw anything up and lose it!

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

16 minutes ago, N400NYC said:

OK...a suggestion - this sub forum for passports is not very active...which is why I purposely posted it in the other section. 

 

forums are organized depending on topic.  a lack of activity in one forum does not justify posting in other forums.

 

charles

vj moderation