SHIT... I need passport help BAD

[purr]

So I finally got the 'permission slip' from my ex that I was allowed to take my son to get a passport.. I leave March 8th. I took it on Monday (he gave it to me on Sunday that I've been bugging him since January) and I submitted it.

Everything ok? NO...

I called today to check on the status and they said that they're sending me a letter. WHAT FUCKING LETTER and they said my name is different on the birth certificate. NO SHIT I GOT MARRIED IDIOTS. Well we need a marriage license. Whats the fax #? I dont have that information, mam. How far are you from Philadelphia? UM OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE.... Well then I suggest you overnight it to the Philadelphia Passport Agency.

I'm fucked.. they have his birth certificate. So I asked her about that. She said that I need to go to Pittsburgh to get a new one. LIKE WHAT THE HELL. I LEAVE ON WEDNESDAY ASSHOLE AND ITS FRIDAY.

Any suggestions? I'm going insane here.

[miss_american_pie]

1. I'm confused

One office has everything but the marriage license. They are telling you to overnight the marriage license and everything they already have to Philly?

That is stunningly illogical.

I hope you get it sorted out.

[purr]

5. I dont understand it myself

they want to know WHY my last name now is different than on my sons birth certificate. What idiots.

[pitohui]

2. are you using an expedite service?

to be honest at this point in the game i would be checking to see how much it will cost to reschedule my flights

once the plane leaves without you, you have lost full value of what you paid for the tickets so find out how last-minute you can wait to notify the airline in case you do get the passports in time after all

[purr]

6. Yup..using expedite

I still didnt get a letter from them. I called the airline and they said that it'll cost me more money to reschedule my flights. Great.

She told me that I can still get him into Canada with his birth certificate, but the passport agency has it!

[lukasahero]

3. I hate to ask this

but don't passports take weeks to get under even the best circumstances? According to http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_831.html "Ordinarily, if you paid additionally for expedited service and two-way overnight delivery within about 2 weeks."

I have to agree with the poster above who suggested you look into re-booking your flights. Sorry.

[purr]

7. I got mine within a week..

I even expedited his. It was because of his father that I was so late getting his. I told his father in January that I needed the form so I can go and take him, but nooo.. he had to give me hell until Sunday about it.

[Midlodemocrat]

4. I thought you were going to Canada?

Do you have to have a passport now to get into Canada? :shrug:

[ZombieNixon]

9. You definitely need one to get back into the US. n/t

[purr]

10. I got an odd situation..

Im no longer with my sons father - and I'm taking him to a 'foreign' country (Canada yeah..) and the passport agency told me if I didnt get him one they can arrest me on spot for attempted kidnapping. :scared:

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Call your Senator - the one in DC

They can sometimes pull strings and get passports moving real fast.

You can also go to the consulate, if you have one in town, and let them know it's an emergency. We used to do that at the firm I worked for, when we had guys who needed to fly out quickly to a foreign country - usually it was for visas, but we also used it for passports.

[purr]

11. I'm going to try that..

I'm at my moms right now so I have to do it when I go back up my house. All this for a bloody passport.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. I can't guarantee it will work,

but it's worked for some I know to call the Senator.

Thankfully, I've never had to try it. :-)

And I would call now, even if you are at your mom's, especially it being Friday. Call as soon as possible!

[purr]

15. K I'm going to try it now..

Wish me luck :)

[LostinVA]

12. Call your Congress Critter NOW -- They will straighten it out

Seriously. They will. Call NOW.

[purr]

14. The PA senator?

[purr]

16. Ok I called the Senator..

His secretary is going to look into it and call me right back. I hope she calls back with good news. I'm stressing.

[LostinVA]

17. YOUR senator

Told you te hy would look into it. It's Friday afternoon, but still... let em know what happens.

(my sister had something similar happen to her about ten years ago -- they got her a passport in ONE DAY, and I went to the special diplomatic office in DC once via my Congress Critter and got a passport in ONE HOUR -- it can be done).

[purr]

18. Thanks :)

I hope they can do something. She did tell me on the phone that I *may* have to go to Pittsburgh but didnt elaborate. Still waiting to hear back. I explained the whole situation about them telling me that I could potentially get arrested for not having his passport and getting arrested for attempted kidnapping. I hope they can do something.

[LostinVA]

19. If they can, they will

This is one thing the Congressional staffers are REALLY good at....

[purr]

21. Ok the one Senator couldnt do anything either..

She told me to call a Representative. I'm on hold for their passport advisor right now.

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. Stupid question, but let's first verify you are leaving the country

If not, then you don't have much of an emergency.

Just wanted to toss that out, just in case. :-)

[purr]

22. Going to Canada :(

Just talked to the Sentor and the Representative and they couldnt do jack. %**%*^*^*^*

[seaglass]

23. I brought my daughter to Canada a year ago and all we needed

were birth certificates and a notarized letter from my husband saying I had his permission to take her to Canada. He went a couple days before me with my son and he brought the same stuff.

This is still the case. Here's the State Dept. link:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/regional/regional_1170.html

It sounds like you just need to get the birth certificate back (have them FedEx it to you) and get the notarized letter. By the way, my last name and my daughter's are different and it wasn't a problem.

[purr]

24. I dont know whats up..

I keep getting different answers. The woman from my Reps office gave me the direct number to the Philly office and she told me that I need to call on Monday at 2:30 and she'll do the info there then overnight it to me. She did tell me that I can get arrested for attempted kidnapping as well if I dont have the right documents.

She said that the letter from my ex doesnt need to be notarized.

[seaglass]

25. Call the Canadian Embassy if you don't trust the State

Department page (although I would) or if you booked the trip through a travel agent they will have access to the current info on docs (I used to be a travel agent - though I'm not relying on old info for your question).

Here's the state dept. info that applies to unaccompanied minors (with the Canadian embassy phone#):

"Due to international concern over child abduction, single parents, grandparents, or guardians traveling with children often need proof of custody or notarized letters from the other parent authorizing travel. (This is in addition to proof of citizenship as explained above.) Any person under the age of 18 and traveling alone should carry a letter from his/her parent or guardian authorizing the trip. Travelers without such documentation may experience delays at the port of entry.

For further information, including information on student or business travel, visitors can contact the Embassy of Canada at 501 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20001, [phone], see their Internet home page at "

We had an entire hockey team of 14 year old boys go to Canada, not all with both parents, and none of them had a problem.

[purr]

26. Ok so then I should be fine if I can get his passport

in time with his fathers letter. I'm only going for 3 days so I hope its not going to be a big ordeal. With my luck it will.

[Fleshdancer]

27. Get the birth certificate and screw the passport stuff for now....

Why would you have to go to Pittsburgh to get a new birth certificate? That part doesn't make sense to me. I wouldn't trust the passport office for accurate information on how to obtain a birth certificate.

My husband was able to get into Canada even though his name change isn't updated on his passport yet (he was adopted by his step dad recently for symbolic reasons and he's in the process of changing his last name). He had his drivers license (with his new name), his passport (old name) and the legal and signed adoption document which listed the name change. This was 2 weeks ago so you *should* have options. For now, a passport isn't needed to get into Canada as long as you can prove your citizenship with a birth certificate. The rules will change in 2007 though and Americans will need a passport then. For the most up-to-date rules on this, contact the airline.