Waiting in line to get your passport

[TipSy]

Since im going away in April, i needed to get my passport soon, and mailing it wasnt an option just becuase you never know with the post office, what if it got lost, anyways...

So today me and my b.f went down to the richmond passport place, we decided we would be there for 7 since it opens at 8:30, and we thought the lines were going to be really bad.... when we got there at 7 there were already 115 people in line, and people who had been there since 3 in the morning!!!

5 hours later i finally got inside, to wait another 20 minutes, for something that only took 2 minutes to complete!

5 hours in line up.. in the freezing cold... and it didnt even dawn on me to bring a chair.. so standing for 5 hours!!!!

Good luck to anyone whos trying to get their passport....

[Ree Fresh]

I heard about this. A few weeks ago they said it would take about 6 weeks to receive your passport. On Friday they said it will now take 2 MONTHS!!! Thats because of this new rule that you must have a passport to fly into the states.
Anyways its pretty official I wont be going to miami now since mine expired in Jan. Although a few ppl have told me that they have gone in the middle of the day to the passport office and its been near empty :?

[dabbler]

i went a few weeks ago, right in the middle of all the media saying "line ups for 5 + hours" and i arrived at 6:15am, and left at 8:30am

last week when i went to pick up my passport, i was there at 10:15 in the morning, and there were only about 100 people in line (2 hours ~ they process 50 per hour) which is the same amount of time it took 5 years ago

your only mistake was to go to richmond

[Silverwinged]

Originally Posted by dabbler

i went a few weeks ago, right in the middle of all the media saying "line ups for 5 + hours" and i arrived at 6:15am, and left at 8:30am

last week when i went to pick up my passport, i was there at 10:15 in the morning, and there were only about 100 people in line (2 hours ~ they process 50 per hour) which is the same amount of time it took 5 years ago

your only mistake was to go to richmond

new west office the best bet then in this case?

[MissBehavior]

Best thing is to do as much of the application as possible online. You will get fast-tracked at the passport office if it's done properly online (meaning: LESS TIME WAITING IN LINE!).

[BongMan]

Im just going to wait for Biometric driver ID's

[Carrie]

I've never not had a passport.

I should check when mine expires.

[cubed]

The last time I went to the passport office, I took a number, judged it would be a two hour wait. Went and did a little shopping, came back an hour and a half later, waited 15 mins and got it done.

They always say you need a certain amount of time to recieve a passport, but they can always fast track it for you.

The last time I got mine they said it would take 6 weeks to get to me, I told them I needed it in 4, they got it to me in 3.

There are ways around everything, I know some people that have gotten a new passport in as little as a week.

[gnosis]

A couple of years ago, when updating my passport, I paid the extra $50 (or whatever the charge was) to fast-track me.

I even went in a day earlier than it was supposed to be available, and sweet-talked the lady into letting me have it (since it was already there).

FUCK THE USA!!!!!!!!!

I can only imagine the added frustration and aggravation!

Frosty
(wants to re-visit Lancaster, UK)

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by MissBehavior

Best thing is to do as much of the application as possible online. You will get fast-tracked at the passport office if it's done properly online (meaning: LESS TIME WAITING IN LINE!).

Depending on where you go, the don't prioritize you until you actually make it into the office, so you stand in line for 4-5 hours to get 15 minutes ahead.

The timeframe is really just to scare you, for April there is no way I would stand in line. If you're worried about the mail you coud have dropped it off at the passport office.

Like Jim said, you're prioritized based on when you're leaving, you just need proof of travel.

Rhia - you still have tons of time OR you can drive over and then fly.

[justShell]

this makes me so happy i got my passport years ago and only need a renewal form.

[kiMMie]

Do the passport registration online, print and bring it down - Express line up. That's what I did and headed to the downtown branch. :kimmie:

[Dean]

i went to slurrey this morning.... it took 3-4 hours...

if anyone's planning on doing this.. i would go check it in the afternoon rather than the morning... the line ups were way longer in the morning then they were when i was leaving

as i was heading out the line up to get inside was almost non-existant

[Ree Fresh]

Originally Posted by justShell

this makes me so happy i got my passport years ago and only need a renewal form.

Thats what I have to do... renew it as it expired in Jan. So does this mean I wouldnt have to wait as long as the other ppl? Its really the first line that scares me.

[baby-phat]

No wonder people call for timed calls at the cab company I work for to go to the passport office.

Originally Posted by kiMMie

Do the passport registration online, print and bring it down - Express line up. That's what I did and headed to the downtown branch. :kimmie:

Hmm.. will def keep that in mind.