Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Tuesday's Tribute-U.S. Passport Agency

Tuesday's Tribute

Yet Another Jay and Deb Production
Forgive me, Jay and Deb. This week it's not a tribute. It's a tirade.
If this wasn't weighing so heavily on my mind, I could have thought beyond it in order to give tribute to someone or something deserving.
But, I just can't.
U.S. Passport Agency, I'm pretty sure you've failed me.
I'm on the phone with you now. On hold. You are experiencing unusually high call volume and suggest that I use your passport website to check the status of my passport.
I would love to get all of my answers through your secure website. There's just one problem. It's down. AND, I already know from THREE previous HOUR LONG phone calls that it's not updated correctly and my FIVE applications are not in the system.
When I turned in the passport applications, we were told that passports were coming back within 2 weeks. It's been 4 weeks and our applications are still not completed.
Are you trying to stress me out? Because you are.
Just so you know.
And, I'm still on hold.
I HATE being put on hold.

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50 comments:

Erin said...

Oh no! Did the hit the zero key work?? That is my trick for talking with a real person.

Christina - Rant Rave Roll said...

Well... I can't say I'm surprised.. It is the US Government

Heather said...

You poor thing.

Danyele Easterhaus said...

i have so been there...and they don't even have good music playing while you are on hold. good luck! at least you got the luck of the irish with you today, right?

Upstatemamma said...

Oh that's terrible!!!

jori-o said...

Ack! I hope you got it all worked out in a reasonable amount of time! (HAHA)

Robin said...

Mine was back in my hands before the website ever showed it as logged in. Granted it was expedited, but still. Very nervewracking, since I had plane tickets for just a few weeks later!

Amy @ Six Flower Mom said...

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!

Bonnie the Boss said...

So frustrating.

Sam_I_am said...

Uh oh, maybe they are trying to hold us all captive in the country... It's a conspiracy. lol. Good luck with that passport!

Sera said...

Crap! That is ridiculous!

Kacey said...

Want me to call them for you? I've got some "crazy country" in my back pocket that I can pull out - no problem. :D Of course, they would have to ANSWER the phone for me to get country on them but my thoughts are with you nonetheless. Good Luck!

Deb said...

oh dear. yes, i can tell you not to bother with the website. it showed my applications as "not found in the system" EVERY day up until (and probably since) the day the passports arrived in my mailbox!!!!! did you pay the extra $ for expedited service? if not, i wouldn't stress out (too much)... if you did, i would start panicking.

Laura said...

Wow I made an appointment went in and got mine done and it arrived in a week! I did not even pay for the expedited service either. That was a month ago...

What is going on?

April said...

There is nothing more frustrating than having to go through a bunch of red tape! Hope and pray everything works out for you!

Sheila said...

I hope you get them soon. I deal with passports every day...those people can be awful! Did you expedite them? If not, you still have a couple more weeks before you could get them...if so, yea, I would be calling very upset....that's why you pay the extra money! I hope it all works out!

Sheila said...

I hope you get them soon. I deal with passports every day...those people can be awful! Did you expedite them? If not, you still have a couple more weeks before you could get them...if so, yea, I would be calling very upset....that's why you pay the extra money! I hope it all works out!

Ronda's Rants said...

I am so sorry...I really hope it works out!

Lula! said...

Bless your heart.

Have you gotten it worked out yet?

Anonymous said...

oh gawd, that is annoying!
and the worst part is sitting on hold for that long, hearing over and over the message about going online to get faster help. you totally want to yell into the phone that the site is down! only no one can hear you. argh!
so frustrating! hope you get helped soon!

Amy said...

I miss those days when you could just talk to a person and not wait on hold and finally reach someone that does not know what is going on. Or when you answer the phone and it is a recording telling you something not a person.

jo@blog-diggidy said...

where ya goin?" huh, huh?? lol good luck!! ;)

Halftime Lessons said...

Oh no...

I hope your plans arent...interrupted...

I cringe for anyone having to deal with our government in ANY capacity.

*crossed fingers*

Tia said...

oh jeez :(
i remember going through all that business when i got our canadian passports to come move down here... it doesn't get better!

hopefully it's all about to work itself out!

Anonymous said...

So, this would be the wrong time to tell you that my daughter got her passport back within a week?

T Rex Mom said...

I, too, dislike being put on hold for an excessive amount of time. So frustrating. Good luck...

Simply Sara said...

Oh, no!
I hate being on hold...especially with little ones running around screaming in the background(at least that happens at my house- I'm sure yours are much better behaved!)

(Oh, and my laptop may be dead but thankfully we have a functioning desktop. You can keep me in the hat if you want *grin* )

Jennifer said...

I hope by now it is all sorted out. Where are you traveling? I hope it is someone fun!

Unknown said...

Oh golly, this is not good. Hope you not STILL on hold as I type!

Stephanie said...

I just went through this in January! We didn't pay to "rush" ours b/c they said we didn't need to. We went to the post office together, Rich received his within a week, I FINALLY got mine a few days before we left! The problem was with my picture...we took them ourselves and didn't have the background "light" enough. You're right about the system...it never listed ours as in the system either. But, I did have very helpful and pleasant people when I called in. In fact, they made sure to highlight my travel dates and send my paperwork up the ladder! P.S. I hope you are off hold!

Anonymous said...

Wow! That's a long time. I hope you are done now and have what you need

The Blonde Duck said...

I hate being trapped in phone space...bleah!

Munchkins and Music said...

I think the longest I stayed on hold was 2 hours, and I ended up hanging up. Ahhhh, I feel your pain!

Unknown said...

I know exactly how you feel. I don't particularly love talking on the phone as it is....but being on hold and growing more angry every second....That's bad.

Philigry said...

what a huge pain in the rear. i hate being put on hold, it makes me anxious. i hope you got through and everything is taken care of!

Jen said...

Yeah, being on hold is just maddening.

AutoSysGene said...

Yeah, that's why we expedited H's...I would imagine with 5 that would probably be cost prohibative.

I hope you get some answers soon. And I hope you are going somewhere awesome on vacation...where you can relax after this frustrating experience!!

Hang in there, my friend.

Unknown said...

Being on hold is the worst, isn't it? It makes me want to bash my head into the counter!

Unknown said...

Oh that is not nice, not nice at all. I hope that the passport issues have been resolved.

Jenni said...

Nothing is worse than getting put on hooooold.

I hope it works out SOON!

Live.Love.Eat said...

A huge pet peeve of mine. No joke. I have been frustrated to the point of tears with the merry go round phone calls. Hope you get your passports soon!

Are You Serious! said...

♥ I hate being on hold also! What a pain!!!

Anonymous said...

Ugh...this happened to us too and it was just a month ago! We never did appear in their system on the website....I spent an afternoon on hold, got frustrated, checked the website, we weren't listed, called again, hung up, screamed....passports came in the mail the next day...5 weeks to the day that we sent them in. Ours was just a renewal too and it took 5 weeks! Good Luck!

Susie said...

Pass ports and the DMV are the root of all evil.

ChefDruck said...

I went through this 2 years ago trying to get passports to go see my dad's wedding in Canada. Do what I didn't do, what many people suggested to me I should have done.

Call your state representative's office. They can intercede in your behalf and get your passport to you.

Another option (the one I went through) was to pay for Passport Expedition through a special service in NYC. It worked but it did cost about $150.

Email me if you want more info!

Joy said...

Oh girl try calling the IRS to find your refund!!

Tim said...

I totally concur. Especially when they put you on hold forever and you have gotten to the end of your patience they hagn up on you. OHHH I could use some foul language now just thinking about it. Sorry you are having to deal with that.

Love and Prayers,

Tim

Laurie said...

So when you were on hold did they even play any good music? I know I should not be making light of this.. It is HORRIBLE!!! My dad had problems too. Going anywhere good?

Mark and Kiss said...

Hmmmmm....Buena suerte amiga.

Diva Ma @ Mommy Fabulous said...

Oh how I hate being on hold listening to that lame elevator music!