I'm trying to help my wife get her passport sorted out. She had one issued when she was 1 month shy of her 16th birthday, so she's not eligible for a renewal and instead must submit an entirely new application. That's fine and all, but I'm having a really hard time getting her an appointment.

For starters, she's a teacher and every passport center (most at post offices) require an appointment on weekdays from 8:30-4. She's at school from 7:15-4:00 every single day. I'm guessing she will just have to take off work. Secondly, ever time I try to call a post office or other facility, they won't take an appointment over the phone and refer me to an 844 number. I have called this number weekly and it only asks me to leave a name and number and they'll return my call in the order it was received. So, of course I never get a call. It is extremely frustrating.

Our trip is coming up at the end of June, so we're reaching that point where it needs to get done. Any thoughts?

Where are you located? I got mine in Houston at a library on a Saturday. Didn't need to make an appointment, just needed to arrive early to avoid waiting in line for too long.

If you are close to Houston, just go to the agency. But for the most part you are dealing with a government office, so expect to go during government hours.

If you're willing to part with some extra cash, you might look into a passport expediter to handle it for you so that she doesn't have to take a day off.

We live in another state, so I'm not sure if this would work for you, but we went to a neighboring, smaller county's clerk's office, where they didn't require appointments. Also, you probably already know this, but if your wife was born in Texas, make sure she has the long-form version of her birth certificate.

blindey said:

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If you're willing to part with some extra cash, you might look into a passport expediter to handle it for you so that she doesn't have to take a day off.

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An expediter cannot solve the personal appearance issue.

I believe you can go to your District Clerk of Court's office and submit all materials for a new passport.

Give them a call, and they can likely help with the issue, as they are open until 5.

Trying to book an appointment with a Houston area post office was extremely frustrating for us when getting the kids passports several 4 or 5 years ago. If you live in the burbs you may want to try a close-by small town. We are in Katy and booked appointment in East Bernard just a few weeks out - they had tons of slots open and it was a very easy process.

We're in Dallas...well technically Frisco, but we both work in Dallas.

BlueAg2003 said:

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I'm trying to help my wife get her passport sorted out. She had one issued when she was 1 month shy of her 16th birthday, so she's not eligible for a renewal and instead must submit an entirely new application. That's fine and all, but I'm having a really hard time getting her an appointment.

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So, what you're saying is that her passport expired so now she has to apply for a new one.

My oldest daughter got her current passport a few months after she turned 16. The Passport photo in her private girls high school uniform. So she's going to look like that until she's 26

When we got the kids passports for the first time, we went to the Post Office - probably on a Saturday. Then, we had to mail the applications off and it took maybe 6 weeks to get it back in the summer of 2007 when they first started requiring passports to travel to the Caribbean.

My brother has gotten his passport renewed or maybe even issued a new one at the Passport Office in Houston. From memory, that was an all day affair for him.

Yeah, and if she had gotten it even a day after she turned 16 we could have just done a renewal. As it is, we have to start the process all over again. It has been frustrating because I can never get a live person on the phone. I finally found today that it looks like the Dallas County Clerk's Office doesn't require appointments and we can just show up with the proper application and documentation. Here's hoping she can get it done tomorrow.

Go to Passport Express office in Richardson off of 75. They will expediate passports in days and weeks. I did it in February and got my passport in 3 weeks.

It will cost you about $350-500 to do it

AggieCrew02 said:

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Go to Passport Express office in Richardson off of 75. They will expediate passports in days and weeks. I did it in February and got my passport in 3 weeks.

It will cost you about $350-500 to do it

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I recommend doing the opposite of this. First of all, she will still have to appear in person at a passport acceptance location. The expediter can't do that.

Second, you can expedite your passport without paying them $350. You can just pay $60 directly to the State Department.

People always recommend expediters on this site and I cannot understand why. First, read the State Departments information.

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/services/expedited/passport-expeditor-courier-companies.html

Next, read the Richardson passport expediter site. Pay attention to grammar and general professionalism and ask yourself-- do you really think they provide a service worth $500?

https://aapassports.com/new-first-time-passport/

Yep, Crew got ripped off. The local district clerks office asks everyone when you are ready to pay if you want to expedite your passport arrival, and it didn't cost all of $500 to do so. It was more like $160 if I remember correctly.

Oh well I got my passport. I'm good for the next 10 years.

CIBTvisas handled mine at work.

I know this is going to sound crazy, but just wait until June and she is off school and then make an appointment at the Dallas Passport Agency downtown. If you are traveling within two weeks you can make an appointment with them and pay a $60 expedite fee. You'll be able to pick it up within 24 hours. I got mine the same day

Ok, good to know nai. I know it is a little scary to wait, but we might have to do it.

BlueAg2003 said:

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Ok, good to know nai. I know it is a little scary to wait, but we might have to do it.

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I watched a guy get his in under an hour because he waited until the day of his flight to get a new passport. I would have been sweating bullets if that were me.