The process started several months ago. I got the form to fill out and I had my passport photos taken at a Walgreen's some time last year. Actually getting it done took longer than I had planned. I expected it to cost $100 or so. I had to wait until I had time and the money... That combination almost never seems to happen.
Yesterday, with the form filled out and photos in my hand, I headed downtown to get me passport. FINALLY. Who knew the passport office closed at 2 pm? GRRR.
Last night, I looked up getting a passport online. It said the office opened at 9 and that--surprise--there was a passport office in Clovis (instead of just all of the way in downtown Fresno). I was thrilled that I could just go to Clovis---but I thought the passport office there had closed down some months ago. Sure enough, I arrived at 8:45 and there was NO passport office to be seen. Double GRR.
I jumped on the freeway and headed downtown. I got to the post office down there just before 9--amazingly. Guess what? The passport office didn't open until 10:30 this morning. ARGH! I couldn't stick around. I had a doctor's appointment with my new neurologist at 11.
After my appointment, I went speeding back downtown. I arrived at about 12:45---and there were a lot of people inside waiting. I took a number from the machine and found a seat...and waited and waited and waited.
Every now and again, a clerk would emerge from an office area and call out a number. People seemed so unorganized. Not me. I had my application all filled out, my photos and money in the bank (a whole $160...but it couldn't possibly cost that much, right?). All they took for payment was money orders, cash, personal checks and debit cards. My card was in my wallet. I was set...or so I thought.
After waiting a long time, I was finally called. Uh-oh. I had filled out the old form. I had to fill out the new form. They couldn't process the old form. Swell.
The clerk gave me a pen to use (thank goodness) and I went into the adjoining post office to use a table to fill it out. There was absolutely NO DIFFERENCE in the forms, except for the front--which is torn off during processing. That difference was just a few blank lines where you notated where and when you made out your application. Really? I had to refill the whole thing out for that? LAME---but I did it.
I sat and waited to be called again. The clerk came out and was helping this elderly Asian man. I gave him his pen back, hoping he would remember me and get back to me ASAP. I went and sat down while the clerk took the elderly guy into the office and shut the door.
As I waited, I noticed something on the form I hadn't seen before. It stated that if you had lost a previous passport, you had to fill out another form before you could apply for a passport. My passport was long expired, but also packed away. I had no idea where it was, so it was essentially "lost". Swell.
In a panic, I found the form in a stacks by the office door and dashed into the post office to use one of the tables again. There were no pens attached to the tables as there used to be. Fortunately one of the postal clerks let me borrow a pen. I quickly filled it out, gave the pen back and went and sat down again. Phew!
As I sat there, I looked at the form more carefully. Oh crap. To my horror, I discovered that in my haste to fill it out, I had missed whole SECTIONS. How did that happen? Crap-a-rama!
I was debating running back to the post office---would I have time before I was called? If they called me while I was gone, would they think I had left and not call me again?---when I was called back to the front. This time if was a lady clerk.
She looked over my passport application and I told her I hadn't finished filling out the "lost passport" form. She thought about it, asked me a few questions---and changed a few of my answers. It was more than 15 years old and still in my possession--not "lost" really. I didn't need the form after all. But there was a new problem. The passport photos I had taken at Walgreen's were unusable. Why? Because I am wearing my glasses in them and that is a no-no for passport photos (so is smiling, but the Walgreen clerk knew that, at least).
She told me to take a seat again and she was going to try and process my forms. They would take a new photo of me when I signed everything and paid. Okay.
As I sat there thinking things were finally looking up in this whole passport process, the male clerk came out of the office and pulled the take-a-number dispenser into the office. Zowie! It was 2 o'clock. I'd already been there more than an hour.
The lady clerk called my name again. She had a few questions for me and was going to take my photo (withOUT glasses on). First she asked if I wanted a passport or a passcard or both. I figured, with the Canada trip coming up and being able to use the passcard for Canada and Mexico (places I would be more likely to visit), it might be easier to go with a card---less chance of having the passport go lost or get stolen. I would need a passport for Europe, though. I opted for both. Then she asked if I wanted standard processing, which would take 3-5 weeks, or if I wanted expedited, which took about 2 weeks. We are leaving for Washington on September 1st. That is 5 weeks away. If standard processing took 3 to 5 weeks, that might be cutting it close. So, I opted for the expedited service.
She took my photo against a stark white wall with bad lighting. HIDEOUS!!! The Walgreen photos were better. Although I am older and heavier (PLEASE me get my legs fixed so I can do my walks again and go back to the gym), I looked semi-human in them. The one the lady clery took somehow exaggerates my double chin and accentuates the bags under my eyes. Joy... And now I'm STUCK with this photo for the next 10 years. EEEK!
She sent me out to do more processing. My phone was running out of juice and I was getting bored twiddling my thumbs. How much longer did I need to wait?
Finally I was called back. I had to sign a few things and then pay for everything. I put in my debit card and...declined. Huh? The clerk said that sometimes happens because of the heat. Okay... We tried it again. Declined. What happened? And then I realized I was being charged $251.20. Jeepers! No wonder it was declined. I only had $160 in my account. Yikes!
I was in a panic--again. How was I going to pay for this? All they took was cash, cashier's checks, personal checks and debit cards. I could try a credit card---but I'm kind of maxed at the moment. Oops.
I looked at the lady for help. What could I do? Take the forms with me and come back another time? No--that wouldn't work. She said they could take partial payment on ATM---just enough to cover the money order she had printed up for the passport and passcard ($140). The expedited service ($60) and other fees ($51.20) could be charged. Okay.
I used my debit and paid the $140. For the remaining $111.20, I stuck in a credit card. Declined. UGH!
She said I could break up the remainder and pay with two cards if I needed to. I remembered my other bank account. I had $100 in that account. I paid the $60 due---which left the $51.20. I pulled out a different credit card and....SUCCESS! Phew! What an ordeal.
She printed out a long receipt with all of the separate transactions on it. It was very iffy---but mission accomplished. Finally.
CHEERS!
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