PASSPORT PANIC

Originally Published the Week of Sept 28, 2016 in Western Outdoor News

Oh no! Did you really let that happen?

A chill goes up your backside. Palms get clammy. You just want to bang your own head against something unforgiving…like a concrete wall.

You can already hear your family or friends rip into you.   But, it can’t be much harsher than the names you’re already calling yourself.

Everyone has been planning this trip to Baja for months…or years! Everyone was looking forward to it. It’s all everyone has talked and thought about. You’re jacked. You’re pumped.

If you can’t go, it affects everyone’s vacation. Not just your own.

And now you feel like a total doofus supreme.

You realized your passport is expiring. Or you forgot to get one!

Until now. And the trip is just around the corner.

Your own excuses sound pretty lame. Even to you.

“I was really busy!”

“I forgot!”

“No one told me!”

“I need a passport?”

 And there’s absolutely no one you can throw under the bus except yourself. It’s your own darned fault! Your own stupid negligence. Let the flogging begin.

Or you can get past it and go pro-active and see if you can salvage this.

Let’s start with the basics. Tacks and nails. Maybe it’s not too late!

Your passport is good for 10 years. Read this. Go get your passport now and take a look at it. Don’t wait until the lady at the airport asks you to show it to her for seat assignments. With a long line of anxious people behind you.

(Sidebar note. Some countries require that you have at least 6 months validity still remaining on your passport. )

Still good? Great. Move along. Take a breath. Crack a brew.

Expired? About to expire? You don’t have one to begin with? OK, time to move.

It takes about 4-6 weeks to get one. Maybe longer if it’s that “rush” time when everyone is getting passports. Like just before summer or holidays.

Start here: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html. You can do a lot of it online.

Got less than 6 weeks? Crunch time? Underwear bunching up?

You can get one expedited in 2-3 weeks.   It’ll cost you at least an extra 60 bucks. Peanuts really given that your butt’s in a vice.

According to the government, you can expedite by mail. Get your application documents together, toss a check into the envelope. Mark “expedite” on the envelope and overnight the thing.

For some folks, like me, that would be too nerve wracking. I don’t want to be waiting by my mailbox. I don’t want to wait everyday for the mailman as the trip gets closer.

The alternative is making an appointment at the nearest passport acceptance facility and take care of this in person. Get this done! Here’s the link to find the nearest acceptance facility near you: https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

If you’ve got less than two weeks. You’re not beaten yet! You’re just a bigger knucklehead. Suck it up.

You must make an appointment at a Passport Agency or Center. In addition to extra fees plus the applications and documents, you must show proof of impending national travel. You must call for an appointment. Call 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793.

But wait. You really blew it and you’ve got less than a week before the trip.

You’re not completely out of the game yet. Maybe. Close, but not yet.

There are private “courier companies” that are called “Passport Expeditors.” They are not part of the government or government run, but are allowed to submit passport applications on behalf of folks like you.

They are listed online. Read all their fine-print of what they can and cannot do.

Basically, your negligence is their emergency. They’re SWAT and Seal Team Six last ditch black-ops to get your little blue book.

Just know this. Just like the real military guys, nothing is guaranteed. This is your own fault for waiting until the 13^th hour.

The U.S. government also says that there’s no guarantee that it’s any faster than if you made an appointment at a regular government input facility. At some point in the process, you’ll still have to drag yourself to a government passport center.

Even if the expeditor says you can do everything online, the government says, nay nay. “We still wanna see your stressed self face-to-face.”

The government will not intervene nor does it have anything to do with these collateral services. But, they’ve been known to be helpful in a pinch.

This will also cost extra for the service. But, it’s an alternative source that might be able to help. You’re trying to save your vacation!

If all this fails. Fall on your sword. Man up. Blame the dog for eating your application or the postal service for losing the mail.

Hope it doesn’t come to that because otherwise, we’ll miss you down here! We’d had for you to watch everyone’s vacation on Facebook when they share photos!

That’s my story!

Jonathan

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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004.  Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico  www.tailhunter-international.com.  They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront.  If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com  or drop by the restaurant to say hi!

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Jonathan Roldan’s

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Website: www.tailhunter-international.com

U.S. Office: 8030 La Mesa, Suite #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

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