Lost Passport Returned Through Twitter - Expedited Passports

Peaches Geldof, the 20-year daughter of Sir Bob Geldof  (the former lead singer of the Boomtown Rats and the actor who played “Pink” in Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall”) recently lost her passport in a London park.  Unfortunately, she also had plans to  go to Mexico next month. Without a passport, those plans would have to be postponed.

Fortunately for Peaches, she is something of a celebrity and she has a Twitter account.  So, when it was discovered, the woman who found it recognized her name and sent Peaches a tweet to let her know it was safe. The Mail Online quotes an unidentified “friend” who explained that Peaches   “was resigned to the fact that she would need to apply for a passport.  Then she received a Twitter message from someone telling her that they had found it – she was over the moon.”

Now, unless you are celebrity, if you lose your passport it is unlikely that a random stranger will be able to find you on Twitter.  So, you will need to report it lost/stolen  to the US Department of State by calling 1-877-487-2778. Then, you will need to replace it.   For step-by-step instructions, see How to Replace a Lost Passport.

Normal passport processing takes about 6 weeks. If you order expedited service from the government, it can still take 3 weeks.  What if you need to replace your lost passport more quickly?

If you’re traveling within 14 days, you can go to a Regional Passport Acceptance Agency to replace your lost passport. However, Passport Agency offices are only located in select cities, have limited hours of operation and are appointment-only. In most cases, using a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport. com is a more convenient option.

As a licensed hand-courier, RushMyPassport can deliver your application personally to the Department of State, putting your application at the top of the list for super-fast processing. With RushMyPassport.com, your application can be processed in as little as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport with us today!

We may still be stuck in the depths of winter, but Spring Break is just around the corner, and it’s time to start planning your spring vacation. If you are vacationing outside of the US this year, it’s important to check and see what kind of travel documents you will need. New passport regulations went into effect on June 1st, 2009, and passports are now required for more destinations than ever before. Here’s the scoop:

On June 1, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative went into effect.  Now, the law requires that US citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean by land or sea carry a passport book or another WHTI-compliant document, like a passport card,  an enhanced driver’s license or a NEXUS, FAST or SENTRI card. Previously, you could just bring your driver’s license and your birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization certificate.

However, if you’re going on a cruise for Spring Break, you might be able to get by with just your driver’s license and birth certificate, assuming that your cruise begins and ends at the same US port. Check with your cruise line to see what documents are required, but consider applying for a new passport anyway-you’ll need it if you have to fly home for an emergency.

Also, if you’re under the age of 19 and you are traveling outside of the country for Spring Break with a church group, school group, sports group or cultural organization, you can just bring a copy of your birth certificate as long as your group is under adult supervision. Again, though, it’s better to have a passport.

If you are flying anywhere outside of the United States, even if it’s just to Mexico or Canada, you must have a US passport-no exceptions.

The time to apply for your passport is now-in fact, according to the University of Arizona’s passport acceptance office, students only have 5 days left to apply for a passport with regular processing. Applications need to be in by February 12th if you are using the government’s expedited processing option for your new passport.

This is based on the University of Arizona’s Spring Break-you may have more or less time depending on when your school lets out.  Check your dates, and make sure to allow 6 weeks for regular processing and 3 weeks for expedited processing.

You should also be aware that applying for a new passport through a private passport expediting company  can make the application process much easier as well as drastically reduce your processing time.  For example, RushMyPassport.com can have your application processed in as little as 24 hours.

Apply for your new passport today!

Canada and the US have a long tradition of being good neighbors to each other.  At one time, US citizens could cross the border with nothing more than a driver’s license. However, in recent years the laws have changed, leaving many confused.

Do you need a passport to go to Canada? In all likelihood, yes.  Since June 1, 2009, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) has required that Americans traveling to Canada by land or by sea carry one of the following documents as proof of citizenship:

• A US passport book
• A US passport card
• A NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card
• An enhanced driver’s license (only available in certain states)

The only exceptions are for children and people on “closed-loop” cruises. Children under the age of 16 can use their birth certificates, naturalization certificates or certificates of citizenship instead of a passport if they are traveling by land or by sea.

Children under the age of 19 can use birth certificates, too, provided they are traveling with an organized group such as a school group, church group, sports team, volunteer group or cultural organization.  The group must be supervised by an adult and carry a letter on organization letterhead that contains the name of the group, the names of the supervising adult and the children, and a signed statement certifying that parental permission has been obtained for all children on the trip.

Americans traveling to Canada on a closed-loop cruise (one that begins and ends in the same US port) can travel with their driver’s licenses or state -issued ID cards and their birth certificates or naturalization certificates.

Now, if you traveling to Canada by plane, the rules are different. You need a passport book (the passport card won’t cut it), and there are no exceptions, even for children.  Even if you are traveling by land or by sea, it’s a good idea to use a passport book in case you have to fly home unexpectedly.

RushMyPassport can make applying for  a passport much easier and faster. We’ll help you with your application and hand-deliver it to the US Department of State, resulting in processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport with us today!

One name is enough for most of us mortals, but celebrities often have two-their actual legal name and the name they perform under.  So, Tony Bennett is actually Anthony Benedetto, Marilyn Manson is actually Brian Warner and Joan Rivers is actually Joan Rosenberg, the last name of her late husband.

Earlier this month, amid increased security after the thwarted Christmas Day bombing, Rivers’ alias got her into a little bit of a pickle, according to the New York Daily News.  The comedienne was heading home from New Year’s Day in Costa Rica, when she got held up by gate agent who questioned the legitimacy of her US passport.  On her passport, her name is listed as “Joan Rosenberg aka Joan Rivers.”

The misunderstanding caused Ms. Rivers to be bumped from her flight to Newark, leaving her stranded in Costa Rica with no ATM card and only $100 in her pocket.

Although some news reports say that the police were called to the airport, now that she is back home she was able to laugh at the situation with the New York Daily News:

“If I were going to make up an alias, I wouldn’t pick Rosenberg. I’d pick Jolie or Pitt. Do terrorists wear Manolo Blahniks? I can tell you Donna Karan does not make anything that hides a bomb.”

“I tried the tears; they didn’t work. I tried reasoning. I couldn’t bribe because I didn’t have any money,” she said. “I said ‘I’m going to have a heart attack over this,’ so the woman called the paramedics.”

Although most of us don’t have aliases, this story underscores how important it is to make sure all of the information on your passport is correct and up-to-date. Joan Rivers may be laughing about it now, but the prospect of being stranded in airport unexpectedly is no fun!

If you have an international trip coming up and you need to get a passport name change or make a correction, RushMyPassport.com can help. We offer a variety of different packages and depending on the option you select, we can have your application processed in as little as 24 hours.

Submit your passport application with us today!

Recent changes in passport rules have left many people confused, unsure whether or not they need a passport to travel to certain destinations. For example, for the first half of last year, you did not have to have a passport to go to the Bahamas.  However, on June 1st, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) went into effect, and the rules changed.

Now, if you are an American citizen traveling to the Bahamas, you will more than likely need a passport to go.  Under the WHTI, if you are traveling to the Bahamas by plane, you must have a US passport book.

If you are traveling by sea, you can use a passport book or one of the following documents:

• a passport card
• a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card
• an enhanced driver’s license (only some states have these).

Please note that the passport card can only be used if you are traveling to the Bahamas by sea-it’s no good for air travel.

Exceptions

There are, however, a few exceptions to the above rules. For example, if you are traveling to the Bahamas on a closed-loop cruise, a cruise that begins and ends at the same US port, you can use your driver’s license and birth certificate instead of a passport.

There are also a couple of exceptions for children.  Children under age 16 can use a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship IF they are traveling to and from the Bahamas by sea. Children under age 19 can also use birth certificates IF they are traveling by sea and IF they are traveling with a school group, a church group or a social or cultural organization supervised by an adult.

Just like adults, children in any age group must have a passport book to travel to the Bahamas by plane.

If the new passport regulations have caught you off guard, RushMyPassport can help. We hand-deliver your application to the US Department of State and then rush your new passport back to you, resulting in processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport with us today!

Getting a passport is exciting. This is undoubtedly a cliche, but a new passport really does open up a whole new world of travel opportunities.  Where can your new passport take you 2010? The possibilities are almost endless, but we’ve picked out 5 of our favorite up-and coming destinations:

• Gargano, Italy: Unspoiled, uncrowded beaches? Check.  Ancient churches and historic fishing villages? Check.  Excellent food? Check! Gargano, Italy is a peninsula located on the “heel” of the boot-shaped country. Since much of the area is national parkland, it’s a great place to experience a quieter, more peaceful Italy.
• Sri Lanka: The civil war that wracked the country ended last May, making a visit to this beautiful island more appealing to tourists.  Stay at one of the attractive modern hotels that are springing up like daisies and see elephants, water buffaloes and crystal-clear beaches.
• Iceland: The country has always had a lot to offer tourists: glaciers, hot springs and winter sports, plus a vibrant nightlife in the capital of Reykjavík.  Due to the state of the country’s economy, it is now offering these things for less.
• Argentina:  Looking to take a wine tour somewhere a little more exotic than Sonoma Valley? According to the New York Times, wines from the Argentinian wine country of Patagonia have been raking in awards recently.
• Copenhagen, Denmark:  If you’re looking to make your trip abroad as green as possible, Copenhagen is an excellent choice. The New York Times notes that the city has transformed itself into an eco-friendly mecca, with free bikes for tourists and a thriving nightlife.

If you don’t have a passport yet,  see How to Apply for a New Passport for a detailed description of the application process. Remember that it takes about 6 weeks if you apply with regular processing, and at least 3 weeks if you use the government’s expedited service.

However, with RushMyPassport.com, you can get your passport much faster.  Depending on the service you choose, we can often have your new passport application processed in as little as 24 hours.

Apply for your new passport today!

This year, the Winter Olympics are being held in Vancouver, Canada. The games run from February 12th to February 28th, and since they are relatively close to us this year, a lot of Americans are expected to attend. If you’re one of them, make sure you are up to speed on the latest requirements for crossing the US/Canadian border.

Last year, those requirements changed. Previously, you could have driven across to Canada to see the Winter Olympics with just a driver’s license or other state-issued ph0to ID and a copy of your birth certificate or naturalization certificate.

However, now that the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is in effect, you may need a passport quick if you want to attend.  To get across the border by land or sea, you will need one of the following documents:

• A passport
• A passport card
• An enhanced driver’s license (only certain states offer this)
• A NEXUS, SENTRI  or FAST card (NEXUS and SENTRI are “trusted traveler” programs for frequent travelers, and FAST is a program for commercial drivers).

If you are flying to Vancouver, you must have a passport book (not a passport card) to board the plane.

To try to minimize problems, according to USA Today, the Department of Homeland Security has launched a $2 million ad campaign to help educate people about the new requirements.

If you don’t have a passport, you’ll need to get one in a hurry- the Winter Olympics are only a month away.

At this point, the easiest way to be sure you’ll get your passport quick enough is to use a private passport expediting company. The State Department’s expedited service takes 2-3 weeks, which is cutting it awfully close.

RushMyPassport can help you get your passport more quickly, in anywhere from a little over a week to 24 hours, depending on the processing option you choose.

Don’t miss the Winter Olympics: Let us help you get a passport, quick!

What is the Passport Denial Program, and could it keep you from getting your passport?

The Passport Denial Program was set up to prevent parents who owe child support from being able to get a passport and leave the country.  Although it doesn’t say so on the passport application form, all passport applications are checked against a list of people who owe more than $2,500 in child support.

If you owe more child support than that and you apply f9r a passport, your application will be returned along with a letter explaining why you aren’t getting your passport book.  However, the fee you paid along with your application will not be returned. The State Department keeps it-no backsies.

Don’t expect this program to go anywhere anytime soon, either. According to this article on the Fayetteville Observer website, the Passport Denial Program has proven its worth:

The Passport Denial Program has been in place since 1998 and, by the end of 2006, had collected more than $22 million in past-due child support. That figure swelled in 2007 when passports began to be required of people traveling to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

To avoid wasting $175 on a passport application that won’t be accepted, if you make child support payments and you think you might be behind, call your state child support agency to check your balance first. If your passport application does get denied for nonpayment of child support, you will have to pay everything that you owe and apply again when your child support payments are current.

Once you have your child support balance taken care of, it still takes approximately 6 weeks to get your passport if you apply with normal processing and about  3 weeks if you apply with the government’s expedited processing. If you need your passport more quickly, you have two options:

• Make an appointment at the nearest passport agency
• Use a private passport expediting company

Of the two, using an expediting company is often easier, especially if you don’t live near a passport agency office or you can’t get time off work to go when one is open.

RushMyPassport.com hand-delivers your passport application to the Department of State, cutting processing time down to as little as 24 hours. If you need a passport in a hurry, apply with us today!

If you’re living under an assumed name, here’s a tip for you: Don’t apply for a US passport.  Arturo Puente, a chief petty officer in the US Navy, learned this particular lesson the hard way.  You see, according to this article on Jacksonville.com, Arturo Puente isn’t the officer’s real name. The real Arturo Puente died of asthma attack in 1980, when he was only 11 years old.

Shortly before his death, the boy’s birth certificate was stolen from the family car. It’s unclear how or why the man who is now referred to as John Doe in court and who has since signed legal papers as Guillermo Salinas Guzman assumed the dead boy’s identity, but he has been using it at least since 1987, when he joined the Navy.

“John Doe” had apparently used the name Arturo Puente on 6 different passport applications filed over the past 2 decades. However, it was his latest passport application form for a diplomatic passport that blew his cover.

The Diplomatic Security Service was looking specifically for people using the names of deceased Oregon citizens on their passport application forms. When they found that Mr. Doe had applied for the passport using the same name, birthday and birth certificate as the deceased child, they sprung into action and he was charged with passport fraud.

In an affidavit, State Department Special Agent Mark P. Baird wrote that the “Subject’s true identity is unknown.” However, for the moment he is still working on the Mayport Naval Base, pending prosecution.

Obviously, living under an assumed identity is a bad idea anyway, but applying for a US passport under an identity that isn’t yours is even worse.

If you do need a passport, RushMyPassport can help-provided you are using your own name and have the necessary documents to prove your identity and US citizenship, of course! We can walk you through the application process and personally deliver your application to the Department of State, resulting in processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport with us today!

Until last year, Americans did not need a passport to go to Mexico. In fact, it used to be that American citizens could take a last-minute trip south of the border without having to worry about travel documents at all. Now, however, that is no longer the case.  Since June 1st, 2009, most American citizens traveling to Mexico are required to carry passports to get across the border.

If you are considering traveling to Mexico in the near future, first take a good look at the travel requirements for each of the circumstances below:

Flying Into/Out of Mexico

US citizens of any age flying to or from Mexico must have a US passport book, no exceptions. You should be aware that the US passport CARD is no good for air travel.

Traveling to Mexico by Land

If you are traveling to Mexico by land, under the new rules you must have one of the following documents to re-enter the US:

• US Passport Book
• US Passport Card
• Nexus, SENTRI or FAST card
• Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL)- Currently, only a small number of states offer Enhanced Driver’s Licenses

Traveling to Mexico by Sea

Traveling to Mexico by sea is about the same as traveling to Mexico by land, unless you are on a closed-loop cruise. A closed-loop cruise is a cruise that begins and ends at the same US port.  American citizens on a closed-loop cruise can use a driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID AND an original or copy of their birth certificate, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship to re-enter the country.

Children

Children under the age of 16 traveling to and from Mexico by land or by sea can use their birth certificates, certificates of citizenship or naturalization certificates to re-enter the country.

Children under the age 19 traveling with an adult-chaperoned organization such as a school group, religious group, social or cultural organization, or sports team can also use their birth certificates, certificates of citizenship or certificates of naturalization.

However, children of any age traveling by air to and from Mexico must have a passport book.

If you need a passport to go to Mexico, RushMyPassport.com can help. We make getting a passport quick and easy by providing you with a helpful checklist and personal assistance with the application. Then, we hand-deliver your paperwork to the Department of State for super-fast processing, often as a quick as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport today!