passport application

[zrxkawboy]

This morning, I went to the local post office to complete my application process for a passport card. I had my completed application form, driver's license, and certified copy of birth certificate. The clerk refused to complete it because my driver's license will expire on 6/30. I explained that I have an appointment in 10 days to renew it, but she said that because it shows an expiration date in the next 3 months, she could not proceed until after renewal. I showed her the official form that states a valid driver's license is an acceptable form of ID, and mine is currently valid, but she wouldn't budge.

After I got to work, my boss searched the gov't site to see if I'd missed anything, but all either of us could find was "valid driver's license". We could find no reference anywhere to the "valid for the next 3 months" requirement that she insisted on. I emailed the US State Dept, but have not yet received a reply. Does anyone have any knowledge about this? Thanks in advance.

 

[The_Jeff]

Nah but I can commiserate on a similar experience: Have a 1992 era "certified copy" of my birth certificate. Is a microfilm blow-up on white copier paper with the embossed state registrar seal and signature.

DMV rejected it for "Real ID" because they don't like white paper, they want the fancy intaglio ink like car titles have.

Luckily the passport people liked that birth certificate (and have the means to independently verify) b/c I had a passport on me as well that I used to get a Real ID!

As for your situation, just try somewhere else, LOL. AI says you can use a social security card along with an expired license and the two together are enough.

I suspect there's a backlog of a month or three in passport apps, and they won't process things if your license has expired when they get around to it.

 

[Elkins45]

My advice would be to go to a different post office location and try with a different person.

I know some cruise and tour companies won't accept you if your passport is expiring within six months of your trip, but that's not really the same thing.

 

[y_p_w]

Doesn't sound right. The driver license isn't needed as anything other than proof of identification. An existing passport or passport card should be fine too as long as it's valid on the day the application is brought in. If they're saying 3 months, they're probably making it up.

https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/photo-id.html​

• In-state, fully valid driver's license or enhanced driver's license with photo

Is this a renewal or a new card? Because the State Department prefers mail-in renewals.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Go somewhere else. Find a place that does children’s passports - they usually have better staff.

Unless you have an alternate ID.

 

[y_p_w]

My advice would be to go to a different post office location and try with a different person.

I know some cruise and tour companies won't accept you if your passport is expiring within six months of your trip, but that's not really the same thing.

Don't go to a post office. There are more than just post offices serving as "passport acceptance facilities". The last time I needed to do it for a family member (other than an emergency application at the State Dept) it was at a public university. Other places that do it including city/county clerks and public libraries.

https://recwell.berkeley.edu/us-passports/

The best part (at the time) was that they didn't require an appointment and had Saturday hours. And the student worker doing the job was likely far more enthusiastic about it than a postal worker.

 

[Pablo]

Sounds like they are planning to be slow. Like not looking at it until July.

Seriously makes no sense. Person should show you the actual rule

 

[y_p_w]

Nah but I can commiserate on a similar experience: Have a 1992 era "certified copy" of my birth certificate. Is a microfilm blow-up on white copier paper with the embossed state registrar seal and signature.

DMV rejected it for "Real ID" because they don't like white paper, they want the fancy intaglio ink like car titles have.

Luckily the passport people liked that birth certificate (and have the means to independently verify) b/c I had a passport on me as well that I used to get a Real ID!

As for your situation, just try somewhere else, LOL. AI says you can use a social security card along with an expired license and the two together are enough.

I suspect there's a backlog of a month or three in passport apps, and they won't process things if your license has expired when they get around to it.

The type of paper isn't a requirement. I've heard of some states that still do birth certificates on fairly simple security paper that's not customized for the city/county/state. The seal is a requirement though.

https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/citizenship-evidence.html

I've heard of some places (like Massachusetts) where cities handle it and often spend fairly little on the materials. Maybe just common security paper (like cross-hatched check paper) and a paper form. And possibly where each copy is hand written by a clerk and the seal placed.

 

[Pablo]

I was born before paper was invented apparently

 

[AZjeff]

Forget the Post Office. I recently went to the county Register & Recorder's Office in the courthouse and had a painless experience with a competent young lady and got my passport in about a month. Wife got hers a few months earlier and had a delay because her birth certificate didn't list her parent's full names so she had to request an official birth certificate from her birth state.

 

[y_p_w]

Forget the Post Office. I recently went to the county Register & Recorder's Office in the courthouse and had a painless experience with a competent young lady and got my passport in about a month. Wife got hers a few months earlier and had a delay because her birth certificate didn't list her parent's full names so she had to request an official birth certificate from her birth state.

My first passport application was done at a passport agency. They're far more competent than your average person trained to do it at a post office or a county clerk. But unfortunately post offices are the majority of the places that do this.

They were far more lenient of what was allowed years ago. There are people who don't have both parents named on a birth certificate. I heard of Pennsylvania, where they could more or less include any and all information in the file, where parents previously might not be listed until it became an issue using the birth certificate. Or perhaps where the father isn't named at all in the birth record. Several people have obtained copies of LeBron James's birth certificate (where anyone can get an unrestricted on in Ohio), which doesn't list his father but has a place for it. He's obviously got a passport, but I think he might have needed additional things. There's something about a record search where the State Dept looks up a record. Once someone has a passport, that serves as absolutely proof of citizenship from that point forward.

 

[Hall]

Does anyone have any knowledge about this?

The person is wrong, 100%. Go to another place that processes them (I'd avoid the post office, in fact!).

 

[zrxkawboy]

The person is wrong, 100%. Go to another place that processes them (I'd avoid the post office, in fact!).

I agree, but unfortunately, in small town rural SD, the post office is the only option listed.

 

[y_p_w]

I agree, but unfortunately, in small town rural SD, the post office is the only option listed.

Can you do a mail-in renewal? Even if you just have a passport book and want a passport card, you can submit the book as proof. And you don't specifically need a valid photo ID if you're renewal eligible. The only thing is that there are worries that a valid passport book has been cancelled when it wasn't being renewed per se. The book was supposed to be returned intact.

 

[CleanSump]

You're going to have to renew your driver's license anyway. Go after that.
I had a clerk at the county courthouse refuse my birth certificate because it is marked "Parent's Copy" at the top. Got a supervisor and still had to explain that the original is retained by the State in the Capitol in LIncoln. If I get a new copy, it will say "Copy" on it too! It was good enough when I got the original passport. Had to elevate to a Magistrate who got pissed at the idiots. She told them she wanted to have a private word with them before lunch.

 

[y_p_w]

I got curious and checked where in my area this can be done. Checked the closest 50 to my zip code and only 7 aren’t post offices. It’s really hard to find a place that does it that isn’t a post office.

 

[97prizm]

This morning, I went to the local post office to complete my application process for a passport card. I had my completed application form, driver's license, and certified copy of birth certificate. The clerk refused to complete it because my driver's license will expire on 6/30. I explained that I have an appointment in 10 days to renew it, but she said that because it shows an expiration date in the next 3 months, she could not proceed until after renewal. I showed her the official form that states a valid driver's license is an acceptable form of ID, and mine is currently valid, but she wouldn't budge.

After I got to work, my boss searched the gov't site to see if I'd missed anything, but all either of us could find was "valid driver's license". We could find no reference anywhere to the "valid for the next 3 months" requirement that she insisted on. I emailed the US State Dept, but have not yet received a reply. Does anyone have any knowledge about this? Thanks in advance.

I know that if your passport expires I think within three months you won't be able to travel even if your return is well before the expiration date.

 

[K2K2]

I once got stonewalled at the USPS because of a similar issue.

Wouldn't budge and even got belligerent.

I asked to speak to a supervisor and instantly the clerk decided my paperwork was fine after all.

Seems like they just don't want to do the work, or maybe are ashamed they don't know how to do the work.

 

[K2K2]

I know that if your passport expires I think within three months you won't be able to travel even if your return is well before the expiration date.

It's up to the country you're traveling to.

Many require at least 6 month's worth of validity.

 

[Jesse_NE]

USPS locations that do passports aren't the only acceptance facilities for DS-11s. Many courthouses and government offices offer the service as well. Maybe someone other than a disgruntled postal clerk will be more accommodating.

https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/