Travel Tips: Passports (IV)

Just a few days ago, I mentioned that the Government has decided that US citizens who had applied for passports but had not received them could still travel between the US and Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda with proper government issued photo identification (such as a driver's licenses) and a Department of State official proof of application for a passport. (See Travel Tips: Passports (III).)

Now the Government is willing to go a step further.

If you paid the extra fee for expediting your applications but still did not receive the passport, you may be able to receive a refund of that expedite fee.

However, the Department of State has been slow to inform citizens about the refund. As of today, there is no notice of the refund prominently available on its site; even so you can read about it on the site here: Expedite Fee Refund.

If you believe you are entitled to a refund, you should send a refund application to the Department of State's refund office in Washington (see below for address). Be sure to include your passport number (if you know it), your name, your date and place of birth, the date (or approximate date) you applied for your passport, and your mailing address and phone number.

There is no word yet how long you will have to wait for your refund.

The government is insisting that the the requirements for passports for travelers driving between the US and Mexico or Canada (to be in-hand by January 2008) is not expected to change.

Address to write for a refund (note that the decision is made on a case-by-case basis and there is not set 'entitlement' to the refund).

Department of State
Passport Services/PPS/Refunds
2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20037-3202

Tom
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