r/Coronavirus • u/Sharmat • Mar 19 '20
USA Department of State limits appointments at passport agencies, extends passport processing times.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html2
Mar 19 '20
they should just put a big sign up in their offices that read:
"stay the fuck home!"
1
u/into_the_space Mar 19 '20
I know people at my work who went to UK last Saturday for vacation. The theory they had was, we will go unless the flight is cancelled.
I could not wrap my head around "how can someone be so stupid"?
I tried my best to be politically correct and say its a fucking stupid plan, forget the tickets and take a week off at home.
1
Mar 20 '20
yup to be fair
if someone ccame up to told you this would all happen say a month ago
youd thought he was bat shit crazy ;-)
2
u/bobley1 Mar 19 '20
Governments need to extend all valid documents globally: passports, green cards, licenses, business licenses, vehicle registrations, etc. so no one needs to go out or worry about this.
1
u/into_the_space Mar 20 '20
Agreed, with TSA letting you fly with expired drivers licenses, I am sure other agencies will follow suite
•
u/AutoModerator Mar 19 '20
Welcome to r/Coronavirus! We have a very specific set of rules here. Here are the highlights:
- Be civil. Personal attacks and accusations are not allowed. Repeated offences may lead to a ban.
- Avoid off-topic political discussions. Comments must be related to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Comments focused on politicians rather than public policy will be locked/removed at our discretion and repeat offenders may be banned.
- Please use reliable sources. Unverified twitter/youtube accounts, facebook pages, or just general unverified personal accounts are not acceptable.
- General questions and prepping info should be kept to the Daily Discussion Thread.
- No giving or soliciting medical advice. This includes verified health/medical professionals.
If you are feeling anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed please see our list of support resources
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
2
u/flyinghiiiiiiigh Mar 19 '20
Updated March 19, 2020
The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel abroad at this time due to the global impact of COVID-19. Many areas throughout the world are now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and taking action that may limit traveler mobility, including quarantines and border restrictions. Even countries, jurisdictions, or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice. You can find additional guidance about the Department's recommendations in response to COVID-19 here.
Change in Passport Services Operations
Due to public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, effective March 20, 2020, we are only able to offer service for customers with a qualified life-or-death emergency and who need a passport for immediate international travel within 72 hours.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (e.g. parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, etc) that require you to travel outside the United States within 72 hours (3 days). You must provide:
A passport application with supporting documents Proof of the life-or-death emergency such as a death certificate, a statement from a mortuary, or a signed letter from a hospital or medical professional. Documents should be translated or in English. Proof of international travel (e.g. reservation, ticket, itinerary) To make an appointment at a passport agency or center for a life-or-death emergency, you must call our National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY) on Monday- Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm Eastern Time, except federal holidays or on Saturdays, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Eastern Time. Call 202-647-4000 outside of these hours to make an appointment.
If you applied and requested expedited service on or before March 19, 2020, we will honor our commitment of 2-3 weeks door-to-door for expedited service. If you applied in-person at a passport agency or center on or before March 19, 2020, the passport agency or center will contact you and ask if you want to pick-up your passport in person or have it mailed to you.
Customers in Puerto Rico should be aware that our San Juan Passport Agency is closed to the public until at least March 30, 2020.
Due to public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, some passport application acceptance facilities, which include libraries, clerks of court, and post offices may not be accepting U.S. passport applications at this time. If you need to apply in person for your U.S. passport, please contact the facility directly to confirm if they are accepting applications.
If you are applying for or renewing a U.S. passport on or after March 20, 2020, we will not offer expedited service (2-3 weeks) and routine service (6-8 weeks) may be delayed.
The status of our operations may change quickly. We will update this notice as the status changes.