Finn3goof_small
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My friend needs a passport now. And he is in New Jersey. Is he SOL?

Friends of mine are playing the last show of their tour in Vancouver. Another friend of mine (who is in New Jersey) is the only fan of the headliners I know so I asked him if he wanted to come (free tix, etc). This was several weeks ago. He was super psyched and booked his ticket and is ready to fly out here tomorrow night.

But I think we're fucked.

He didn't know he needed a passport to get back into the US (and, apparently, into Canada). I ripped him a bit for being 45 years old and not having a passport. I just assumed he had one and didn't really think about it. I feel pretty dumb about it myself for not mentioning it weeks ago.

The internets are full of all sorts of passport info but I wanted to know if anyone out there in Questionland has any direct experience in getting a passport super fast.

Thanks

Tom asked in Other - Trip & Travel 8 months ago | Report

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  • Wa_usa_small
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    soundslikepuget

    Nothing is fucked, as long as he is flying into SeaTac and not Vancouver International Airport.

    Passports are required to enter Canada by air, no ifs ands or buts. The rules for entering Canada by land or sea are a little looser.

    Your friend should assemble everything he can to prove he is who he says he is. Driver's license, birth certificate, social security card, high school yearbook, draft card, voter registration card, etc etc and just go to the border.

    The Canadian border guards will probably let him into Canada. Bear in mind that they have the discretion to refuse him or admit him, so he needs to be on good behavior (lots of "yes sir, yes ma'am's).

    According to the law, he will need a passport to get BACK into the United States. Here's what will probably happen. You'll go the border. The US Customs & Border Protection Officer will scream bloody murder at him and read the riot act. You'll be pulled into a little room and interrogated with him. He'll be told to never, ever, ever do this again. And then, they'll probably let him back into the United States.

    Absolute worst case scenario at this point, and this is highly unlikely, they will refuse him entry back into the United States and he will be referred to the United States Consulate in Vancouver. There, he will have immigration officials from the State Department view all those documents he brought with him to prove his identity, whereupon they will bark at him and tell him that he's a moron and he should never ever do this again... then they will charge him a steep fee $100 or $150 and print a passport while he waits.

    American Embassies and Consulates abroad can print passports on the same day to get American citizens back home. The service is intended for people who lost their passport, they don't like it when people "game the system" like this, but at the end of the day, they're going to get you back to the United States.

    Bottom line, just try it. The Canadians will probably let him in. If not, there's some cool bars in Bellingham he can hang out at. If he does get in to Canada, the US will probably let him come back, but if not, he can get an instant passport at the Consulate.

    soundslikepuget answered in Other - Trip & Travel 8 months ago | Report
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  • 273568_1059127968_2468421_n_small
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    It's possible to get a same-day passport from one location in NYC. I did it; but it was a full day of waiting rooms and bureaucratic fun. And it cost about 2x the price of regular, 6 week wait passport.

    Here's the link; but generally you need to make an appointment.

    http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_912.html

    Tim White answered in Other - Trip & Travel 8 months ago | Report
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  • Dsc_0148_small
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    is he in the military? a military ID is usable passage into the US! is there any chance he lives in NJ but is really a NY resident? they've got enhanced driver's licenses over there - and that's a super-quick same-day turnaround!

    The good news is that he wouldn't need a passport to get IN to Canada, he just needs the passport to get back into the US. Maybe he could apply for the passport, have it expedited to your house (less than 14 days turnaround!) and just have him tour around BC until it arrives. Then you could drive it up to him! You'd be the bestest friend ever.

    whiskeypony answered in Other - Trip & Travel 8 months ago | Report
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  • Bauhaus_small
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    If now means right this minute, I'm not sure what the procedure would be. You'd have to go to your local US Dept. of State and find out about emergency passports. If three days is good enough, you can go to the passport office, pay the express fee (http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html) and get it in two or three days.

    Make sure you have the forms filled out correctly and have all the other required docs when you go - regulation picture, proof of citizenship (birth certificate), etc. Lacking any of these will halt the process.

    Bauhaus answered in Other - Trip & Travel 6 months ago | Report
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