Visit to US Embassy for Emergency Passport

[Monsoon 28,940]

So I discovered yesterday evening that my passport is nowhere to be found. Lovely. After the wife and I tore apart the house looking everywhere I decided to get up at the crack of dawn, about the time i normally go to sleep every day, and head over to the US Embassy for an emergency passport. 

 

Left the house at 5:45. Arrived plenty early and found parking across the street. The US Citizens services doesn't open until 7:30. As I didn't have the 2 passport photos yet I wandered down one of the side streets and found only one of the many photo/instant ID places to be open that early. Got 8 photos for 70 pesos. Only needed two but oh well. 

 

So annoyance number one is the guard that lets you into the front gate. Since I had already read all the instructions on the website I was well aware of the criteria and process for getting an emergency passport. I had brought with me an old cancelled passport just as an extra identifier in addition to my US issued driver license. Well the guard kept asking me stupid questions like, "If you have this one, what is the purpose of your visit?" Well idiot, can you see the four holes punched through it? I told him again, I need an emergency passport and I don't have an appointment because I'm traveling before the next available appointment date.

 

Oh but they need to screen people you say? Well, yea they should, but they don't do it properly.  

 

If they are going to be screening people they should have someone more qualified. And as found  out later, they really don't do much screening at all because I listened to many people inside the embassy asking for things that they clearly can't get by just walking in, yet they were let in. So really all this guy is doing is just asking stupid questions and annoying people who are there knowing what needs to be done and are prepared.

 

 I heard three examples of people looking for spousal visas and two examples of people wanting to get their wife a tourist visa. Just by strolling into the embassy. It just goes to show how some people can be so idiotic. They must think they are going to be the white horse that walks their girlfriend/wife into the embassy and poof the visa fairy appears and hands them a visa because they are with a Kano. I can't believe people are that ignorant. 

 

So, since I arrived before 7:30 I had to sit outside in a bit collection of chairs and wait for 7:30 to roll around. Turns out its not really beneficial to arrive too early. Once the 7:30 rolls around now starts the 'me first me first' barrage of Filipinos and Fil Ams running for the door. Then you get another line to stand in just to get inside. I let a few old guys using canes go ahead of me since nobody else seemed to care. Apparently its important for an able bodied 20 something year old to get into the embassy 5 minutes before an old guy with a cane. Since he was wearing a VFW hat, I will assume he served his country. I can stand aside and let him go ahead of me. Which summarizes my other annoyance - the door for American Citizen Services should be dedicated to American Citizens. Sure other nationalities may have to use the ACS but they should have a special door for legitimate citizens seeking services. And why not have a priority area for senior citizens or at least people with visible disabilities? Especially since it seems people today don't give any consideration to those people. At least not the ones visiting the US embassy today. 

 

Once inside my number is called very fast. I explain my situation to a Filipino employee (extremely attractive one at that) and then I sit again and wait. And wait, and wait. Then finally I am called and told to pay the $135. Then I wait and wait and wait, its now 10:00. Finally I am called and I talk to a Consular officer, explaining my situation again. He tells me sign here and my passport will be available tomorrow by 3:00PM. Thanks I say, and then proceed to ask about having it sent to me via Air 21. No problem they say, so I wanter over to the Air 21 desk pay 61 pesos and thats it. 

 

During my wait time I get one FilAm to the left and one to the right to chat with. The guy on the right is extremely gay and extremely annoying. Im not annoyed because he is gay, just because he keeps whining and the way he talks is boring me beyond belief. The guy on the left was born in the states and from Texas. Had a good conversation with him. All three of us were in the same boat. Heard one Filipino  guy wasted a lot of the officer's time getting something motorized then proceeded to complain for a good 5 minutes after his document was notorized. Man that lady was patient. Lots of guys walking in to get the legal capacity to marry thing. Many looked and talked like they had no clue about much of anything. Man good luck to them. 

 

Heard one guy pleading for help because he had no money. Last I saw him they gave him a phone through the window and let him make a call. Heard him asking someone to put $30 on his card so he could get something to eat. 

 

Thankful to get the 1 year 'emergency' passport so I can do my upcoming travels and then get back and sort out the next nightmares of getting the Philippine visas transferred into the 10 year I'll order once I have a few weeks of no trips. Not looking forward to that mess. Will just enter on a BB and ride out the storm. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rfm010 3,476]

so now that you've gone through all that mess has your original passport been found? 

[Monsoon 28,940]

so now that you've gone through all that mess has your original passport been found? 

 

That would be so typical for my life. But as of now it hasn't surfaced. It will probably show up after I get my new 10 year and transfer my Philippine visas and other such nonsense. 

[miles-high 3,917]

We used to keep 2 US passports, one with a Chinese visa stamped… and the other to go to Taiwan.

 

Now, we don’t go to China but it may be a good idea to keep 2 passports (if that is possible) kept in separate pockets/bags…

[Monsoon 28,940]

We used to keep 2 US passports, one with a Chinese visa stamped… and the other to go to Taiwan.

 

Now, we don’t go to China but it may be a good idea to keep 2 passports (if that is possible) kept in separate pockets/bags…

 

I quality for the two passports but the second one has a shorter validity. 

[SkyMan 23,472]

I have a bank safe deposit box, maybe p900/yr. I know where my passport is.

[Baywak 1,295]

It is extremely common for the wife to clip the passport.

[SkyMan 23,472]

If they are going to be screening people they should have someone more qualified. And as found out later, they really don't do much screening at all because I listened to many people inside the embassy asking for things that they clearly can't get by just walking in, yet they were let in. So really all this guy is doing is just asking stupid questions and annoying people who are there knowing what needs to be done and are prepared. I heard three examples of people looking for spousal visas and two examples of people wanting to get their wife a tourist visa. Just by strolling into the embassy. It just goes to show how some people can be so idiotic. They must think they are going to be the white horse that walks their girlfriend/wife into the embassy and poof the visa fairy appears and hands them a visa because they are with a Kano. I can't believe people are that ignorant. So, since I arrived before 7:30 I had to sit outside in a bit collection of chairs and wait for 7:30 to roll around. Turns out its not really beneficial to arrive too early. Once the 7:30 rolls around now starts the 'me first me first' barrage of Filipinos and Fil Ams running for the door. Then you get another line to stand in just to get inside. I let a few old guys using canes go ahead of me since nobody else seemed to care. Apparently its important for an able bodied 20 something year old to get into the embassy 5 minutes before an old guy with a cane. Since he was wearing a VFW hat, I will assume he served his country. I can stand aside and let him go ahead of me. Which summarizes my other annoyance - the door for American Citizen Services should be dedicated to American Citizens. Sure other nationalities may have to use the ACS but they should have a special door for legitimate citizens seeking services. And why not have a priority area for senior citizens or at least people with visible disabilities? Especially since it seems people today don't give any consideration to those people. At least not the ones visiting the US embassy today.

I definitely agree here. Even the Globe and Smart stores in the mall have different numbers/desks for different issues and the elderly/disabled get bumped up. And the dweeb at the door is generally smart enough to get you the right number for the right desk.

[Monsoon 28,940]

It is extremely common for the wife to clip the passport.

 

LOL. Not in this case. 

[Paul 55,113]

It is extremely common for the wife to clip the passport.

 

I don't know why. She looks nothing like him - thank God! 

[samatm 2,986]

...Ok so how will you handle the Philippine Immigration upon departure .  How do you get your visa status updated in order to travel without delay?

 

Hope your passport turns up.  My wife always tell me to look up high for things misplaced.  Seems I place things out of  pinoy eye sight. on top of shelves, ...etc.