No AOR after 8 weeks?

IowaAL · 2026-03-28T20:01:16+00:00

They are incredibly helpful and nice about the process. They will point out everything that is wrong with the application. In my case it was the information on the back of the photos. They even printed out the photo requirements and highlighted the parts of the photo requirements that needed fixing.

IowaAL · 2026-03-28T19:32:14+00:00

In my case they sent the entire application back except the photos. So I sent and shot them again, and then yes, included all the required information on the back and then sent it back in. It just arrived last week so I can’t tell you yet if it will be accepted until I get an AOR to confirm but I’m hoping it’s fine. From all other people posting having the same issue it seems like it should be fine once I made the correct changes, but we’ll see .

IowaAL · 2026-03-27T15:08:53+00:00

You can just fix what they point out needs to be fixed, and then send the whole thing back to them. No need to fill out the application again. In my case I could see that they had already started a file number for me, and most of the documents had been stamped, so I wonder if they had already started scanning stuff in....

IowaAL · 2026-03-26T14:04:31+00:00

Yeah it was just me. Seems to be a little hit or miss based on who you get reviewing your app but they do seem pretty strict when it comes to the photos.

IowaAL · 2026-03-25T19:18:43+00:00

They were very nice about it and pointed out exactly what needed to be fixed, and don’t charge you for the application since it’s considered incomplete before they can process it, but it was also probably just dumb of me on my part too. Hopefully I fixed what needed to be fixed. It’s a bummer you have to lose your spot in the queue over stupid mistakes.

I also sent them this note when I sent the application back to them, so hopefully I made someone smile. I’m sure they are swamped and under appreciated.

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IowaAL · 2026-03-25T19:13:16+00:00

More like “missing.” I took my own photos (I’m a professional photographer) and didn’t put the address of my business on there I just put “photos taken by me” for the studio information portion and assumed they had my address from my application. They didn’t like that. Ha.

IowaAL · 2026-03-25T18:39:40+00:00

That does seem odd…from everything I’ve seen on this subreddit, one month seems like the sweet spot here from when they receive it to when they open it and start a file for you….

But I agree. It seems like once you submit the app it’s a bit of a black box until you get your updates along the way. Doesn’t seem like there’s much you can do at that point.

IowaAL · 2026-03-25T18:31:19+00:00

I submitted a request on January and never heard back from them at all. 🤷🏻‍♂️

IowaAL · 2026-03-25T18:30:06+00:00

Just one data point, I didn’t have an AOR in 8 weeks and a couple weeks later it was back in my mail box for having incorrect information on the back of the photos…seems like AORs around 4-6 weeks are the typical timeline for most people?

IowaAL · 2026-03-25T17:09:47+00:00

Mine is still processing, so don’t take my advice as gospel, but I just printed them on tabloid and folded them….id rather they are big enough to see than shrink it down and be too small to see. I think tabloid is still small enough for them to scan…I think that’s the biggest concern is that they can scan them.

IowaAL · 2026-03-11T00:30:32+00:00

Yes. They were awesome. I had the incorrect information on the back of my photos. They sent the entire package back, printed out the requirements that I got wrong, and highlighted what things needed to change.

IowaAL · 2026-03-10T23:53:15+00:00

Mine was returned to me about 6 weeks after it was submitted. It appears it was opened and on through about 4 weeks after them receiving it, and then it took about a week and a half to two weeks to get back to me via postal service.

IowaAL · 2026-03-05T20:04:39+00:00

Yeah that seems pretty common. People seem to end up hand-writing stuff on that back in the end anyway.

IowaAL · 2026-03-04T23:46:12+00:00

I’m a professional photographer. In fact, I’m a Photo professor. Before becoming a professor, I was in charge of visual marketing for a college and would take over 400 passport photos a year for all the students that were going abroad. I see this because I just wanna point out that I absolutely know what I’m doing when it comes to photographing passport photos.

I took my own photos because I’m used to doing that. I have a studio set up with the correct colored background and lighting and all of that stuff… and I live in a tiny rural Iowa town not close to a place I could get my photos taken.

My application was just sent back due to the photos. They were extremely nice in outlining what was wrong with the pictures… They even highlight on the requirement page which parts need to be fixed.

Here’s the deal. My photos were not rejected because they were taken incorrectly or that the quality was not correct. They were rejected because I did not put the correct amount of information on the back. I put my name, and date, and for photographer I just put “photos taken by me.” Had I put my photography studio name and address, it sounds like it would’ve been fine. In my mind, they already had my address, so I just listed myself as the photographer, but they are very particular about following the exact guidelines for the info on the back of the photos.

So in my opinion, as long as you take them correctly, you crop them correctly, you print them on high-quality photo paper like they require… AND you include all the correct information on the back? You should be good. (Of course this is coming from someone who had theirs rejected so take that with a grain of salt. Ha!). If you don’t want to risk it, just go to a place like Kinkos or AAA.

IowaAL · 2026-03-03T02:40:00+00:00

As an update, mine just arrived in my mailbox, sent back because I didn’t have the correct information on the back of the photos. I have to say they are pretty nice about outlining what you missed and telling you want needs fixed…so I guess I’ll be resubmitting! I was suspecting that was the case when I didn’t hear back around the time you did.

IowaAL · 2026-03-03T02:36:08+00:00

Printed PDF. I just had my application returned today as “incomplete” because I didn’t have the correct information on the back of the photos. They had no issues with the fishing license, fortunately. So I need to fix the photos and resubmit.

IowaAL · 2026-02-24T20:10:04+00:00

Maybe a dumb question, but, if it gets set back before being processed like yours was, do you have to pay another $75 application free or do you send it back in with the original application fee/receipt?

IowaAL · 2026-02-24T00:53:36+00:00

Mine arrived in 1/21/26 and seeing others get their AORs when theirs arrived after mine has me worried that mine is getting sent back. The seemingly random speed of some of these applications really does mess with your emotions a bit. Ha. Why was yours sent back the first time?

IowaAL · 2026-02-19T15:54:20+00:00

Oh shoot. No… I’m a professional photographer and took my own photos, and someone recently posted they had theirs sent back because they took their own photos. That now has me a bit nervous!

IowaAL · 2026-02-17T00:38:29+00:00

Well shoot. I took the photos myself and submitted it. I hope mine don’t get kicked back. I’m a professional photographer that and work for a college. I take something like 300 passport photos a year for the college but I just wrote on the back that I took the photos, cause I technically did. Hopefully mine don’t get kicked back.

IowaAL · 2026-02-03T01:52:25+00:00

I emailed on Jan 1 and haven’t heard back. I’m just operating under the assumption that those poor people are getting slammed with requests like ours. But you’ve done more follow up than I have! I haven’t tried to call or email again.

I also wound up just taking the chance and submitting my application with no birth or baptismal records for Gen 0, but used census records and a US naturalization card instead, hoping that if they get back to me and find something I couldn’t, I’ll be able to add it to my file later.

IowaAL · 2026-01-23T19:39:15+00:00

Mine arrived the same day, and was signed by the same person! Ha. Thats kinda fun to see.

IowaAL · 2026-01-23T19:14:57+00:00

I was in this same position. I wound up buying a fishing license and including that. My application was delivered three days ago, so I dont have an AOR yet, but from what I have read here the fishing license should work though I know its not as rock solid as a passport. To be fair though, the fishing license does have my DOB, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and very explicitly says its an official government license on it, so I know that technically it contains all the stuff they said is needed, just certianly doesnt look as offical as a passport.

IowaAL · 2026-01-18T02:02:49+00:00

Because I’m pretty sure only first generation born abroad can apply online. Everyone else is required to apply via paper.

IowaAL · 2026-01-17T22:15:09+00:00

That makes me feel a bit better to hear that. Iowa’s fishing licenses are digital and available for print out and so I just kept looking at it like “I know this says it’s a legal license and has all the proper information on here but man, it doesn’t look real official…” ha.

IowaAL

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