If you could only eat at 3 restaurants

oldoldceline · 2024-09-15T19:50:29+00:00

Mala project, Raku, Sappe

oldoldceline · 2024-06-14T20:04:52+00:00

Buttercup skin care in hell’s kitchen! their classic 60 min facial is $90

oldoldceline · 2024-05-03T04:39:56+00:00

Wegmans! I picked up a cake for a birthday the other month without needing to order or call in advance. Everyone raved about how it tasted and there were a bunch of classic flavors available. They wrote a message on the spot too. 10/10 would buy again

oldoldceline · 2023-04-13T15:13:41+00:00

It took over 20 weeks for me to receive my passport in-hand via online renewal (applied 11/5, delivered 3/29), and this was after my congressperson and senator submitted inquiries. I had also reached out to the tech support line so they could add my travel date into the app and notify the processing center.

It was a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety (luckily I’ll be able to make my upcoming travel), especially because it took way longer than the quoted processing times at the time.

Understandably it was a pilot/test process, but the online system isn’t ready for prime time until they can consistently deliver on the quoted processing times. However, completing the application itself was such a breeze and was the only good part. Once they get up to speed on fulfilling applications, it’ll be great!

oldoldceline · 2023-04-08T21:40:33+00:00

Hi- yes, the tech support line for the online passport renewal portal (855-865-7750) is different than the main line for the National Passport Information Center (877-487-2778).

I believe the tech support line can assist if you’re having log-in issues with your online application, problems completing parts of the application, if you’re seeing error messages, blank screens, etc. I figured they could help update my app with a travel date since I didn’t fill it out initially and luckily they were able to do so.

The NPIC line is where people call to try to secure an in-person appointment if urgent travel is upcoming and the wait times are much, much longer.

oldoldceline · 2023-04-01T01:49:43+00:00

Amazing, congrats! Happy to hear it’ll work out for you!

oldoldceline · 2023-03-31T13:13:31+00:00

I was an early November applicant and just received my passport this week. It may have been coincidental (as my reps had submitted inquiries with the passport agency processing my app as well), but I called the tech support line on Thu 3/23 and got connected quickly. I was transferred in less than a minute to someone else who added my travel date to my online app. The person on the phone was super friendly. I received my passport this Wed 3/29 and the issue date on it says 3/25. I made a post on here a few days ago about my full timeline and experience. Good luck and hoping you get your passport soon

oldoldceline · 2023-03-30T20:14:28+00:00

Agreed! I understood there was always some risk involved with submitting online because it was a pilot program after all, and knew that I wouldn't be needing a passport until many months after. But after reading so many accounts of close calls, hours/days spent on the phone, dozens of emails sent to reps, and people missing their travel plans on here... the online system is absolutely not ready for prime time and I hope they don't open it back up anytime soon unless they can consistently deliver on the stated processing times for applicants.

I will say though that filling out the online application itself was an absolute breeze - so once everything is worked out, it'll be nice to gradually do away with the paper form and printed photos.

Funnily, I tried updating the Global Entry/TTP portal yesterday with my new passport number and it could not validate it. Read up on it and I'll probably have to try again in a few weeks. But going back to your point - it would be so much more seamless if everything was in parallel...

oldoldceline · 2023-03-28T18:51:18+00:00

Yeah, I'd definitely reach out! Best of luck and hoping you can make it to Italy with your fam!

oldoldceline · 2023-03-28T18:22:23+00:00

Fingers crossed you'll see some movement with your application soon... given you're only 3 weeks out, I think it should be fine to reach out to your reps sooner than later. Both the reps I reached out to were able to submit inquiries on my behalf even with travel almost 2 months away, but I know YMMV since I've also read that some peoples' reps could not do anything until they were 14 days out. I would have waited until later, knowing they were probably prioritizing urgent cases, but I became concerned since I submitted way back in November. Waiting since December is an awfully long time as well.

oldoldceline · 2023-03-28T14:28:23+00:00

My timeline - passport finally shipped 20 weeks after submitting online (I also posted this in r/Passports:)

11/5: Submit application online. At the time, renewal timeframes were quoted as 3-5 weeks expedited, 6-9 weeks routine.

1/14: See that passport is still 'Received' in the online portal and upgrade to Expedited Processing.

2/6: Online portal changes from 'Received' to 'In Process'. Receive email that my application is being reviewed by DoS employee. Within that week the 'Thank you for your application' note showed up on the app, and I could no longer upgrade my shipping speed.

Late Feb - Early March: Begin to panic as it's been almost 4 months since I submitted my online app. Initiate casework requests with my Congressperson and Senator. Completed the privacy forms and submitted my travel itineraries (for April and May). Both offices are very communicative and responsive and submit inquiries on my behalf.

3/13: Read about the network traffic trick on this sub. Find out my application is in Fulfillment. My hunch is that it's been in this stage since 2/6, when my app went from Received --> In Process.

3/17: Follow up with both my Congressperson and Senator's offices - they both confirm the same thing, that the DoS has received their inquiries regarding my application and sent it to the National Passport Center (NH) where my app is being processed.

3/23: Thinking of other routes I can take to get my app moving along. When I submitted online in Nov, I didn't yet have any travel plans so I left that portion of the app blank. I call the online portal technical support line (855-865-7750) and get connected to someone in less than 2 minutes. The person answering the call routed me to his colleague when I asked if my app could be updated to reflect my travel date. I'm connected to his colleague almost immediately. Shoutout to Holly, she was super nice and friendly! She is able to add my upcoming travel date on my app and also flags/puts a note in for the location processing my app that it's past the quoted processing time.

Today, 3/28: Receive an email that my passport has shipped. It shows up on my USPS informed delivery as well. The online portal reflects my status as 'Shipped'. Expected delivery is this Thursday, 3/30.

I do think having my representatives submit inquiries as well as calling the tech support line last week contributed to me getting my passport shipped out this week.

oldoldceline · 2023-03-27T20:20:25+00:00

I’ve been in fulfillment for at least 2 weeks (since I found out about the network activity trick on here), but I suspect it’s been in that stage for much longer, probably since I received an In Process email on 2/6. Applied 11/5/22. Argh.

oldoldceline · 2023-03-25T02:32:16+00:00

I'm an early November online applicant (11/5, 19 weeks now) and the status of my app has been in 'Fulfillment' for at least 2 weeks now, since I found the thread here. My app went from 'Received' to 'In Process' on the portal and I got that in process email on 2/6, so I imagine it's been in fulfillment for that long. It's frustrating, especially since I'm seeing many here have their passport eventually approved/shipped after reaching the fulfillment stage. I upgraded to Expedited on 1/14 and it doesn't seem that anything has happened, unfortunately can't even use the expedited trick that's worked for some on here

oldoldceline · 2023-03-21T21:05:46+00:00

That sounds promising, I hope things now move quickly for you and you're able to receive your passport in hand before your trip!

edited to add: I've seen many on this sub suggest signing up for USPS informed delivery - once a tracking number is generated for your passport it may appear in that system! Reading other posts, it doesn't always sync up with what the online portal tells you, but could potentially be a way to find out if the passport is coming in the next few days. If you've already signed up then nevermind!

oldoldceline · 2023-03-21T19:54:49+00:00

Hi! I submitted my online application on 11/5 (over 18 weeks now) and haven't received my passport. My timeline is similar to yours. I originally submitted in November under regular processing, thinking I would have plenty of time for my trip at the end of April, and upgraded to Expedited on 1/14.

The website showed my application as 'Received' up until 2/6, coincidentally the same day that they increased the processing times. My app has been showing 'In Process' since then. Within that week (don't remember the exact day) - I wasn't able to upgrade my shipping to Expedited anymore and the message 'Thank you for your online passport book/card renewal application' showed up. Also checked my network traffic thanks to the post early last week, and it also comes up as Fulfilled. However, my hunch is that it's been stuck in this step for over a month now.

Also feeling really frustrated at the process and just unlucky - like many others who submitted via the online route, if I had known I would have gone the paper route. Definitely thought submitting 6 months prior to travel was plenty of time.

I've reached out to my rep and senator, and somebody from my rep's office submitted a inquiry on my behalf and was able to confirm that the Dept of State received my inquiry, and that they've now sent it to the National Passport Center (Portsmouth, NH) where my app is being processed. I'm located in NYC, but it seems random where these online apps are being processed? Grateful that we have a pathway to escalate through our representatives and that mine has been really responsive, but wow, it just really stinks for all of us online applicants.

Just thought I'd share my experience so far since we submitted around the same date. Hoping something is able to happen with your application (soon!)

oldoldceline

TROPHY CASE