Passport wait – two lines long!
If you’re trying to get a passport at the Passport Agency on 1111 19th Street, N.W. in downtown Washington DC, these long-ass lines awaits you.
The line for the proletariat who are flying soon stretches all the way down 19th Street, several hundred people and a few hours long.
The line for the bourgeoisie, those with letters from their Congressmen, is relatively short if hard to get into.
Curiously, there isn’t a line for those with appointments. Probably because it’s impossible to get through to the automated appointment phone number – I know I tired for a week before I gave up.
This passport issue and renewal line is not a new phenomenon, its been here almost every day since new rules went into effect January 1 that require a passport to return to the USA when traveling to most North American destinations, including the ever-popular Caribbean.
To the very end of the block
I know I’ve watched this line grow since our office moved to 19th and M Street and even created a Passport Line Flickr Set.
The Washington Post finally felt it was a news story on June 15th, and since then it is covering the scene almost daily with reports of the government reaction to the unfolding drama.
My favorite government reaction so far is to ask Foreign Service consular workers who are on home leave in the US to volunteer at their nearest agency. Al Kamen had a great response to that idea in today’s Post:
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
So sign up “if you are interested in helping your colleagues,” Maura Harty said, “and in gaining new insight into the important world of domestic passport processing.” Nothing like insight. And you can watch as some of the hundreds of thousands of rabid passport seekers try to jump the counter to rip your lungs out.
After that, you can work for the D.C. DMV.
Because that is exactly the level of frustration I felt as I walked along the line this morning. People were pissed. And not at the Passport Agency, but at the Congress for enacting the change without thinking of the consequences – a long ass line that angers voters.
Bring chairs, you’ll need em!
I too am frustrated with this process. I travel. A lot. And I wanted to renew my now-delaminating passport at a US Embassy overseas, like I did with my last passport.
The US Embassy in Hong Kong issued me a brand new passport in 3 hours on a Friday afternoon in 1999. Now, post 9-11, embassies no longer issue passports – you have to renew them via the Passport Agency (what a crap name, by the way).
And so I am facing the Passport Agency line myself in preparations for another business trip to Lebanon.
Here’s hoping a passport expediter can keep me out of the line…
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
