My pain is your gain... I just ordered a US passport but not going exactly by the US Embassy website's links (I had to log into my State Department account and use Login.gov so wasted a code) and ended up doing everything online including uploading my passport photo and payment, so? I guess my passport will go to my sister's house in the US, North Dakota or they'll try to mail it to me here, that means I won't get it.

It's confusing to say the least but in a round about way since this US Embassy is so overloaded what the heck.... I'll have my sister send it to me FedEx with insurance, always add insurance, or you can forget about the package arriving.

 

Hope it goes well Mark unlike my episodes with the Australian embassy in Manila,,,,,, and then I had to go to Manila immi to get the new passport stamped from the old one as they are the only ones that do it,,,,, painful plus.

Good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

 

I decided I'm going to cancel my passport and start over by doing it from here 😂 ☹, I'm waiting for an email with passport tracking number.

Apparently I can use my PLDT landline or my cell phone with Globe. Here's how to call the US:

To call a US 1-800 number from a PLDT line in the Philippines, dial 00 + 1 + the 800 number, for example, 0018005551212, and know that the 800 number is not toll-free for you, so standard international rates will apply. You'll need to have an active international calling service or sufficient load on your prepaid account to make the call.

Step-by-step guide
Dial the international access code: Start by dialing 00, "update" pause one second.

Next, dial 1, pause one second, this is the country code for the United States.
Dial the 800 number: Input the full 800 number, for example, 800-555-1212.

Example
To call 1-800-555-1212, you would dial: 00 1 8005551212.

Important considerations
Not Toll-Free for You:
A US 800 number is toll-free only for the caller in the US. When calling from the Philippines, you will be charged the standard rates for an international call to the US.

 

The hoops and the hurdles Mark at times makes the mind boggle but plow through the mess we do,,,,, little choice.

Cheers, Steve.

 

I'll keep these updates going as things progress, I received an email that currently the US Passport Bureau has accepted my payment, but I still don't have a Passport tracking number, I need this to cancel:


I can't call to the US for some reason and so I need to contact the US Embassy in Manila to cancel my passport.

The US Embassy Manila website is a little tricky becausethe renewal starts out as if you're ordering a US Passport from the states with link provided...Geez, so the only way I found the correct link on this same page for applying from here is a big blue button link below the first paragraph to mail it from here, how'd I miss that, anyway Sh*t why do they even bother posting the original website stateside because I also missed (my fault) that you cannot apply for a US Passport from overseas, on the US Passport renewal link, under "are you qualified".

Anyway, here are the links for doing it from the Philippines:

1. Government Travel State header link that you first click the Privacy box, and then it takes you to the fill in form.

https://pptform.state.gov/

2. Payment form also different procedures.

Pay.gov - Overseas U.S. Adult Passport Renewal Fee

www.pay.gov

Mail in items to the US Embassy, in Manila:

Steps to renewing your U.S. passport by mail (Form DS-82) and paying your application fee online via Pay.gov:

1. Verify your eligibility to apply on Form DS-82 ;
2. Visit  Pay.gov and make your online payment for your DS-82 renewal application;
3. Print out the emailed payment confirmation you receive;
4. Complete the DS-82 application form, including your signature and the date, and attach your 2×2 photo;
5. Mail your payment confirmation printout, your signed DS-82 application , prior passport, photo copy of your prior passport, proof of name change (if applicable), and 2×2 photo via mail or courier to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (Note: Do not include a return envelope, new passports are delivered via the Embassy’s contracted courier). You may use any local courier of your choice. Track your own shipment to verify when your application was delivered to the Embassy using the online portal of your chosen local courier. Processing time starts from the time we receive your application packet, not when you sent it to us. We will be unable to reply to follow-up emails for applications still in transit to the embassy.

Mailing Address


For DS-82 Adult Passport Renewal (Mail-in only) and DS-5504:

We receive DS-82 renewal application packets at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. Please mail your DS-82 application packet, including proof of your online payment, to:

• Passport Team
  American Citizens Services, Consular Section
  U.S. Embassy
  1201 Roxas Blvd.
  Manila 1000

When you take your 2x2 photos, do not wear a white shirt, do not wear a suit, casual clothes and upper torso, if you perform a Google search it'll bring this up.

U.S. Passport Photos

Learn how to submit a quality passport photo if you are applying in person or renewing by mail.

travel.state.gov

All these links were on different pages or a headache to find on our US Embassy website, but they should have been on the main page because the first page will allow you to order your passport from the Philippines but if you do this you cancel your current passport, so why post it in the first place... my gosh!!!! Why is it there to begin with.

 

I received an email that currently the US Passport Bureau has accepted my payment, but I still don't have a Passport tracking number, I need this to cancel:

I never got a tracking number from the embassy but did get my passport. The courier company they use now leaves much to be desired.

 

Been there Mark with the Australian embassy in Manila for passport renewal and the laugh was in the Courier company was holding my passport for over 2 weeks, I let Ben hassle them and turns out they don't deliver here to our area and we have to pick it up 40 minutes drive away,,,,,, said they called us twice and turns out they were ringing the wrong number. Took over 6 weeks and I have posted my woes on their system in another thread.

I feel your pain and frustration Mark.

Cheers, Steve.

 

Backstory... I've been having troubles dialing a 1-880/877 number it won't work, It turns out you can dial any 1-800 or 1-877 number to the US, what you do is dial "00 wait one second, then dial 1 wait a second then 800/877" so the pause after 00 makes all the difference and works, the negative is that it's no longer a free phone call but no worries. Dialing 00-1-877 or 800 without the pause after 00, you'll get a reply that the number is not activated yet or something like this.

I did get through, and I could have cancelled my passport, but the Passport Bureau representative told me I should first contact the US Embassy here and see if they can reroute the passport. That's what I'll do either Monday or I might have to wait to call in Tues/Thursday 8am -11am.

 

Just in case anyone is following this topic:

Update, today I received an email that said my US Passport was shipped to the address I put in the application so that would be the Philippines Priority Mail.

My online US passport renewal was received on the 17th or when the payment was confirmed and it's regular service so 4-6 weeks but my US Passport shipped out on the 19th September.

Well...so much for contacting the US Embassy and when it rains it pours, today our internet is down and apparently most of our municipality PLDT.

I purchased a load for my Globe account and that was an agonizing task also finding someone in our municipality open.

 

My Passport is tracked to Grand Forks, North Dakota, so it's going to my sister even though I had put the shipping address as the Philippines.

Now... I'll have my sister copy the passport and then mail it FedEx with insurance, if no insurance it'll arrive with no passport (same with the ATM). 😆 😩

Just in case I'll call the US Embassy for advice but I already know that they've lost my tracked mailings so I'm on my last leg of ideas and stress, the good news is, I'll know within another week if I get it and if not start over the right way by getting it here.

 

Technical Difficulties

 

Anyone curious and following this topic my Passport arrived just moments ago in Angeles City and so it's up to customs next how long the delay but FedEx still claims delivery before 6 pm tomorrow or Friday.

The two longest hold ups were in Tennessee and next Alaska, my sister mailed this through FedEx September 29.

Here's hoping again nobody messed with my passport 🤞 and then...my sister sent me a photo just in case it gets taken and the latest passports come with a color photo above and on the profile page a black and white unless this was reflection.

 

Anyone curious and following this topic my Passport arrived just moments ago in Angeles City and so it's up to customs next how long the delay but FedEx still claims delivery before 6 pm tomorrow or Friday.

The two longest hold ups were in Tennessee and next Alaska, my sister mailed this through FedEx September 29.

Here's hoping again nobody messed with my passport 🤞 and then...my sister sent me a photo just in case it gets taken and the latest passports come with a color photo above and on the profile page a black and white unless this was reflection.

M.C.A., I just received a new C.C. from FedEx through my U.S.A. pay mail service. It was under 2 weeks to arrive. But, keep in mind that we had two typhoons during the delivery period. The envelope was untampered with. Went through customs easy peasy. Hopefully, your passport will arrive well for you too. 👍

 

FYI, M.C.A., All of my mailing from FedEx USA to the Philippines, once they go through the transfer process the secondary delivery company doesn't support any type of delivery time. But they have been good about calling 📞 if there's no one at the address or if they are having issues finding the address... Maybe this helps, and hopefully you get your new Passport! Also, please realize that FedEx has my address per my US address supplier. So perhaps FedEx supports US address more than foreign source addresses. Don't know that but just something to chew on...

 

Short update, I got my passport!

Long update if you want to read, the whole process was very fast, two days to print out my passport with no express service and then two more days to hand it over to USPS, then my sister received it in two days but held onto it for a week (I didn't dare ask why) before mailing it FedEx with it insurance at a cost of $142.

FedEx delivered it within 5 days and I got my passport at 6:30 pm no extra customs charges, I did tip the driver 200 pesos.

Big difference in the quality of the US passport made in the US vs the US Embassy in Manila also, my passport main profile page is hard like plastic with two photos up and down, upper in color the main profile page is in black and white, the Embassy here issues the outdated photo lamination passport.

I decided to celebrate since it's Friday with a 16 oz Tsingtao beer and a couple of San Miguel lights and a half pack of Marlboro Red with the neighbors.