Visa & Passport Services: Passport Savvy? TexasTower

Ok, by now pretty much everyone knows that passport and travel requirements have changed and are still changing. If you haven't been keeping up try not to feel too bad, it confuses everyone, perhaps even the individuals that came up with the changes to begin with (although you have to admit, that would be worth a great laugh).

Of course just when you think you have it down, something else changes, if not on the whole, then at least in part. For example, say you and the family have finally decided to take a well-deserved vacation. But not just any vacation, no sir you guys are going on a cruise! And while some people may think your nuts when you say family, because, well cruise sounds so romantic (it really does doesn't it?). But again, you guys are doing it right, your taking a cruise on the Disney Cruise Line, perfect family entertainment for both parents and kids. Yes, they do it right, lots of wholesome things for the kids as well as a few surprises for the adults.

This is so cool; you knew you would need passports for the cruise, because you have been following the news. So, bypassing all the middlemen you guys applied for your passports, feeling oh so smart, you had it timed perfectly. You knew the average processing time for passports and made sure you did this in plenty of time for the cruise. Great, right?

Well almost, can you imagine the faces when you are trying to board the ship, passports are being checked and you have yours handy? Until you are told that yes, the passports themselves are in order, however, the cruise line requires you to provide proof that your passport numbers were assigned at least 75 days prior to the travel dates. It doesn't matter that you have them, it doesn't matter that you have had them for 3 weeks in advance. What matters is that you are around 8 weeks too late; at a minimum you should have had them 11 weeks before the cruise.

Perhaps bypassing the middleman is not always the best practice. While you had foresight enough to know you would need them, you did not know there were other requirements. With something this important it can be a wise move to contact a company that specializes in obtaining travel documents. If this were the case they would have naturally asked you questions about all parts of your travel and it is a good bet that they are extremely familiar with most, if not all, requirements, even a cruise line. Being professionals they would have known what questions to ask and offered advice as well. Be sure to keep this in mind for your next vacation.

Labels: Egypt Travel, employment, passport, passport applications, passport renewal, passport services, passports, travel, visa

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