US Passport Help?

[Llamster]

I was getting ready for trip yesterday and noticed that on my passport it says i'm a female....

how this error slipped my mind escapes me.

My question:

Is this a big deal? Do they check this when entering a country? Now I have no problem saying that i'm a female as long as it can get me in the country... (strong no homo) But if i can't get in... what's the point?

Has anyone had this problem before? How long does it take to get your passport back from sending it in to correct an error like this? I have to send it in and get it back right? What can I do to expedite the process?

I have a trip where i will be leaving the country on Jan 9th... If i sent it in today, will i have it by the 9th?

Will they compensate me if i can't make the flight?

much appreciated..

[idpnd]

Ask the issuing authority? It's usually possible to obtain temporary passports.

[Pappy Chris]

I don't have many answers but my assumptions given how Homeland Security seems to work (or not), you're going to be in for disappointment and probably some unreimbursed expense. I went to rent a car at BWI this fall and because my driver license did not exactly match my credit card ( "Sr." was not one one of them) they would not rent me the car and blamed it on Homeland Security. Had my wife not been with me I would have had to walk. But I was able to come and go from the country with the same documents a year previously.... but can't rent a car?? Arrrgh.
Good luck in sorting this one out. --Chris


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[Llamster]

Originally Posted by idpnd

Ask the issuing authority? It's usually possible to obtain temporary passports.

Thanks, I will look into this vigorously today..

I don't mind not being able to rent a car... I just want to be able to come in and out of a country...

It was a friend of mine actually that caught it... He looked at my passport and said "dude why does your passport say female on it?"

My heart instantly dropped... feels bad man...

[Kefaa]

It is possible you would have no trouble getting out of the US and into another country. However, if anyone along the way catches it, and worse records it, getting back into the US is going to be a long, painful, and possibly expensive experience. Worse, if they believe you knew about it, and used it anyway, getting a replacement can be very time consuming as they will double check, triple check, and possibly run it through a supervisor.

Go here:
DS-5504: Name Change, Data Correction, and Limited Passport Book Replacement Form
Scroll down to the bottom - you are the rush case (Jan 9th being within 2 weeks.) The absolute best option is to go to a regional office in person. Sending off your passport (which is required) means you are stuck until the paperwork clears the desk, a new document is produced and it is returned. Given the holiday - this could literally be 4+ weeks, even paying for "rush."
Here is the list of regional offices - call in advance and make an appointment if possible. If not, ask their hours by date (e.g. some offices are not officially closed on Christmas Eve - however they will not process anything either)
Passport Agencies

Finally - believe no one. If someone in an agency tells you it is not a big deal, or you will be fine - they are at best wrong, at worst lying. The person allowing you back into the US is not bound by anyone's word in any office. They have the rules and the rules have them. No one ever got in trouble for following the rules, but they can get fired for interpretation of the rules. (And we probably want that too).

[Pappy Chris]

Originally Posted by Llamster

Thanks, I will look into this vigorously today..

I don't mind not being able to rent a car... I just want to be able to come in and out of a country...

It was a friend of mine actually that caught it... He looked at my passport and said "dude why does your passport say female on it?"

My heart instantly dropped... feels bad man...

My point is/was... ALL the T's got to be crossed, I's got to be dotted and every period and comma in place. A gender error is a huge error in this era, (not just for you ). It's easy getting out of the country (from my observations) but getting back in is a whole other issue even with everything is in order. Good luck.

[Tempest245]

RUN...don't walk to your nearest regional office!

[Mule]

I have nothing good to say about Homeland and the Dpt of State on this issue. If time is a consideration, call State, get a comittment and a name, get confimed on email so you can stem the tide of lying. When the comittment is not met, call your Senator office of choice and get them involved, again with email confirmation.

My 82 yr old mother applied for a passport so she could go to Grand Cayman, applied 3 months b4 the trip. the passport was issued 2 days b4 the trip with the Senators office pushing it for 2 weeks. It got iced in in Menphis and did not make it. She has airline vouchers now.

This was totally uncalled for, if you are given the option to pay extra to get "their" mistake corrected, I suggest you do so. She could have paid for an expidited passport issuance but she and I thought 3 months was adequate for issuance.
That is our nightmare story.

[johnmcntsh]

I am assuming you are from the US. If so, almost all large and small cities have a branch for your representative to the House in Washington.
Go visit him or her
I went to mine in NC., as I had lost my passport and he had my replacement in 8 days.
They use a special House member courier pouch directly to the Agency and return is by overnight.

He saved my trip last year.

[John A]

My passport expired while in Trinidad. I obtained a new passport at the US Embassy in Trinidad. It took 8 days, no problems.
Changing the sex on your passport will require an original (with raised stamp) of your birth certificate.

[anjou]

I dont know if your US passports are all digitalised now but any barcode scanner should highlight the issue even if an official fails to notice it, so I would go the seemingly long route and get it changed, it could be the short route in the end. Otherwise you might not be able to get back in the country.

As for this being a gender mistake, im trying not to laugh. I bet there are a few people out there who would love that mistake made on their passport.

[Canibul]

you can get passports reissued much faster than that, if you use FedEx and coordinate with them.

[Llamster]

pretty crazy weekend/week.. pictures are worth a thousand words so i'll let them do the talking. Twas a 6 hour drive each way from my place..



Can you spot the difference?





Can't you just feel the warm breeze coming off of the bay?


I'll post the video's later, the internet here sucks.

Thanks for letting me know about the same day corrections at the Chicago office by the way. A quick change turned into a day long sort of mini-adventure. It was actually pretty freakin awesome, not gonna lie.

[meyermm]

Your problem will be no matter what nationality the obvious error will raise doubts about the authenticity of the passport at any border. You would be unwise to travel with it as you may end up visiting some spots you never wanted to for longer than you would like. Good luck!

[MarkJ]

We are doing a post Christmas special on delapatory makeup......